Administration of , 2009 / May 27

And finally, even as we do all this, we need to by the progress that the American people see in restore fiscal discipline in Washington so we their own lives. don’t leave our children and grandchildren with And so if you stand with me, if you stand with a mountain of debt. Already, my administration Harry Reid, I know that years from now we will has identified more than 100 Government pro- look back on this time, at this moment and say, grams that we can reduce or eliminate. They’re that’s when the American people came together to reclaim their future to write the next great not working the way they should. That will save chapter of the American story. taxpayers nearly $17 billion next year alone. We can only do it with Harry Reid, and I can We’re going through the budget line by line only do it with you, the people of Las Vegas, the looking for more places where we can shift dol- people of Nevada, the people of America. lars from things that don’t work to things that Thank you. God bless you. May God bless the do. United States of America. Thank you. We’re living through extraordinary times. We didn’t ask for the challenges that we face, but NOTE: The President spoke at 8:33 p.m. in the we are determined to answer the call to meet Colosseum at hotel. In his re- those challenges, to cast aside the old argu- marks, he referred to entertainers , ments and overcome the stubborn divisions and , Rachael Yamagata, Rita Rudner, and Clint Holmes; former Senate Majority move forward as one people and one nation. It Leader Chester T. “Trent” Lott; and Celina So- won’t be easy, Nevada. There will be setbacks, tomayor, mother, and Juan Sotomayor, brother, Las Vegas. It will take time but I promise you, I of Supreme Court Associate Justice-designate promise you, I’ll always tell you the truth about Sotomayor. The transcript was released by the the challenges we face. I’ll always tell you the Office of the Press Secretary on May 27. Audio truth about the steps we’re taking to meet was not available for verification of the content them. I will continue to measure my progress of these remarks.

Remarks at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada May 27, 2009

Thank you so much. Everybody please have a mainly I want to thank all of you, the men and seat. Thank you so much. I’ve got some special women in uniform, for your service to our coun- acknowledgments that I have to make. First of try. We’re grateful to you. Thank you. all, we’ve got some members of the congressio- I just spoke to a handful of your commanders nal delegation Nevada who are doing outstand- here. I know some are about to be deployed to ing jobs not only for Nevada but also for the Iraq and Afghanistan, many have just come men and women in uniform. And so please give back. The fact that you serve each and every day a warm welcome to Congresswoman Shelley to keep us safe is something that every Ameri- Berkley, Congresswoman Dina Titus. And can is grateful for. And so if I don’t do anything we’re in his district, he couldn’t be here, but else as your Commander in Chief, I’m going to Congressman Dean Heller, please give him a make sure that we’re there for you just as you’ve big round of applause. been there for us. So thank you very much. I also want to thank the State controller, Kim Finally, let me acknowledge Senator Harry Wallin, for her great work; the Nevada secretary Reid, not just for the generous introduction, not of State, Ross Miller; Nevada State treasurer, only because he’s been a great friend, not only Kate Marshall. I want to thank the Brigadier because he’s been an outstanding Majority General, Stanley Kresge, for the wonderful, Leader, but also because of everything that he’s outstanding work that he does, as well as Colo- done for the people of Nevada and for the nel Dave Belote, who just gave me an outstand- armed services. He is somebody who has never ing tour of the solar panel facility out here. But forgotten his roots. After all these years, he still

721 May 27 / Administration of Barack Obama, 2009 brings the voices and values of Searchlight, covery Act through Congress with the skill and Nevada to the Nation’s most important de- tenacity and urgency of somebody who knows bates in Washington, DC, and we are better the struggles that millions of people are going off because he does. So please give Harry Reid through, we would have not gotten it done. So a big round of applause. I am eternally grateful to him and the other You know, it’s always a pleasure to get out of members of the congressional delegation for Washington a little bit. Washington is okay, helping to pass this plan. but it’s nice taking some time to talk to Ameri- And 100 days later, we’re already seeing re- cans of every walk of life outside of the Na- sults. And today we’re releasing a report that tion’s Capital. And there’s nothing like a quick details the progress that we’ve made in every trip to Vegas in the middle of the week. Like region of the country. In these last few millions of other Americans, we come to this months, the American Recovery and Reinvest- beautiful city for the sights and for the sounds. ment Act has saved or created nearly 150,000 And today we come for the sun, because right jobs, jobs building solar panels and wind tur- now, we’re standing near the largest solar elec- bines, making homes and buildings more en- tric plant of its kind in the entire Western ergy efficient. They’re the jobs of teachers and Hemisphere—the entire Western Hemi- police officers and nurses who have not been sphere. More than 72,000 solar panels built on laid off as a consequence of this Recovery Act. part of an old landfill provide 25 percent of the They’re the jobs fixing roads and bridges, jobs electricity for the 12,000 people who live and at startups and small businesses, and jobs that work here at Nellis, that’s the equivalent of will put thousands of young Americans to work powering about 13,200 homes during the day. this summer. It’s a project that took about half a year to Also in the Recovery Act, by the way, is all complete, created 200 jobs, and will save the sorts of construction taking place on bases just United States Air Force, which is the largest like Nellis to support military families, and I consumer of energy in the Federal Govern- ment, nearly $1 million a year. It will also re- know that that is something that Michelle duce harmful carbon pollution by 24,000 tons Obama has taken a lot of time looking into; per year, which is the equivalent of removing that’s something that I’m spending a lot of 4,000 cars from our roads. And most impor- time thinking about. We want to make sure tantly, this base serves as a shining example of that our bases and our facilities are the best in what’s possible when we harness the power of the world for our best troops. clean, renewable energy to build a new, firmer Ninety-five percent of all working families foundation for economic growth. saw their take-home pay increase because of Now, that’s the kind of foundation we’re the tax cut that we provided in the Recovery trying to build all across America. One hun- Act. Fifty-four million seniors received $250 dred days ago, in the midst of the worst eco- extra in their Social Security checks. Laid-off nomic crisis in half a century, we passed the workers have received greater unemployment most sweeping economic recovery act in histo- benefits and paid less for their health care. For ry, a plan designed to save jobs, create new the thousands of families whose homes have ones, and put money in people’s pockets. It’s a been made more energy efficient, it’s also plan designed not only to revive the economy saved them about $350 on their energy bills. in the short term, but to rebuild the economy Other Americans saved thousands by taking over the long term. It’s a plan that we passed advantage of the tax credits the Recovery Act thanks to the tireless efforts of Harry Reid and has provided for the purchase of a new home, Congresswoman Berkley and Congresswom- or a new fuel-efficient car, or energy efficient an Titus and all the other outstanding public cooling and heating systems, windows, and in- servants in Washington. sulation. And all of this has helped to fuel de- But if it hadn’t been for Harry Reid—be- mand that is helping businesses put more cause the Senate is tough—moving this Re- Americans back to work.

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But this is just the beginning. There are still like Germany and Japan in generating it, even too many Americans out of work and too many though they get less sun than we do. They cer- who still worry that their job may be next. There tainly get less sun than Nevada. [Laughter] are still too many families struggling to pay the So we’ve got a choice: We can remain the bills, and too many businesses struggling to world’s leading importer of oil, sending our keep their doors open. And that’s why we will money and our wealth away, or we can become continue to implement the Recovery Act as the world’s leading exporter of clean energy. quickly and effectively as possible over the next We can hand over the jobs of the future to our 2 years. We’re just at the start of this Recovery competitors, or we can confront what they’ve al- Act. We are going to keep on going through this ready recognized as the great opportunity of year and into next year, because we are going to our time: The nation that leads the world in cre- make sure that not only are we putting people ating new sources of clean energy will be the back to work, but we’re laying the foundation nation that leads the 21st century global econo- for a better economy. And that’s why my ad- my. And that’s the nation I want America to be, ministration will continue an unrelenting, day- and I know that’s the nation you want America by-day effort to fight for economic recovery on to be. all fronts. Already, we’ve made more progress on this Now, I just want to emphasize, even as we front in the last 4 months than we have in the clear away some of the wreckage and debris of last three decades. Last week, I brought auto this extraordinary recession, I’ve also said that executives, labor unions, environmental groups, our next task is making sure that this doesn’t Democrats, and Republicans together to set the happen again. We can’t return to the same bub- toughest ever national fuel efficiency standard ble-and-bust, borrow-and-spend economy for our cars and trucks, a standard that will save based on maxed-out credit cards and overlever- 1.8 billion barrels of oil over the lifetime of the aged banks and financial profits that were only vehicles sold in the next 5 years. real on paper—see, that young lady agrees with In Congress, leaders like Harry Reid are also me. [Laughter] We have to lay a new founda- working to pass a historic energy plan that will tion for prosperity, a foundation constructed on help end our dependence on foreign oil while the pillars that will grow our economy and help preventing the worst consequences of climate America compete in the 21st century. change. It’s a system—it’s a plan that will create And a renewable energy revolution is one of a system of clean energy incentives that will cre- those pillars. We know the cost of our oil addic- ate good, American jobs and crack down on pol- tion all too well. It’s the cost measured by the luters who pollute the air we breathe and the billions of dollars we send to nations with unsta- water we drink. ble or unfriendly regimes. We help to fund both Finally, by the end of the next 2 years, the sides of the war on terror because of our addic- Recovery Act will have enabled the—a dou- tion to oil. It’s the cost of our vulnerability to bling of our Nation’s capacity to generate re- the volatility of the oil markets. It’s the cost we newable energy by investing in projects just like feel in shifting weather patterns that are already the one on this Air Force base. And today I’m causing unprecedented droughts and more in- announcing the availability of funding for two tense storms. It’s a cost we can’t bear any lon- Recovery Act programs that will help us reach ger. that goal. Today, projects like the one at Nellis are still The first is a solar energy technologies pro- the exception to the rule, unfortunately. Ameri- gram that will help replicate the success of the ca produces less than 3 percent of our electrici- Nellis project in cities and States across Ameri- ty through renewable sources of energy like ca, because in this case, what happens in Vegas wind and solar—less than 3 percent. In con- should not stay in Vegas. [Laughter] We want trast, Denmark produces 20 percent of their everybody to know what we’re doing here in electricity through wind. We pioneered solar Vegas. We’ll invest in the development and de- technology, but we’ve fallen behind countries ployment of solar technology wherever it can

723 May 27 / Administration of Barack Obama, 2009 thrive, and we’ll find the best ways to integrate story that will be told all across America, in cit- solar power into our electric grid. ies and towns, where a shuttered factory re- The second program I’m announcing will opens to build wind turbines; where a hospital help develop the use of geothermal energy in treats patients with new technology and pulls America. As many of you in Nevada know, up their history with new electronic records; geothermal energy is literally defined as “heat where a young entrepreneur with a nest egg from the Earth.” This heat can then be har- and a good idea starts a business and creates nessed as a clean, affordable, and reliable more jobs. source of energy. And already, Nevada has 17 That’s how we move America forward. This industrial scale geothermal plants, and your is how we’ve always moved forward. It hap- capacity to generate this type of power is ex- pens slowly, in fits and starts, but it always pected to increase in the next few years. The happens surely when we are dedicated to program we’re announcing will help accelerate bringing about change. It happens not by this process here and across America. So this is chance or by luck, but because the American something that we expect will—[ap- people keep pushing ahead, persevering plause]—this will create more jobs, it will cre- through hardship, growing through challenge, ate more businesses, and more affordable building something firmer and stronger in electricity for the American people. place of what was. That’s the work we’ve be- Now, from where we stand today, the road gun in these last few months, and with your to economic recovery is still long. We’ve got a lot of work to do. There are a lot of folks who help, this is the work we will continue to do in are still hurting out there. And the road to a the days and months ahead. new, clean energy economy is even longer. For all of you who are serving in our Armed We’re not going to do it overnight. But after 4 Forces, we want to make sure that our civilians months of this administration and 100 days of are mobilizing and working on behalf of this this Recovery Act, we have carved out a path country just as ably as you are. We salute you; toward progress. It’s a path that begins in plac- we thank you. Thank you, everybody. God es just like this Air Force base, where ordinary bless you, God bless the United States of citizens tap into their sense of innovation and America. Thank you. ingenuity to reinvent the world around them. This base has been known as the “Home of NOTE: The President spoke at 11:23 a.m. in the Fighter Pilot.” Now it’s the home of the Thunderbird Hangar. In his remarks, he re- largest solar energy installation of its kind in ferred to Rep. Dina Titus; Brig. Gen. Stanley the Western Hemisphere. And by the way, the T. Kresge, USAF, commander, U.S. Air Force two concepts are connected because it is good Warfare Center, Nellis Air Force Base; and for our national security if we’ve got more con- Col. Howard D. “Dave” Belote, commander, trol over our own energy use. And that’s the 99th Air Base Wing, Nellis Air Force Base.

Remarks Following a Meeting With President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority and an Exchange With Reporters May 28, 2009

President Obama. Hello, everybody. Well, it I think can result in Palestinians and Israelis is a great pleasure to welcome President Ab- living side by side in peace and security. bas to the Oval Office. We had—we just com- As I’ve said before, I’ve been a strong be- pleted an extensive conversation, both private- liever in a two-state solution that would pro- ly as well as with our delegations, about how vide the Israelis and Palestinians the peace we can advance peace in the Middle East and and security that they need. I am very appre- how we can reaffirm some core principles that ciative that President Abbas shares that view.

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