Civil RightsNinety years ago, on August 26, 1920, the ratification of the 19th Amendment to our Constitution was completed, guaranteeing women the right to vote, renewing our commitment to equality and justice, and marking a turning point in our Nation’s history. As we celebrate this important milestone and the achievements and shattered ceilings of the past, [...]
Interfaith Leaders Stand with Cordoba House, Denounce Hateful RhetoricAs Catholic, evangelical, mainline Protestant, Jewish and Muslim leaders and scholars committed to religious freedom and inter-religious cooperation, we are deeply troubled by the xenophobia and religious bigotry that has characterized some of the opposition to a proposed Islamic center and mosque near where the World Trade [...]
Good evening. Welcome to the White House. To you, to Muslim Americans across our country, and to more than one billion Muslims around the world, I extend my best wishes on this holy month. Ramadan Kareem. I want to welcome members of the diplomatic corps; members of my administration; and Members of Congress, including Rush [...]
Good afternoon. I am very pleased that the Senate has just voted to confirm Elena Kagan as our nation’s 112th Supreme Court Justice. And I want to thank the Senate Judiciary Committee, particularly its Chairman, Senator Leahy, for giving her a full, fair and timely hearing.
Over the past two months, the committee has scrutinized Elena’s [...]
By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and
in order to establish the Federal Government as a model employer
of individuals with disabilities, it is hereby ordered as
follows:
Section 1. Policy. Approximately 54 million Americans
are living with a disability. The Federal Government has
Thank you. Good evening, everybody. (Applause.) Thank you so much. Well, we have a gorgeous day to celebrate an extraordinary event in the life of this nation. Welcome, all of you, to our White House. And thank you, Robert, for the wonderful introduction. It is a pleasure and honor to be with all of you [...]
After years of hearings and deliberations, President Obama announced a new justice system that is about to be implemented on tribal land, with the passing of the Tribal Law and Order Act. The mish-mash of tribal, local and federal responsibility has left victims without justice and criminals without their Constitutional Rights. For instance, many times [...]
Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. (Applause.) Everyone please have a seat. Thank you very much. Let me thank Pastor Hybels from near my hometown in Chicago, who took time off his vacation to be here today. We are blessed to have him.I want to thank President Neil Kerwin and our hosts here [...]
I have long advocated that we repeal ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’, and I am pleased that both the House of Representatives and the Senate Armed Services Committee took important bipartisan steps toward repeal tonight. Key to successful repeal will be the ongoing Defense Department review, and as such I am grateful that the amendments offered [...]
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, hello, hello! Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you very much. Everybody, please have a seat.
Good morning, everybody. Of the many responsibilities accorded to a President by our Constitution, few are more weighty or consequential than that of appointing a Supreme Court justice — particularly one to succeed a giant in the law like [...]