Barack Obama 2015-01-01 1

Remarks During a Radio Address With Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India and a Question-and-Answer Session in New Delhi, India

January 27, 2015

[Prime Minister Modi began his remarks in Hindi, and no transcript was provided. He continued in English as follows.]

Prime Minister Modi. I request President Barack Obama to say a few words. President Obama. Namaste. Thank you, Prime Minister Modi, for your kind words and for the incredible hospitality you've shown me and my wife Michelle on this visit. And let me say to the people of India how honored I am to be the first American President to join you for Republic Day. I'm told this is also the first-ever radio address by an Indian Prime Minister and an American President together, so we're making a lot of history in a short time. To the people of India listening all across this great nation, it's wonderful to be able to speak to you directly. We just came from discussions in which we affirmed that India and the United States are natural partners, because we have so much in common. We're two great democracies, two innovative economies, two diverse societies dedicated to empowering individuals. We are linked together by millions of proud Indian Americans who still have family and carry on traditions from India. And I want to say to the Prime Minister how much I appreciate your strong personal commitment to strengthening the relationship between these two countries. People are very excited in the United States about the energy that Prime Minister Modi is bringing to efforts in this country to reduce extreme poverty and lift people up, to empower women, to provide access to electricity and clean energy, and invest in infrastructure and the education system. And on all these issue, we want to be partners. Because many of the efforts that I am promoting inside the United States to make sure that young people get the best education possible, to make sure that ordinary people are properly compensated for their labor and paid fair wages and have job security and health care--these are the same kinds of issues that Prime Minister Modi, I know, cares so deeply about here. And I think there's a common theme in these issues. It gives us a chance to reaffirm what Gandhiji reminded us should be a central aim of our lives, and that is, we should endeavor to see God through service of humanity because God is in everyone. So these shared values, these convictions are a large part of why I'm so committed to this relationship. I believe that if the United States and India join together on the world stage around these values, then not only will our peoples be better off, but I think the world will be more prosperous and more peaceful and more secure for the future. So thank you so much, Mr. Prime Minister, for giving me this opportunity to be with you here today. Prime Minister Modi. Barack, the first question comes from Raj from Mumbai. President Obama's Daughters

[Prime Minister Modi spoke in Hindi, and his remarks were translated by an interpreter as follows.]

A young doctor: "The whole world was about your affectionate love for your daughters. What do you plan to tell your daughters about your experiences in India? And do you plan to go shopping and buy things for them?" President Obama. Well, first of all, they very much wanted to come. They are fascinated by India. Unfortunately, each time that I've taken a trip here they had school and they couldn't leave school. And in fact, Malia, my older daughter, had exams just recently. So they are fascinated by the culture and the history of India, in part because of my influence, I think. They are deeply moved by India's movement to independence and the role that Gandhi played in not only the nonviolent strategies here in India, but how those ended up influencing the nonviolent civil rights movement in the United States. So when I go back, I'm going to tell them that India is as magnificent as they imagined. And I am quite sure they're going to have to--going to insist that I bring them back the next time I visit. It may not be during my Presidency, but afterwards, they'll definitely want to come and visit. And I will definitely do some shopping for them, although, I can't go to the stores myself, so I have to have my team do the shopping for me. And I'll get some advice from Michelle, because she probably has a better sense of what they would like.

[Prime Minister Modi spoke in Hindi, and his remarks were translated by an interpreter as follows.]

Prime Minister Modi. Barack said that he would bring his daughters, and I do believe you can bring them when you're the President or even after, but definitely, India looks forward to welcoming you and your daughters. [Inaudible]--question: "You have started the 'Educate the Girl Child' mission. Have you spoken to the President of the United States about this? Have you asked him for help about this?" I think this is a very good question you've asked. The poor sex ratio in India is a cause of great concern. We have a sex ratio of a thousand boys, and in comparison to that the number of girls is very low. And even our way of looking at, or our perspective of viewing women and men, girls and boys, is something that needs to be rectified. I think when we look at President Obama and the way in which he has brought up his two daughters, I think this is an inspiration for us. In our country, we have so many people, and we have so many families where there are no sons and they only have daughters, and they do bring up their daughters very proudly. And I think that is an inspiration. And I think this kind of inspiration can be a strength for us. And since you've asked this question, I would like to say that "Save the Girl Child," "Educate the Girl Child" is a social responsibility that we have. It's a responsibility that we have towards our culture, it's a responsibility towards humanity.

[Prime Minister Modi spoke in English as follows.]

The second question for President Obama comes through e-mail: Dr. Kamlesh Upadhay, a doctor based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. India-U.S. Public Health Cooperation/Childhood Obesity/Global Health Improvement Efforts

[Prime Minister Modi spoke in Hindi, and his remarks were translated by an interpreter as follows.]

And I have another question which is also being addressed to Barack, and it's been addressed to me as well: "Your wife has been working on diseases like obesity and diabetes. She's been doing a lot of work in this field. These challenges are growing at a rapid pace in India, as well. So after leaving office, do you and the First Lady plan to or intend to come to India. For instance, as Bill Gates and Melinda Gates have taken up cleanliness as an issue in India, so do you think that you would work on obesity and diabetes?" President Obama. Well, we very much look forward to partnering with organizations and the Government and nongovernmental organizations here in India around broader public health issues, including the issue of obesity. I'm very proud of the work that Michelle has done on this issue. We're seeing a worldwide epidemic of obesity, in many cases starting at a very young age. Part of it has to do with the increase in processed foods, not naturally prepared. Part of it is the lack of activity for too many children. And once they're on this path, it can lead to a lifetime of health challenges. And so this is an issue that we'd like to work on internationally, including here in India. And it is part of a broader set of issues around global health that we need to address. The Prime Minister and I have discussed, for example, how we can do a better job in dealing with issues like pandemic and making sure that we have good alert systems so that if a disease like Ebola or a deadly flu virus or Polio appears, that it's detected quickly and then treated quickly so that it doesn't spread. And the public health infrastructure around the world needs to be improved. I think the Prime Minister is doing a great job in focusing on these issues here in India, and India has a lot to teach many other countries who may not be advancing as rapidly in improving this public health sector. But it has an impact on everything because if children are sick, they can't concentrate in school and they fall behind. It has a huge economic impact on the countries involved. And so we think that there's a lot of progress to be made here, and I'm very excited about the possibilities of continuing this work even after I leave office.

[Prime Minister Modi spoke in Hindi, and his remarks were translated by an interpreter as follows.]

Prime Minister Modi. [Inaudible]--has asked a question, and it's quite an interesting question. House has asked me: "There's an old photograph of you as a tourist in front of the White House. So when you went back to America last September, what aspect really touched your heart?" Well, it's true that when I went to America for the first time I couldn't actually get into the White House, of course. There was a big iron fence outside the White House. And we had a photograph of ourselves clicked standing in front of that fence. And when I became Prime Minister, of course, that photograph has also become quite popular. But at that time, of course, I never thought that I would have the opportunity of actually going into the White House. But one thing really did touch my heart, and I can never forget it. Barack gifted me a book, and I think he took a lot of trouble to actually find that book. In 1894, that book became famous. It had to do with Swami Vivekananda, who is one of the people I really deeply regard. There was a world religion conference in Chicago in 1894, and this was a compilation of the proceedings of that conference. And his gifting me that book was something that really deeply touched me. And it wasn't just that. He had actually opened that book, read through that book, and actually put notes on the pages for me. And very proudly, he said that, I am from Chicago, and that is a city to which Swami Vivekananda had gone. And as I said, that deeply touched me, and I do consider that is something that is my heritage. I never did think that standing in front of the White House, having a photograph taken, and actually going into the White House and being gifted a book of somebody I deeply respect--I mean, you can imagine how deeply that must have touched me. Barack, there's a question for you now.

[Prime Minister Modi spoke in English as follows.]

Himani from Ludhiana, Punjab. The question is for you. President Obama's Expectations for Success as a Young Man/Social Mobility in the U.S. and India/Education/Equality of Opportunity President Obama. Well, the question is, did you both imagine you would reach the positions that you've reached today? And it's interesting, Mr. Prime Minister, you talking about the first time you visited the White House and being outside that iron fence. The same is true for me. When I first went to the White House, I stood outside that same fence and looked in. And I certainly did not imagine that I would ever be visiting there, much less living there. I think both of us have been blessed with extraordinary opportunity, coming from relatively humble beginnings. And when I think about what's best in America and what's best in India, the notion that a tea seller or somebody who is born to a single mother, like me, could end up leading our countries is an extraordinary example of the opportunities that exist within our countries. Now, I think part of what motivates both you and I is the belief that there are millions of children out there who have the same potential, but may not have the same education, may not be getting exposed to opportunities in the same way. And so part of our job, part of government's job, is that young people who have talent and who have drive and are willing to work for it are able to succeed. And that's why emphasizing school, higher education, making sure that children are healthy, and making sure those opportunities are available to children of all backgrounds, girls and boys, people of all religious faiths and all races in the United States is so important, because you never know who might be the next Prime Minister of India or who might be the next President of the United States. They might not always look the part right off the bat, and they might just surprise you if you give them a chance.

[Prime Minister Modi spoke in English as follows.]

Prime Minister Modi. Thank you, Barack.

[Prime Minister Modi spoke in Hindi, and his remarks were translated by an interpreter as follows.]

This was also addressed to me: "Did you ever think that you would reach the position you have today?" No, I never imagined that, because, as Barack said, I came from a very humble background. But for a very long time, I remember that I told people that don't ever imagine you're going to become somebody, don't ever dream of becoming somebody. If you have to dream something, then dream of doing something. Because when you do something, you also get satisfaction, and you're inspired to do more. If you only want to become something and then you don't become what you wanted to become, you are disappointed. And that is why I never, ever dreamt of becoming someone. And even today, I don't dream of becoming somebody, but certainly, I do dream of doing things. I do want to serve my country. I want to serve the 1.25 billion people in my country. And I think that there can't be anything more ambitious than that. There is also a question for Barack.

[Prime Minister Modi spoke in English as follows.]

From Om Prakash. Om Prakash is studying Sanskrit at JNU. He belongs to Jhunjunu, Rajasthan. Om Prakash is a convener of Special Centre for Sanskrit Studies in JNU. Democracy/Transparency in Government President Obama. Well, this is a very interesting question. His question is: "The youth of the new generation is a global citizen. He's not limited by time or boundaries. In such a situation, what should be the approach by our leadership, governments, as well as societies at large?" And I think this is a very important question. When I look at this generation that's coming up, they're exposed to the world in ways that you and I could hardly imagine. They have the world at their fingertips, literally. They can, using their mobile phone, get information and images from all around the world. And that's extraordinarily powerful. And what that means, I think is, is that governments and leaders cannot simply try to govern or rule by a top-down strategy, but rather, have to reach out to people in an inclusive way and an open way and a transparent way and engage in a dialogue with citizens about the direction of their country. And one of the great things about India and the United States is, we're both open societies, and we have confidence and faith that when citizens have information and there's a vigorous debate, that over time, even though sometimes, democracy is frustrating, the best decisions and the most stable societies emerge, and the most prosperous societies emerge, and new ideas are constantly being exchanged. And technology today, I think, facilitates that not just within countries, but across countries. And so I have much greater faith in India and the United States, countries that are open-information societies, in being able to succeed and thrive in this new Information Age than closed societies that try to control the information that citizens receive. Because ultimately, that's not--no longer possible. Information will flow inevitably one way or the other. And we want to make sure that we're fostering a healthy debate and a good conversation between all peoples.

[Prime Minister Modi spoke in Hindi, and his remarks were translated by an interpreter as follows.]

Prime Minister Modi. That was addressed to Barack. It is a question that is also addressed to me. And I think that the answer that Barack has given is very good, is very inspirational. What I would like to say is that people influenced by a communist viewpoint used to call for communism across the world. They used to say, "Workers of the world unite," the workers of the world should become one. That was a slogan that we've heard for decades. I do believe that the youth today have strength. They are able to reach out and looking at that strength, I think we should say that the youth unite the world. We need to change our slogan. The youth of today must bring the world together. I do believe that youth today have the strength and they can do it. The next question is from a chartered accountant from Bombay. He's asked me this question. He's asked me: "Which American leader has inspired you?" When we were small, we used to look at Kennedy's photographs in the newspapers, and we thought his personality was really impressive. But the question is, who inspired me? I had a great interest for reading when I was young, and I did read Benjamin Franklin's autobiography. He lived to a ripe old age, and he never did become President of the United States. But his life is really inspirational: how one person can manage to change his life; how he can make those attempts intelligently; how he can deliberately seek to reduce the number of hours that he needs to sleep, how to reduce the amount of food, the kind of hunger, that he feels; and how to influence people who are angry with him, how to find solutions to that. There are very, very small issues that he has addressed in his biography. And I always tell everyone that we need to read about Benjamin Franklin's life. He's an inspiration to me, even today. He was a multifaceted personality. He was a political scientist. He was a thinker. He was a social worker. And he came from a very humble background. He wasn't able to complete his schooling, but he has had a profound influence on American life and thought, even today. And I really found his life to be truly inspirational, and I would like to motivate you to read about his life. And if you want to learn how to transform your life, you would be able to learn it from there. There are small examples that he gives that can serve as an example to you. And I do believe that you would find this an inspiration as well. There is a question from Monika to Barack. Barack, this question is addressed to you. President Obama's Sources of Inspiration/Importance of Public Service President Obama. Well, the question is: "As leaders of two major economies, what inspires you and makes you smile after a bad day at work?" And that's a very good question. I say sometimes that the only problems that come to my desk are the ones that nobody else solves. If they were easy questions, then somebody else would have solved them before they reached me. So there are days when it's tough and frustrating. And that's true in foreign affairs, that's true in domestic affairs. But I tell you what inspires me--and I don't know, Mr. Prime Minister, if you share this view. Almost every day, I meet somebody who tells me, you made a difference in my life. So they'll say, the health care law that you passed saved my child who didn't have health insurance, and they were able to get an examination from a physician, and they caught an early tumor, and now he's doing fine. Or they'll say, you helped me save my home during the economic crisis. Or they'll say, I couldn't afford college, and the program you set has allowed me to go to the university. And sometimes, they're thanking you for things that you did 4 or 5 years ago. Sometimes, they're thanking you for things you don't even remember or you're not thinking about that day. But it's a reminder of what you said earlier, which is, if you focus on getting things done as opposed to just occupying an office or maintaining power, then the satisfaction that you get is unmatched. And the good thing about service is, is that anybody can do it. If you're helping somebody else, the satisfaction that you can get from that, I think, exceeds anything else that you can do. And that's usually what makes me inspired to do more and helps get through the challenges and difficulties that we all have, because obviously, we're not the only people with bad days at work. I think everybody knows what it's like to have a bad day at work. You just have to keep on working through it. Eventually, you'll make a difference.

[Prime Minister Modi spoke in Hindi, and his remarks were translated by an interpreter as follows.]

Prime Minister Modi. Barack has really spoken from the heart. Because no matter what office we hold, we are all individuals, we are all human beings first. And listening to this, I also feel like recounting an episode from my life. For many years, I was working, I was single, and I was occupied with my work. And a lot of people at that time used to give me food to eat. And there was one family that used to invite me very often, but I never went to their house because I felt they were very poor, and I thought if I go to their house and have dinner, then it will be a burden on them. But one day, because they were so affectionate and kept inviting me, I did bow to their wishes and visited them. They had a very small hut. There was a very small place to sit there. They gave me something to eat, which was a piece of bread and some milk. And they had a small child who was looking at that milk, was just staring at it. And it looked as if the child had never even seen milk. So I quickly gave that glass of milk to the child, and immediately, within seconds, he just drank up that milk. His own parents were quite angry with him because he had had my milk, but I experienced at that point that perhaps that child had never had any milk besides his mother's milk. And they had wanted to feed me well, and that's why they had gone and got milk. And it really touched me that somebody living in a poor hut, a poor family would go through that kind of trouble to feed me. And you need to actually dedicate your life to serving these people, and that is something that inspires me. As Barack has said, what common people feel is something that we've experienced. And I'm very grateful that Barack has taken the time out today to join us, to speak to us. I'm also very grateful to the people of this country, because I know that people in every town, in every city, in every street are listening to this program. And we hope that this program, that the voice that we are spreading will be with you always. And I do have an appeal. I have a suggestion. We are going to take out an e-book of this conversation between Barack and me today. We want to bring out an e-book of this conversation. And I would like to ask those listeners who have been listening in on this program today to participate. The best hundred suggestions that we get will be included in this e-book that we plan to bring out. So whether it's on Twitter, Facebook, or any other online medium, use hashtag #YesWeCan. Write to us using this hashtag #YesWeCan. The issue----

[Prime Minister Modi spoke in English as follows.]

Eliminate poverty, hashtag #YesWeCan. Quality health care to all, hashtag #YesWeCan. Youth empowered with education, hashtag #YesWeCan. Jobs for all, hashtag #YesWeCan. Global peace and progress, hashtag #YesWeCan.

[Prime Minister Modi continued in Hindi, and his remarks were translated by an interpreter as follows.]

I want that you join this movement, that you write in with this hashtag. Give us your thoughts, give us your ideas. We will select the best hundred ideas. And the conversation that we've had today, Barack and me, we will be taking up these ideas, including them in that e-book. And we hope that this will become everyone's thoughts, the heart-to-heart thoughts of everyone. I'm, again, very grateful to Barack for being here. And on the auspicious occasion of Republic Day on the 26th of January, I am very happy, and I'm very proud that he's with us today. Thank you. Note: The address was recorded at 5:37 p.m. on January 25 in the Billiard Room at Hyderabad House. It was broadcast at 8 p.m. on January 27 as a special episode of Prime Minister Modi's monthly radio program, "Mann Ki Baat." In the address, Prime Minister Modi referred to William H. Gates III and Melinda French Gates, cochairs, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on January 27. Audio of the translation of the Hindi portions of Prime Minister Modi's remarks was not available for verification of the content of the remarks.

Remarks at an Armed Forces Farewell Tribute in Honor of Secretary of Defense Charles T. Hagel at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Virginia

January 28, 2015

Thank you. Good afternoon, everyone. Michelle and I, as some of you know, just spent the past few days in India. I returned about 3 o'clock this morning. So I don't know exactly what time it is--[laughter]--or what day it is. But I was determined to be here with you this afternoon to honor and celebrate a great friend, to me and to all of us. In October of 1967, President Lyndon Johnson traveled to a military base in New Mexico to review a top-secret weapons program. And he went down to the White Sands Missile Range and out to the testing grounds. There, out in the desert, the President watched as soldiers demonstrated what would later become the famed Stinger missile. And one of those soldiers was a 21-year-old private from Nebraska named Charles Timothy Hagel. Now, the Secret Service does not usually let me get too close to an active weapons system. It makes them nervous. But clearly, they did things a little differently back in LBJ's days. And, Chuck, I can only assume that you were careful not to point the missile at the President, because what followed was a life of dedicated service to our Nation spanning nearly 50 years. With Vice President Biden, Members of Congress, General Dempsey, leaders from across this department, members of the Joint Chiefs, and service Secretaries; to the men and women of the greatest military in the world: We gather to pay tribute to a true American patriot. And let me assure you that I checked with the Secret Service, and Chuck will not be demonstrating any missile launchers today. [ Laughter] As we all know, and we've heard again, Chuck loves Nebraska. The Cornhuskers. Red beer. Runzas--I don't know what those are, but I hear they taste pretty good. [Laughter] But above all, what Chuck loves most about his home State is the people, his fellow midwesterners. There are just under 2 million people in Nebraska; there are more than 7 billion people on the planet. But as so many of our troops have found out themselves, no matter where Chuck goes in the world, if you are from Nebraska, he will find you. [Laughter] And he'll talk with you and listen to you and ask you about your family back home. And chances are, he knows them too. So today is a celebration of a quintessentially American life, a man from the heartland who devoted his life to America. Just imagine, in your mind's eye, the defining moments of his life. The kid from Nebraska who, as Marty said, volunteered to go to Vietnam. The soldier outside Saigon, rushing to pull his own brother from a burning APC. The deputy at the VA who stood up for his fellow Vietnam vets who were exposed to agent orange. The Senator who helped lead the fight for the post-9/11 GI bill, to give this generation of heroes the same opportunities that he had. I asked Chuck to lead this Department at a moment of profound transition. And today we express our gratitude for the progress under his watch. After more than 13 years, our combat mission in Afghanistan is over, and America's longest war has come to a responsible and honorable end. Because of Chuck's direction, a strategic review has made difficult choices in a time of tight budgets, while still making sure that our forces are ready to be called on for any contingency. Today, our troops are supporting Afghan forces. They continue to face risks, and they remain relentless in their pursuit of Al Qaida networks. They're leading the coalition to destroy ISIL, a coalition that includes Arab nations, in no small measure because Chuck strengthened key partnerships in the Middle East. And under his leadership, our forces in West Africa are helping to lead the global fight against Ebola, saving lives and showing American leadership at its very, very best. Even as we've met these pressing challenges, Chuck has helped us to prepare for the century ahead. In Europe, a stronger NATO is reassuring our allies. In the Asia-Pacific, one of my foreign policy priorities, Chuck helped modernize our alliances, strengthen partnerships, bolster defense posture, improve communications between the United States and Chinese militaries, all of which helps to ensure that the United States remains a strong Pacific power. Because Chuck helped build new trust, we'll expand our defense cooperation with India. I just demonstrated during my visit there the degree to which that partnership is moving in a new direction. That's partly attributable to work that Chuck did. And the reforms he launched will help make this Department more efficient and innovative for years to come. Thanks to Secretary Hagel's guiding hand, this institution is better positioned for the future. But, Chuck, I want to suggest today that perhaps your greatest impact--a legacy that will be felt for decades to come--has been your own example. It's not simply that you've been the first enlisted combat veteran and the first Vietnam veteran to serve as Secretary of Defense. It's how your life experience--being down in the mud, feeling the bullets fly overhead--has allowed you to connect with our troops like no other Secretary before you. You've welcomed our junior enlisted personnel to lunch in your office and made them feel at home, and they told you what was really on their minds. When you spoke to our newest sergeant majors about the true meaning of leadership and responsibility, they knew they were learning from one of their own. And in those quiet moments, when you've pinned a Purple Heart on a wounded warrior, you were there not just as Secretary of Defense, but as an old Army sergeant who knows the wages of war and still carries the shrapnel in your chest. And these aren't fleeting moments, they reflect the driving force of Chuck Hagel's service: his love of our troops and his determination to take care of them after more than 13 years of war. Today, our military hospitals are getting stronger, our women are more integrated into the force than ever before. We're making progress in combating sexual assault. We'll bring home the remains of fallen heroes faster, and more Vietnam veterans will finally be eligible for the disability pay they deserved all along. And, Chuck, that's because of you. That's part of your legacy. Of course, I'm grateful to Chuck on a very personal level. Exactly 10 years ago this month, I joined you in the United States Senate, along with the Vice President. I was new and green; you were a veteran legislator. I was the student, and you shared some of the lessons of your service. I was young, and you were--well. [Laughter] And though we came from different parties, we often saw the world the same way, including our conviction that even as we must never hesitate to defend our Nation, we must never rush into war. We both believed that America should only send her sons and daughters into harm's way when it is absolutely necessary. And when we do, we make sure they've got everything that they need to succeed; they've got a mission that is worthy of their sacrifice. In an era of politics that too often descends into spectacle, you've always served with decency and dignity. And in a town of outsized egos, you've never lost your midwestern humility. You've always been frank and honest and said what you thought. And I have so profoundly benefited from that candor. You represent a tradition of bipartisanship in national security that we need more of today. And Joe Biden reflects that. I see Dick Lugar in the stands; he reflects that. That's when we're at our best. And from sergeant to Secretary, you've always been guided by one interest: what you believe is best for America. And I thank you for your friendship and your counsel, and all of us thank you for your character and your integrity. Of course, nobody serves alone. Lilibet, Allyn, Ziller, thank you for sharing your husband and father with us and for the sacrifices that your family has made for all of ours. And, Chuck, since our lives are so often the reflection of those closest to us, today I also want to acknowledge the service of your brother Tom; the World War II service of your father Charles; the sacrifices of your late mom Betty, who worked day and night to raise her four sons. We salute this American family. Our men and women in uniform here today, those who stand where Chuck once stood, they don't ask for much. They volunteered; they accept the risks that come with military service. But they do ask this: that this Nation take care of them as well as they've taken care of us, that we provide them with the resources to do their jobs and meet the missions that we ask of them. After all that they've given for us, after all that they've sacrificed, they have the right to expect that we will meet our obligations as well. And that's my duty as Commander in Chief. And this will be the work of my nominee to be the next Secretary of Defense, Mr. Ash Carter. But this must be the work of us all, as Americans grateful to those who serve in our name. And that's the story of Chuck Hagel's life. I'll close with a story that came about last year. I was going to tell the story about when we were traveling in Iraq, and Chuck wore these pair of sort of Hush Puppy bedroom slipper shoes out into the desert, and the flaps started opening up and his toes were sticking out. But I'm going to skip that story. [Laughter] He then ended up buying me a pair, which I have never worn, I'm proud to say. [Laughter] This is a different story. One day last year, I was in the Oval Office, and Chuck came in for what I thought would be our regular weekly meeting. But he had a guest, and he introduced us. And his name was Jerome "Skip" Johnson, a friendly guy, a grandfather, and he was from my hometown of Chicago. And Chuck explained that Skip--Lieutenant Johnson--had been his platoon commander in Vietnam. But they had lost touch, until Chuck tracked him down. This was the first time they had reunited in nearly 50 years. And Chuck just wanted to bring Skip to the Oval Office to say hello to the President--to meet his family, including his young grandsons. And Chuck told me about how it had been 1968, with protests and race riots back home causing tensions among our troops in Vietnam. And Chuck's unit was mostly White, but Skip is African American, and as the platoon commander, he was not going to tolerate division or distrust. And he went to his men and made himself clear: We are all Americans. We're going to live together. We're going to take care of each other. We're fighting together. We're going to get each other's backs. Let's get it done. And at that moment in the Oval Office, as these two soldiers stood before me--with Skip's grandsons looking on--it wasn't lost on any of us how far our Nation has come. And I want to thank Chuck for that moment, because part of the reason we've traveled that distance is, we've had men like Chuck Hagel serving and representing what's best in America. In moments when we are tested--as a military, as a nation--sometimes, we get distracted by what divides us and lose sight of what unites us. And at those moments, we can draw strength from the example of a sergeant from Nebraska and a lieutenant from Chicago. We are all Americans. We live together. We sacrifice together. We take care of each other. Sometimes, we have to fight together. Ladies and gentlemen, I want to introduce to you my friend, our 24th Secretary of Defense, and an outstanding American, Mr. Chuck Hagel. Note: The President spoke at 4:37 p.m. In his remarks, he referred to Thomas and Michael Hagel, brothers, Lilibet Hagel, wife, and Allyn and C. Ziller Hagel, children, of Secretary Hagel; and former Sen. Richard G. Lugar. He also referred to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist organization.

Statement on the Final Report of the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission

January 29, 2015

I want to thank the members of the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission for their comprehensive and thorough review of the military compensation and retirement systems and their considered recommendations. In September 2013, I asked the Commission to focus on protecting the long-term viability of the All-Volunteer Force, improving quality of life for servicemembers and their families, and ensuring the fiscal sustainability of the compensation and retirement systems. Our men and women in uniform and their families deserve nothing less. The Commission's report includes a number of specific proposals that I will review closely over the coming weeks, in consultation with our senior civilian and military leadership. I look forward to hearing their views and working with Congress to strengthen and modernize our military compensation and retirement systems.

Remarks at the House Democratic Issues Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

January 29, 2015

The President. Hey! Hello, hello, hello! Hello, Democrats! Hey! Thank you so much. Thank you. Everybody, sit down, sit down. It's good to be with you, Democrats. It's good to be in Philadelphia. My understanding is, we still have our host, Mayor Nutter, here. Where's Mayor Nutter? There he is right there. I want to just remind the New England and Pacific Northwest contingents, this is the City of Brotherly Love. So regardless of what you think about Sunday, I want you all to keep it clean. [Laughter] The--I am not taking sides on that one. [Laughter] I want to begin by--oh, bring your own footballs--that was--oooh. [Laughter] Oooh. Audience members. Oooh---- The President. Wow. [Laughter] Audience member. That's not overinflated. The President. This is--and you're, what, a Giants fan? Audience member. Jets fan. The President. See, that's why he's so resentful. [Laughter] I--let me begin by just acknowledging your outstanding leadership, starting with someone who, somehow, can travel for 17 hours, come off the plane perfectly coiffed--[laughter]--not a wrinkle on her, happy as a clam--[laughter]--come back another 17 hours later, after 2½ , 3 days of programs, and go straight to a retreat of her caucus, and never miss a beat. I don't know what she drinks along with that chocolate. [Laughter] But I want some of it. Your outstanding leader, Nancy Pelosi. Give Nancy a big round of applause. [Applause] Hey! Joe Crowley also went on that trip and didn't look perfectly coiffed when he got off the plane. [Laughter] But give Joe Crowley a big round of applause also. I want to thank Steny for the gracious introduction; Xavier, who helped obviously make this happen and is just providing outstanding leadership all the time; Jim Clyburn, one of my favorite people, just an extraordinary gentleman and leader. We love him. And Debbie Wasserman Shultz, our chairwoman of the DNC. Thank you so much. And then, the guy who I had a chance to see before I came out just to let him know that he should not feel overly disappointed when his hair gets gray, because in this job it will--Ben Ray Luján, the DCCC chair. I used to be youthful and attractive like him. [Laughter] We'll see how long that lasts, brother. [Laughter] He's going to have hair like Steve Israel. [Laughter] I'm not going to give a long speech because I just gave one, and I want to spend most of the time on questions. Let me summarize then what I said last week. We have been through an extraordinarily challenging journey, worst financial crisis in our lifetimes. We've seen the incredible courage and sacrifice, but also the costs of two difficult wars. There's been ups and downs in every region of the country and people feeling as if the economy is churning in ways that defy their control. And yet, despite all the challenges, despite all the fears, despite all the difficulties, over the last 6 years, what we've seen is the American people fighting their way back. And because of them, because of their resilience and their grit and their hard work, and because you and I, together, made some really tough choices--some sometimes politically unpopular choices--America has come back. We've seen 11 million jobs created, best job growth since the nineties, best job growth in manufacturing since the nineties; steepest drop in the unemployment rate in 30 years; deficit cut by two-thirds; over 10 million people with health insurance that didn't have it before. We've seen reading scores go up, high school graduation rates go up, more young people attending college than ever before. We're number one in oil production, number one in natural gas production; doubled clean energy production; solar power up tenfold; wind power up threefold; carbon pollution down. There is no economic metric by which we are not better off than when I took office. And that is because of the extraordinary will and dedication of the American people, but also because all of you have done a terrific job. And I'm