REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
ON RECOVERY EFFORTS IN HAITI
 
Diplomatic Reception Room
 
10:10 A.M. EST
 
     THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning, everybody.  I’ve directed my administration to launch a swift, coordinated and aggressive effort to save lives and support the recovery in Haiti. 
 
     The losses that have been suffered in Haiti are nothing less than devastating, and responding to a disaster of this magnitude will require every element of our national capacity — our diplomacy and development assistance; the power of our military; and, most importantly, the compassion of our country.  And this morning, I’m joined by several members of my national security team who are leading this coordinated response.
 
     I’ve made it clear to each of these leaders that Haiti must be a top priority for their departments and agencies right now.  This is one of those moments that calls out for American leadership.  For the sake of our citizens who are in Haiti, for the sake of the Haitian people who have suffered so much, and for the sake of our common humanity, we stand in solidarity with our neighbors to the south, knowing that but for the grace of God, there we go.
 
     This morning, I can report that the first waves of our rescue and relief workers are on the ground and at work.  A survey team worked overnight to identify priority areas for assistance, and shared the results of that review throughout the United States government, and with international partners who are also sending support.  Search and rescue teams are actively working to save lives.  Our military has secured the airport and prepared it to receive the heavy equipment and resources that are on the way, and to receive them around the clock, 24 hours a day.  An airlift has been set up to deliver high-priority items like water and medicine.  And we’re coordinating closely with the Haitian government, the United Nations, and other countries who are also on the ground.
 
     We have no higher priority than the safety of American citizens, and we’ve airlifted injured Americans out of Haiti.  We’re running additional evacuations, and will continue to do so in the days ahead.  I know that many Americans, especially Haitian Americans, are desperate for information about their family and friends.  And the State Department has set up a phone number and e-mail address that you can find at www.state.gov — www.state.gov — to inquire about your loved ones.  And you should know that we will not rest until we account for our fellow Americans in harm’s way.
 
     Even as we move as quickly as possible, it will take hours — and in many cases days — to get all of our people and resources on the ground.  Right now in Haiti roads are impassable, the main port is badly damaged, communications are just beginning to come online, and aftershocks continue.
 
     None of this will seem quick enough if you have a loved one who’s trapped, if you’re sleeping on the streets, if you can’t feed your children.  But it’s important that everybody in Haiti understand, at this very moment one of the largest relief efforts in our recent history is moving towards Haiti.  More American search and rescue teams are coming.  More food.  More water.  Doctors, nurses, paramedics.  More of the people, equipment and capabilities that can make the difference between life and death.       
 
     The United States armed forces are also on their way to support this effort.  Several Coast Guard cutters are already there providing everything from basic services like water, to vital technical support for this massive logistical operation.  Elements of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division will arrive today.  We’re also deploying a Marine Expeditionary Unit, the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, and the Navy’s hospital ship, the Comfort. 
 
     And today, I’m also announcing an immediate investment of $100 million to support our relief efforts.  This will mean more of the life-saving equipment, food, water and medicine that will be needed.  This investment will grow over the coming year as we embark on the long-term recovery from this unimaginable tragedy.
 
     The United States of America will also forge the partnerships that this undertaking demands.  We will partner with the Haitian people.  And that includes the government of Haiti, which needs our support as they recover from the devastation of this earthquake.  It also includes the many Haitian Americans who are determined to help their friends and family.  And I’ve asked Vice President Biden to meet in South Florida this weekend with members of the Haitian American community, and with responders who are mobilizing to help the Haitian people.
 
     We will partner with the United Nations and its dedicated personnel and peacekeepers, especially those from Brazil, who are already on the ground due to their outstanding peacekeeping efforts there.  And I want to say that our hearts go out to the United Nations, which has experienced one of the greatest losses in its history.  We have no doubt that we can carry on the work that was done by so many of the U.N. effort that have been lost, and we see that their legacy is Haiti’s hope for the future.
 
     We will partner with other nations and organizations.  And that’s why I’ve been reaching out to leaders from across the Americas and beyond who are sending resources to support this effort.  And we will join with the strong network of non-governmental organizations across the country who understand the daily struggles of the Haitian people.
 
