The economy added 223,000 jobs in April as the unemployment rate fell to 5.4 percent—the lowest since May 2008—and the participation rate ticked up. This report largely reflects the ongoing recovery, but jobs in April were likely also boost…
Tag: 2016 President
Weekly Address: Honoring the 70th Anniversary of V-E Day
In this week’s address, the President honored the 70th anniversary of V-E Day. On this occasion, we commemorate the Allied victory in Europe during World War II. It is a day to pay tribute to the men and women who decades ago served and sacrifice…
Designing a Trade Deal with Small Business in Mind
In 1999, I left a design job at Nike to pursue my passion for letterpress printing and started a greeting card company, Egg Press. Letterpress is a centuries-old production printing process. It’s a relief method of printing that leaves an impression in the paper that you can see and feel. Every piece is printed by hand at our studio in Portland, Oregon.
I take pride in the fact that our products are all made by us in America, and am proud to be part of a rich history of American manufacturing.
The creativity and care we put into each card is something customers look for – not just stores across the country, but in countries around the globe. Right now, we’re selling our Made-in-America designs on four different continents, in countries like Japan and Australia. For our business, it’s a new frontier. In Japan alone, we estimate we could do half the volume we currently do in the U.S.
But getting our cards and products to our international customers is not easy. We’re a company of 20, and right now, the logistics of trading can make that new frontier feel daunting: unpredictable customs rules, confusing shipping logistics, and unreasonable duties applied at the border that can drive the prices up on our products and deter our customers.
It’s common to hear at international trade shows that, though a customer wants to order, they won’t take the risk of the unknown and unpredictable expense of duties and taxes, potentially making the retail price of each card more than the market can bear. And we have experienced many pitfalls in shipping internationally such as long delays in customs and packages returned for reasons our shipper could not explain, delivering a blow to our bottom line and our customers’ respect for our business. And with our customers, trust is everything.
These are the reasons I’m proud to support President Obama’s trade deal: the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the most progressive trade deal in history. I’m looking forward to joining him when he visits the Nike campus to talk about what this deal will mean for world-renowned American businesses like Nike, and community-rooted American small businesses like mine.
President Obama Honors the Air Force Academy Fighting Falcons with the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy
This afternoon, President Obama hosted the Air Force Fighting Falcons football team at the White House in honor of their winning the annual Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy.
In the East Room, President Obama congratulated the Air Force Chief of Staff…
Sen. Rand Paul: What You Discuss on Your Phone Is None of the Government’s Business
The sacrifice of our personal liberty for security is and will forever be a false choice
Trading on the Oregon Trail: What Small Businesses Are Saying About the TPP
President Obama is traveling to northern Oregon tomorrow to visit the headquarters of Nike and discuss the ways that both large and small American businesses can benefit from increased access to trade. The President’s trade deal — the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) — would open up new markets, support high-quality jobs, protect the environment, raise human rights and labor standards around the world, and level the playing field for American workers.
While every state stands to benefit from the President’s trade deal, few states would benefit more than Oregon. Exporting a record $20.9 billion of Made-in-America goods to the world in 2014 and supporting 86,000 jobs throughout the state, trade is a substantial driver of Oregon’s economy. Also, three out of Oregon’s top five export markets will be covered by the TPP, and this high-standards trade deal will further unlock opportunity for businesses and foster even greater economic and job growth.
From Portland to Medford, nearly 6,000 Oregon companies exported in 2013. And while the President is visiting one of the state’s largest businesses tomorrow, 88% of these Oregon businesses were small and medium-sized businesses — generating more than a third of the state’s total exports of merchandise in 2013.
Whether a cup of morning tea or a ride to work, these are small businesses that Oregonians depend on — and in turn, these businesses depend on accessibility to world markets in order to expand and hire more employees.
Here are some of Oregon’s small businesses that stand to benefit from the President’s trade deal:
“This Is My Heart Because You Haven’t Visited South Dakota”
Rebecca is 9 years old and her heart is broken.
A young resident of Vermillion, South Dakota, Rebecca has been waiting and waiting for President Obama to visit her home state for the last six years. So, in April, she took matters into her own hands and wrote the President a letter laying out her best arguments for him to come: “We have Mt. Rushmoore [SIC], and when I just go to the park, I sometimes see coyotes, hawks, and bald eagles.”
Highlights from Marco’s First Trip to New Hampshire
‘We can expand the American Dream’ As home to the first presidential primary, New Hampshire plays an absolutely critical role in our campaign. Marco visited for the first time as a candidate last month and spoke with Granite Staters about our campaign and vision for a New American Century. Watch this video for highlights from…
The post Highlights from Marco’s First Trip to New Hampshire appeared first on Marco Rubio.
Behind the Lens: Photographing the President in 50 States
This week, the President will visit South Dakota, marking the 50th state he has visited during his administration (as such, it’s also my 50th state with him). To mark the occasion, I chose one photograph from each state that we’ve visited. This was not as easy as I thought it would be. With help from photo editor Phaedra Singelis, I tried to depict a variety of situations. Some are more lighthearted; some are sad, and some are poignant. Some are with the Vice President; some are with the First Lady, and a couple are with the entire family. A selection of photos are centered on policy, and others on politics. Some focus on the President as Commander-in-Chief — others on his role as consoler for the nation.
I hope you enjoy this gallery. And stay tuned — we’ll be adding a photograph from South Dakota following his visit there on Friday.
Alabama, March 7, 2015. Marching at the 50th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday in Selma. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Alaska. Nov 12, 2009. Air Force One refueling at Elmendorf Air Force Base. (Official White House photo by Pete Souza)
Arizona, Aug. 16, 2009. Viewing the Grand Canyon. (Official White House photo by Pete Souza)
From Community College to the White House: Meet These Three Staffers
President Obama is traveling to Watertown, South Dakota on Friday to deliver the commencement address at Lake Area Technical Institute — one of the nation’s top community colleges. While congratulating the graduating class, the President will also discuss his plan to make community college free for students who keep their grades up.
From students just out of high school to those returning to the classroom for more training or a career change, community college students make up 40 percent of the Americans enrolled in higher education. The President’s plan is projected to benefit around 9 million students each year and save the average full-time community college student $3,800 a year in tuition expenses.
Here at the White House, we understand the impact that community colleges are having on students throughout the country. On National College Signing Day, three White House staffers shared their story of attending community college and credited their schools with helping them reach their full potential.
Meet these three White House staffers: