Weekly Address: Helping Protect Our Kids by Reducing Gun Violence

Three months after the tragic shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, President Obama says that the Senate has taken important steps forward to help protect our kids by reducing gun violence.

The American people made their voices heard, and the Senate made progress to make it harder for criminals and people with serious mental illnesses to get guns, to crack down on anyone trying to funnel guns to criminals, and to reinstate and strengthen a ban on the sale of military-style assault weapons. Each of these ideas deserves a vote. The President urges Congress to pass these commonsense measures while affirming our nation’s tradition of responsible gun ownership.

Watch this week's Weekly Address.

In Case You Missed It

Here’s a quick glimpse at what happened this week on WhiteHouse.gov:

Middle East Trip: On Wednesday, President Obama embarked on a five day journey to Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan. The President began his visit with an arrival ceremony at the Ben Gurion airport followed by a visit to an Iron Dome defense battery in Tel Aviv. In the evening, President Obama flew to Jerusalem to talk with Israeli leaders and joined Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a working dinner.

On Thursday, the President visited the West Bank, where he held meetings in Ramallah with Palestinian Authority President Abbas and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Fayyad, and attended a cultural event at Al-Bireh Youth Center. The day also included a tour of the Israel Museum and a speech from the Jerusalem International Convention Center.

The President wrapped up his busy day at the residence of President Peres for a dinner in Jerusalem. Check back this weekend for coverage on the rest of President Obama’s Middle East Trip.

St. Patty’s Day Celebrations: On Tuesday, President Obama welcomed Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny to the White House. The two discussed their “incredibly strong partnership” on issues such as the economy and security. The President also noted a deal to sell American-made planes to Ireland, which helps grow our economy and create American jobs. After the bilateral meeting, the pair traveled to Capitol Hill for a St. Patrick’s Day Luncheon. To end the day, the President and First Lady held a reception to mark the holiday.

New Labor Secretary Nominee: On Monday, President Obama announced the nomination of Thomas Perez for Secretary of Labor. Perez will work on behalf of American wage earners, job seekers, and retirees so they can enjoy improved working conditions, advanced employment opportunities, and guaranteed workplace benefits and rights.

As the son of Dominican immigrants worked his way through college as a garbage collector and at a warehouse in order to become a lawyer and dedicate his life to public service, the President said Perez’s life reminds us of our “country’s promise.”

“If you’re willing to work hard, it doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, what your last name is -- you can make it if you try,” said President Obama. “Tom’s made protecting that promise for everybody the cause for his life.”

Women’s History Month: On Monday, President Obama delivered remarks at the Women’s History Month reception at the White House. The First Lady and leaders from various sectors joined the President as he celebrated the progress women have made:

“And when I look around this room, it is hard to believe that 100 years ago this month, thousands of women were marching right outside this house demanding one of our most fundamental right: the right to vote, to have a say in our democracy. And today, a century later, its rooms are full of accomplished women who have overcome discrimination, shattered glass ceilings, and become outstanding role models for all of our sons and daughters.”

At the event, President Obama also announced that he would nominate longtime women’s advocate Cathy Russell, who has served as Dr. Jill Biden’s Chief of Staff, as the next Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women Issues.

Learn more on the Administration’s Commitment to Women:

• Encouraging Young Women to Become the Leaders and Advocates of Tomorrow
• About the Council on Women and Girls
• From the Archives: President Obama Signs the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
• The President and Vice President at Signing of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
• Joining the Fight to End Human Trafficking
• Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)

Three Years of the Affordable Care Act: This week marked the third anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and we identified meaningful ways the health care law is helping everyday Americans. In a series of blog posts throughout the week we discussed how the Affordable Care Act holds insurance companies accountable, protects consumers, protects against insurance discrimination, maintains a focus on quality care, increases savings for seniors, and expands access to millions of young adults.

The President’s Bracket: On Wednesday, the President released his bracket for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. President Obama’s Final Four includes Louisville, Ohio State, Florida, and Indiana, while he predicted Indiana to win it all. Today, he released his picks for the women’s tournament with Baylor topping Notre Dame in the final.

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Take a Peek at the President's Trip to the Middle East

It's President Obama's second day in the Middle East, during the first foreign trip of his second term. While in the region, he's met with both Israeli and Palestinian leaders, and today he addressed the Israeli people from Jerusalem, where he spoke about the future of the region: "That is where peace begins – not just in the plans of leaders, but in the hearts of people."

See photos and videos from President Obama's trip to the Middle East.

President Barack Obama is greeted by Israeli President Shimon Peres and members of Hora, a local children's dance troupe, upon his arrival at the President's residence in Jerusalem, March 20, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

In Case You Missed It

Here are some of the top stories from the White House blog:

President Obama Tells Israeli People: The U.S Is Proud to Be "Your Strongest Ally and Your Greatest Friend"
The first stop on President Obama's trip to the Middle East marks the first time the President has visited Israel since taking office, and comes as its citizens celebrate the 65th anniversary of a free and independent State of Israel.

Reaffirming the Incredible Bond Between the United States and Ireland
President Obama holds a bilateral meeting with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny at the White House before heading to the Capitol for a St. Patrick's Day Luncheon.

Health Care Law 3rd Anniversary: Paying for Quality Saves Health Care Dollars
On the third anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius lays out some of the ways in which the health reform has lowered costs.