     Yet even as we bring our resources to bear on this emergency, we need to summon the tremendous generosity and compassion of the American people.  I want to thank the many Americans who have already contributed to this effort.  I want to encourage all Americans who want to help to go to whitehouse.gov to learn more.  And in the days ahead, we will continue to work with those individuals and organizations who want to assist this effort so that you can do so.
 
     Finally, I want to speak directly to the people of Haiti.  Few in the world have endured the hardships that you have known.  Long before this tragedy, daily life itself was often a bitter struggle.  And after suffering so much for so long, to face this new horror must cause some to look up and ask, have we somehow been forsaken?     
 
     To the people of Haiti, we say clearly, and with conviction, you will not be forsaken; you will not be forgotten.  In this, your hour of greatest need, America stands with you.  The world stands with you.  We know that you are a strong and resilient people.  You have endured a history of slavery and struggle, of natural disaster and recovery.  And through it all, your spirit has been unbroken and your faith has been unwavering.  So today, you must know that help is arriving — much, much more help is on the way. 
 
Thank you very much, everybody.

This post is from family members looking for their loved ones missing in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake. If you have any information, please contact immediately:

LOUISE LAMAND

A la Rue Jardine, Haiti

Contact: hiltonora@yahoo.com, 617-388-2829

LERINCE ANDREZIL

RENEL ANDREZIL

MARGERIE ANDREZIL

Port au Prince, Haiti

Contact: Edith Francois, 813-325-8933 

Jean Marie Laguerre

Delma31 RU Magvana No 7

Contact: deia815@yahoo.com

Francisco Landrin

La Maison Restaurant

Roule – Claircine #27

Contact: Darline, Boynton Beach, FL

I am looking for my mother,a mother of  8, she travelled from canada to haiti about a month ago,she is supposed to have been in the place cazeau, delmas area in port-au-prince. If anyone has any information to call me at ,and her number in haiti is 3697 3348 or 3679 3314, i am also looking for my father, i believe he was in carrefour,port-au-prince at the time of the earthquake his number is 3472 9305,some of his close family are alfred francois,alphone francois, natasha francois, marlene francois, all lives in carrefour.My mother s sister Genese lafleur,does own a school in place cazeau,delmas , very close to where my mother lived, if any one has any information.My mother s brothers who also live very close to her are kilsaint lafleur, Narum lafleur, Berlamy lafleur.If anyone has any information.

Missing: Joeri Arion, 28 years. Lives in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.Stayed as a guest with mr.Pierre Noel Bien Aime at the in the district Carrefour in the city of Port-auPrince in the area Arcachoun.Have not heard anything form him since the earthquake. So have no idea where is is and if he”s safe. if anyone has seen or heard anything form him, please contact me at elaise@live.nl

Hi everyone, i am asking if anyone has seen my two brothers Harold and Daniel. Harold is the one on the left in the first picture and Daniel is the one on the right in the second picture. The guys had gone to a funeral in Lazile and we haven’t been able to hear from them since the earthquake occurred. So, if someone has either seen them or know about the situation in Lazile, please let me know. You can either e-mail me at lisaboussiquot@yahoo.com or call me at . My brothers’ numbers are 3461-51-80 and 3402-61-36.

We are looking for our mother/grandmother and other family members. Solange Michel is on the left, Gisele Alexis is in the middle, and Antonine Louis is on the right. We have not been able to make contact with any of the three. They are in the Butte Boyer, Croix Des Bouquets region. Any news would be appreciated. Please e-mail  romicge@hotmail.com.

My family is looking for Marie Elvire Sylvain, She works at Bank Central (B&H). We have not been in touch with her at all. Does anyone know if the Bank Central Building is still standing? Has international help arrived in that area of Port-au-Prince? If you have any information about Elvire, please send an email to s_bonneannee@hotmail.com or post a comment on her facebook page.

Wildjine Dossous, 11 years old, Delmas 72 (colonie) Mme Milo  40 years old Demas 97 Wikil Dossous (black Funky) 40 years old Delmas 72 (colonie)Please Help us, We are in Montreal (Quebec) and can not get in touch with them sence the day the earthquake happened. If any body have news about the situatiion between delmas 95 and route de frere and ecole des soeurs de Margueritte d Youville at Petion Ville  Please  response.

Iam yves Horace, I am looking my parent in Haiti, port au prince, in delmas 24 citee cadet rue tessier # 35. The names of family are venante Charles my mom, my pierre-richard, Piquant Joseph, Luckne Demond, my sister Danielle Demond Clemont and Kesnel Clemont, Papouche, Daphnee. 011509-3691-2265, 011509-3460-5351,011509-3463-3145,011509-750-0129,011509-3407-0531.011509-3505-8860,011509-362-1700,011509-3632-1703. My address is 1153 17th ave north apt 3 lake worth 33460 561-503-5602 please contact me.

those are my my family live in haiti location carrfour cotes plage,rue titus any one have information about those pictures please let me know my #561 3520577my is suzie alexandre. Their mothers live in france.

My sister, her husband and their two young kids. They live in Delmas 60 Musseau impass tatas petit #8 a l’int. Please oh please help us find them so my mom and i can actually sleep at night. We have not heard from them since the day of the disaster in haiti. Any info at all please email me at murm09@gmail.com

Testimonials and requests for help from Haiti on the web

From The Miami Herald…Thank You:

By JACQUELINE CHARLES, CAROL ROSENBERG, JEAN-CYRIL PRESSOIR AND JIM WYSS

jcharles@MiamiHerald.com

From Associated Press:

LAKELAND, Fla. –

Grocery store chain Publix Super Markets said Wednesday it will accept donations from customers and employees in Florida to help victims of the earthquake that struck Haiti Tuesday.

The company also said Publix Super Markets Charities will give $100,000 to the relief efforts. The money will be sent to the American Red Cross for the Haiti Relief & Development Fund.

A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck just west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday and it is feared thousands have died. President Barack Obama has promised an all-out rescue and humanitarian effort.

Customers will have the option to give any amount by adding it to their grocery bills at checkout. The company said the program would be offered for a few weeks, depending on customer response to it.

Maria Brous, the company’s director of media and community relations, said many Publix employees and their families come from Haiti.

Publix Super Markets Inc., based in Lakeland, Fla., is privately held.

Wyclef Jean Haiti earthquake: Singer leads charge to help through Yele Haiti charity – and Twitter

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Haiti: Update from Port-au-Prince

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REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
ON RESCUE EFFORTS IN HAITI
 
Diplomatic Reception Room
 
10:20 A.M. EST
 
 
     THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning, everybody.  This morning I want to extend to the people of Haiti the deep condolences and unwavering support of the American people following yesterday’s terrible earthquake. 
 
     We are just now beginning to learn the extent of the devastation, but the reports and images that we’ve seen of collapsed hospitals, crumbled homes, and men and women carrying their injured neighbors through the streets are truly heart-wrenching.  Indeed, for a country and a people who are no strangers to hardship and suffering, this tragedy seems especially cruel and incomprehensible.  Our thoughts and prayers are also with the many Haitian Americans around our country who do not yet know the fate of their families and loved ones back home.
 
     I have directed my administration to respond with a swift, coordinated, and aggressive effort to save lives.  The people of Haiti will have the full support of the United States in the urgent effort to rescue those trapped beneath the rubble, and to deliver the humanitarian relief — the food, water and medicine  — that Haitians will need in the coming days.  In that effort, our government, especially USAID and the Departments of State and Defense are working closely together and with our partners in Haiti, the region, and around the world. 
 
Right now our efforts are focused on several urgent priorities.  First, we’re working quickly to account for U.S. embassy personnel and their families in Port-au-Prince, as well as the many American citizens who live and work in Haiti.  Americans trying to locate family members in Haiti are encouraged to contact the State Department at               888/407-4747         888/407-4747.  I’m going to repeat that –               888/407-4747         888/407-4747.
 
Second, we’ve mobilized resources to help rescue efforts.  Military overflights have assessed the damage, and by early afternoon our civilian disaster assistance team are beginning to arrive.  Search and rescue teams from Florida, Virginia and California will arrive throughout today and tomorrow, and more rescue and medical equipment and emergency personnel are being prepared. 
 
     Because in disasters such as this the first hours and days are absolutely critical to saving lives and avoiding even greater tragedy, I have directed my teams to be as forward-leaning as possible in getting the help on the ground and coordinating with our international partners as well.
 
     Third, given the many different resources that are needed, we are taking steps to ensure that our government acts in a unified way.  My national security team has led an interagency effort overnight.  And to ensure that we coordinate our effort, going forward, I’ve designated the administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Dr. Rajiv Shah, to be our government’s unified disaster coordinator. 
 
     Now, this rescue and recovery effort will be complex and challenging.  As we move resources into Haiti, we will be working closely with partners on the ground, including the many NGOs from Haiti and across Haiti, the United Nations Stabilization Mission, which appears to have suffered its own losses, and our partners in the region and around the world.  This must truly be an international effort.
 
     Finally, let me just say that this is a time when we are reminded of the common humanity that we all share.  With just a few hundred miles of ocean between us and a long history that binds us together, Haitians are neighbors of the Americas and here at home.  So we have to be there for them in their hour of need. 
 
Despite the fact that we are experiencing tough times here at home, I would encourage those Americans who want to support the urgent humanitarian efforts to go to whitehouse.gov where you can learn how to contribute.  We must be prepared for difficult hours and days ahead as we learn about the scope of the tragedy. We will keep the victims and their families in our prayers.  We will be resolute in our response, and I pledge to the people of Haiti that you will have a friend and partner in the United States of America today and going forward. 
 
May God bless the people of Haiti and those working on their behalf.
 
     Thank you very much.

Senate Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

“Harry Reid called me today and apologized for an unfortunate comment reported today.  I accepted Harry’s apology without question because I’ve known him for years, I’ve seen the passionate leadership he’s shown on issues of social justice and I know what’s in his heart.  As far as I am concerned, the book is closed.”

President Barack Obama - January 8, 2010

Remarks of President Barack Obama
As Prepared for Delivery
Weekly Address
January 9, 2010
 
A year ago, when I took office in the midst of the worst recession since the Great Depression, I promised you two things.  The first was that there would be better days ahead.  And the second was that the road to recovery would be long, and sometimes bumpy.
 
That was brought home again yesterday.  We learned that in November, our economy saw its first month of job gains in nearly two years – but last month, we lost more than we gained.  Now, we know that no single month makes a trend, and job losses for the final quarter of 2009 were one-tenth what they were in the first quarter.  But until we see a trend of good, sustainable job creation, we will be relentless in our efforts to put America back to work.
 
That task goes even deeper than replacing the seven million jobs that have been lost over the past two years.  We need to rebuild our economy in such a way that our families can feel a measure of security again.  Too many of the folks I’ve talked with this year, and whose stories I read in letters at night, tell me that they’ve known their own private recessions since long before economists declared one – and they’ll still feel the recession long after economists have declared it over.
 
That’s because, for decades, Washington avoided doing what was right in favor of doing what was easy.  And the result was an economy where some made out well, but the middle class too often took a beating.
 
Over the past decade, the income of the average household actually declined, and we lost as many jobs as we created.  Hardworking folks who did everything right suddenly found themselves forced to downscale their dreams because of economic factors beyond their control.  We’re talking about simple dreams.  American dreams.  A good job with a good wage.  A secure and dignified retirement.  Stable health care so you don’t go broke just because you get sick.  The chance to give our kids a better shot than we got.
 
That’s why, as we begin to emerge from this crisis, we will not return to the complacency that helped cause it.  Even as we focus on putting America back to work today, we’re building a new foundation for our economy to create the good, lasting jobs and shared prosperity of tomorrow.
 
We’re making historic investments in science and in a clean energy economy that will generate and keep the jobs and industries of the future right here in America.
 
We’re reforming our education system, so that our kids are fully prepared to compete with workers anywhere in the world and win the race for the 21st century.
 
We’re fixing our broken health insurance system that’s crushing families, eating away at workers’ take-home pay, and nailing small businesses with double-digit premium increases.
 
And that’s what I’d like to focus on for a minute.  After a long and thorough debate, we are on the verge of passing health insurance reform that will finally offer Americans the security of knowing they’ll have quality, affordable health care whether they lose their job, change jobs, move, or get sick.  The worst practices of the insurance industry will be banned forever.  And costs will finally come down for families, businesses, and our government.
 
Now, it’ll take a few years to fully implement these reforms in a responsible way.  But what every American should know is that once I sign health insurance reform into law, there are dozens of protections and benefits that will take effect this year.
 
Uninsured Americans with a pre-existing illness or condition will finally be able to purchase coverage they can afford.
 
Children with pre-existing conditions will no longer be refused coverage, and young adults will be able to stay on their parents’ policy until they’re 26 or 27 years old.
 
Small business owners who can’t afford to cover their employees will be immediately offered tax credits to purchase coverage.
 
Early retirees who receive coverage from their employers will see their coverage protected and their premiums go down.
 
Seniors who fall into the coverage gap known as the donut hole will receive discounts of up to 50 percent on their prescriptions as we begin to close that gap altogether.
 
And every patient’s choice of doctor will be protected, along with access to emergency care.
 
Here’s what else will happen within the first year.  Insurance plans will be required to offer free preventive care to their customers – so that we can start catching preventable illnesses and diseases on the front end.  They’ll no longer be allowed to impose restrictive annual limits on the amount of coverage you receive or lifetime limits on the amount of benefits you receive.  They’ll be prohibited from dropping your coverage when you get sick and need it most.  And there will be a new, independent appeals process for anyone who feels they were unfairly denied a claim by their insurance company.
 
In short, once I sign health insurance reform into law, doctors and patients will have more control over their health care decisions, and insurance company bureaucrats will have less.  All told, these changes represent the most sweeping reforms and toughest restrictions on insurance companies that this country has ever known.  That’s how we’ll make 2010 a healthier and more secure year for every American – for those who have health insurance, and those who don’t.
 
We enter a new decade, now, with new perils – but we’re going to meet them.  It’s also a time of tremendous promise – and we’re going to seize it.  We will rebuild the American Dream for our middle class and put the American economy on a stronger footing for the future.  And this year, I am as hopeful and as confident as ever that we’re going to rise to this moment the same way that generations of Americans always have: as one nation, and one people. Thanks for listening.

Election Night: Jean Biden and Vice President Biden-November 4, 2008

For Immediate Release
January 8, 2010
Statement from Vice President Joe Biden
 
“My mother, Catherine Eugenia “Jean” Finnegan Biden, passed away peacefully today at our home in Wilmington, Delaware, surrounded by her children, her grandchildren, her great-grandchildren and many loved ones.  At 92, she was the center of our family and taught all of her children that family is to be treasured, loyalty is paramount and faith will guide you through the tough times.   She believed in us, and because of that, we believed in ourselves.  Together with my father, her husband of 61 years who passed away in 2002, we learned the dignity of hard work and that you are defined by your sense of honor.  Her strength, which was immeasurable, will live on in all of us.”   
 
###
 
Catherine Eugenia “Jean” Finnegan Biden was born on July 17, 1917, the daughter of the late Ambrose J. Finnegan and the former Geraldine C. Blewitt of Scranton, Pennsylvania. In 1941, she married Joseph Robinette Biden. They were married for 61 years before Mr. Biden passed away in 2002.
 
Mrs. Biden is survived by her eldest son, Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., his wife Jill Jacobs Biden and their three children, Joseph R. Biden, III, of Wilmington, Delaware, his wife Hallie Olivere Biden and their children, Natalie Paige Biden and Robert Hunter Biden, II;  R. Hunter Biden of Washington, D.C., his wife Kathleen Buhle Biden and their children, Naomi King Biden, Finnegan James Biden and Roberta Mabel Biden; and Ashley Blazer Biden of Wilmington, Delaware; and by her daughter, Valerie Biden Owens of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, her husband John T. Owens and their children Valerie James Owens, Cuffe Biden Owens and Catherine Eugenia Owens; and by her two younger sons, James Brian Biden of Merion Station, Pennsylvania, his wife Sara Jones Biden and their children, James Brian Biden, Jr., Caroline Nicole Biden and Nicholas Coleman Biden; and Francis W. Biden of Florida and his daughter, Alana Jaquet Biden.
 
Details on services for Mrs. Biden, 92, will be available in the coming days.  On behalf of the Biden family, Valerie Biden Owens has requested that, in lieu of flowers, those wishing to make a contribution in memory of Mrs. Biden do so to a hospice, the Ministry of Caring in Wilmington, Delaware, or the Naomi Christina Biden Minority Scholarship Fund at Archmere Academy in Claymont, Delaware.

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
ON JOBS AND CLEAN ENERGY INVESTMENTS
East Room
 
3:14 P.M. EST
 
     THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everybody.  Before I announce a significant new investment we’re making in clean energy, I want to give an update on a matter of concern to every American — and that’s our employment picture.
 
     The jobs numbers that were released by the Labor Department this morning are a reminder that the road to recovery is never straight, and that we have to continue to work every single day to get our economy moving again.  For most Americans, and for me, that means jobs.  It means whether we are putting people back to work.
 
     Job losses for the last quarter of 2009 were one-tenth of what we were experiencing in the first quarter.  In fact, in November we saw the first gain in jobs in nearly two years.  Last month, however, we slipped back, losing more jobs than we gained, though the overall trend of job loss is still pointing in the right direction.
 
     What this underscores, though, is that we have to continue to explore every avenue to accelerate the return to hiring, which brings me to my announcement today.  The Recovery Act has been a major force in breaking the trajectory of this recession and stimulating growth and hiring.  And one of the most popular elements of it has been a clean energy manufacturing initiative that will put Americans to work while helping America gain the lead when it comes to clean energy.
 
    It’s clear why such an effort is so important.  Building a robust clean energy sector is how we will create the jobs of the future — jobs that pay well and can’t be outsourced.  But it’s also how we will reduce our dangerous dependence on foreign oil, a dependence that endangers our economy and our security.  And it is how we will combat the threat of climate change and leave our children a planet that’s safer than the one we inherited.
 
     Harnessing new forms of energy will be one of the defining challenges of the 21st century.  And unfortunately, right now the United States, the nation that pioneered the use of clean energy, is being outpaced by nations around the world.  It’s China that has launched the largest effort in history to make their economy energy efficient.  We spearheaded the development of solar technology, but we’ve fallen behind countries like Germany and Japan in producing it.  And almost all of the batteries that we use to power our hybrid vehicles are still manufactured by Japanese companies or in Asia — though, because of one of the steps like the one we’re taking today, we’re beginning to produce more of these batteries here at home.
     Now, I welcome and am pleased to see a real competition emerging around the world to develop these kinds of clean energy technologies.  Competition is what fuels innovation.  But I don’t want America to lose that competition.  I don’t want the industries that yield the jobs of tomorrow to be built overseas. I don’t want the technology that will transform the way we use energy to be invented abroad.  I want the United States of America to be what it has always been — and that is a leader — the leader when it comes to a clean energy future.
 
     And that’s exactly what this clean energy manufacturing initiative will help us do.  It will help close the clean energy gap that’s grown between America and other nations.  Through this initiative, we’re awarding $2.3 billion in tax credits for American manufacturers of clean energy technologies — companies that build wind turbines, and produce solar panels, and assemble cutting edge batteries.  The initiative we’re outlining today will likely generate 17,000 jobs, and the roughly $5 billion more that we’ll leverage in the private sector investments could help create tens of thousands of additional jobs.
 
    At the same time, this initiative will give a much-needed boost to our manufacturing sector by building new plants or upgrading old ones.  And we’ll take an important step toward meeting the goal I’ve set of doubling the amount of renewable power we use in the next three years with wind turbines and solar panels built right here in the U.S. of A.  Put simply, this initiative is good for middle-class families.  It is good for our security.  It’s good for our planet.
 
     Over 180 projects in over 40 states will receive these tax credits.  And one of them is TPI Composites, Inc., which is based in Newton, Iowa — one of America’s leading wind turbine manufacturers.  Because of these tax credits, TPI Composites will not only be able to expand an existing facility in Newton, they’ll not only be able to build a brand new facility in Nebraska, they’ll also be able to hire over 200 new workers.  And it’s my hope that similar stories will be told in cities and towns across America because of this initiative.
 
     In fact, this initiative has been so popular that we have far more qualified applicants than we’ve been able to fund.  We received requests for roughly three times as much in funding — $7.6 billion — as we could provide.  And that’s why, as part of the jobs package on which I’m urging Congress to act, I’ve called for investing another $5 billion in this program, which could put even more Americans to work right away building and equipping clean energy manufacturing facilities here in the United States.
 
     In the letters that I receive at night, and I — many of you know I get about 10 letters a night that I take a look at — I often hear from Americans who are facing hard times — Americans who’ve lost their jobs, or can’t afford to pay their bills; they’re worried about what the future holds.  I am confident that if we harness the ingenuity of companies like TPI Composites; if we can tap the talents of our workers, and our innovators, and our entrepreneurs; if we can gain the lead in clean energy worldwide; then we’ll forge a future where a better life is possible in our country over the long run.  That’s a future we’re now closer to building because of the steps that we’re taking today.
 
     Thank you very much, everybody.