Today's Schedule

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Choosing a New Secretary of Labor

President Obama yesterday announced that he has chosen Thomas Perez, the head of the U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, to be the next Secretary of Labor.

Speaking in the East Room of the White House, the President introduced Perez: the son of Dominican immigrants, who helped pay his way through college by working as a garbage collector.

Learn more about the President's choice for Department of Labor.

In Case You Missed It

Here are some of the top stories from the White House blog:

Ben Rhodes Previews President Obama's Trip to Israel, the West Bank and Jordan
In the first foreign trip of his second term in office, President Obama will meet with the new Israeli government and speak to the Israeli people, as well as meet with the Palestinian leadership and the King of Jordan.

President Obama Hosts a Celebration of Women's History Month at the White House
The President vowed that he and his entire administration will do everything they can to ensure equality and opportunity for all women.

Affordable Care Act at Three: Consumer Protections
The Affordable Care Act brings an end to some of the worst insurance industry practices that have kept affordable health coverage out of reach for millions of Americans, especially when they needed it most. Under the health care law, consumers can be confident that their insurance will protect them if they get sick and their families won’t be crushed by medical bills.

Today's Schedule

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Weekly Address: Time to Create the Energy Security Trust

President Obama discusses the need to harness American energy in order to reduce our dependence on oil and make the United States a magnet for new jobs. He highlights his all-of-the-above approach to American energy -- including a proposal to establish an Energy Security Trust, which invests in research that will help shift our cars and trucks off of oil.

Watch this week's Weekly Address.

In Case You Missed It

Here’s a quick glimpse at what happened this week on WhiteHouse.gov:

International Courage Awards: Last Friday, the First Lady joined Secretary of State John Kerry at the State Department for the International Women of Courage Awards—where nine different women were honored. The event was a celebration of the strength and sacrifice of individuals who have worked tirelessly for the advancement of women’s rights for all.

Trade Export Council: On Tuesday, President Obama touched base with business and government leaders at a meeting of the President's Export Council.

"The good news is we are well on our way to meeting a very ambitious goal that we set several years ago to double U.S. exports," said the President. "And what we know is, is that a lot of the growth, a lot of the new jobs that we've seen during the course of this recovery, have been export-driven."

To maintain and ignite growth, President Obama discussed finishing new trade deals with Europe and the Asia-Pacific. The Administration signed legislation in 2011 supporting free trade agreements with Korea, Colombia, and Panama which has kept America competitive in foreign trade, while creating jobs for Americans.

Sultan of Brunei: On Tuesday, President Obama welcomed His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei to the Oval Office for a bilateral meeting to share their desire for "a strong, peaceful, prosperous Asia-Pacific region."

Brunei, a small country in the South China Sea, will be holding the ASEAN East Asia Summit meeting in October. The visit is a symbol of the President's goal of working towards a peaceful and prosperous presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

#AskFLOTUS : On Monday, in celebration of Let’s Move's third anniversary the First Lady participated in a question and answer session through Twitter. The First Lady tweeted responses to questions such as how much exercise our kids need a day and her favorite healthy winter recipe. For the record, a minimum of 60 minutes a day is required and the First Lady's favorite winter dish is turkey and veggie chili. Head over to Pinterest for MyPlate Recipes which haves hundreds of tasty recipes for a healthy diet.

Check out the Q & A on Storify and follow @FLOTUS and @LetsMove for the latest updates.

"Being Biden": On Thursday, Vice President Biden introduced a new audio series called "Being Biden" to give Americans an opportunity to connect with the White House through the lens of Vice President Biden. In the series, the Vice President will discuss special photos and share why the moments matter to him. Check out the first installment at WhiteHouse.gov/Being-Biden.

Ask Him Anything: On Wednesday, Gene Sperling, the Director of the National Economic Council and Assistant to President Obama for Economic Policy, fielded questions on the President's plan to reduce the deficit. Through Reddit's "Ask Me Anything" forum, Sperling answered economic policy questions from users, and even joked about the West Wing, a TV series on which he once worked.

Hire Vets: On Wednesday, the First Lady addressed the Business Roundtable, an association of chief executive officers, and challenged them to hire our veterans and military spouses. Through Joining Forces, the First Lady and Dr. Jill Biden have made it a priority to support them:

"We've got to hold ourselves to the same standards of service and patriotism as they've held themselves," said the First Lady. "And we've got to join forces so that we can truly serve our veterans and military families as well as they have served us."

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How we shift America off oil

America's auto industry is in the midst of a change for the better. Right now, car dealers are offering customers twice as many hybrids as they were five years ago and seven times as many cars that can go 40 miles or more on a gallon of gas. Last year, General Motors sold more hybrid cars than ever before and Ford is working hard to keep up with demand for its fuel-efficient vehicles.

That trend is a key example of how innovation helps to drive business success -- and creates jobs for the middle class in America. But it's one thing to make a car more fuel efficient. It's another thing altogether to move cars and trucks off oil entirely.

And that's the next step. Here's how President Obama is proposing to get us there:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/infographic/energy-security-trust

At a time when the sequester is forcing laboratories and science facilities across the country to scale back on their work, we need to keep investing in research.

Because if we can meet this goal, the benefits are clear. We'll help diminish the burden of spiking gas prices. We'll reduce our reliance on foreign oil. And most importantly, the kind of technological breakthroughs the Energy Security Trust will work to produce won't just create jobs -- they could create whole new industries.

So if you think the Energy Security Trust is a good idea, will you share this graphic?

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