proud of you for that. Now, what we also know is, we've now got some choices to make. Going forward, are we going to be an economy in which a few do spectacularly well, or are we going to be an economy in which everybody who's willing to work hard is getting a fair shot and can succeed? Are we going to be an economy that continues to invest in innovation and infrastructure, all the ingredients that are necessary to power this economy through the 21st century, or are we going to be neglectful of those very things that have made us an economic superpower? Are we going to do what's necessary to make sure that everybody gets the tools they need to succeed--the education, the childcare support, the help when it comes to minimum wages and paid sick leave--that gives people a basic baseline of stability, but also allows them to constantly adapt to an ever-changing world? That's the set of choices that we now have to make. And because the economy has gotten better, wages are beginning to tick up, people are starting to feel better about the economy. But I think what everybody here understands is that the ground that middle class families lost over the last 30 years still has to be made up and the trends that have squeezed middle class families and those striving to get into the middle class, those trends have not been fully reversed. And so as much as we should appreciate the progress that's been made, it shouldn't be a cause for complacency, because we've got more work to do. We've got a lot more work to do. And in my State of the Union, I laid out a series of specific proposals that would allow us to continue to control our deficit, but would also ensure that we were investing in the kind of quality education, including free community college, that is so necessary for people to move forward. Specific proposals to make sure that we provided some relief to middle class families in the form of a childcare credit and additional higher education credits so that somebody who is working hard and doing their best can get a little bit of relief, a little bit of help. We talked about how important it is for us to rebuild our infrastructure in this country and put people back to work all across the country, something that everybody knows we need to do. And we've got very specific ways of paying for it, by closing loopholes that send jobs overseas and rewarding companies who are investing right here in the United States of America. So I summarized all this as middle class economics. And what we know is, middle class economics works. That's been the history of this country. That's been the history of the last 6 years when we've implemented middle class economics. And the other side was telling us this would be a disaster and it would kill jobs and raise the deficit, health care costs would explode. And none of that happened. That's pretty rare where you have two visions, a vigorous debate, and then, you test who's right. And the record shows that we were right and middle class economics does work. So the bottom line is this: We've got to make sure it continues to work. We should protect the progress we're making. I hear Republicans are holding their 50th or 60th vote next year [week] 2 to repeal or undermine the Affordable Care Act. I've lost count at this point. But here's something easy to remember: If that bill ever actually reached my desk, I would happily veto it. If they try to unravel new rules that we put in place to make sure Wall Street recklessness doesn't hurt American families again, I'll be happy to veto it. If, rather than try to solve the problem of a broken immigration system, they compound the problem, I'll veto it. But my hope is that they join us. And one good piece of news is, I noticed that even though their policies haven't quite caught up yet, their rhetoric is starting to sound pretty Democratic. [Laughter] I heard--Chris Van Hollen was telling me about one Republican White House correction. Senator who shall go unnamed, but generally, doesn't agree with me on much, and he was suddenly shocked, shocked that the top 1 percent is doing really well and everybody else is getting squeezed, and we need to do something about it. And I think--I welcome that. I consider imitation the highest form of flattery. Come on board. Let's go help out that middle class family. Let's get something done. We've got a former Presidential candidate on the other side who suddenly is just deeply concerned about poverty. [Laughter] That's great! Let's go! Come on! Let's do something about it! I am glad that their rhetoric at least has shifted, but let's now make sure that the policies match up with the rhetoric. Let's make sure Americans are able to upgrade their skills for higher wages. Let's build the world's most competitive economy. Let's make sure that we end this across-the-board sequester that doesn't differentiate between smart Government spending and dumb Government spending. Let's take a scalpel and not a meat cleaver, and let's make sure that we're funding the things that we know help American families succeed. That's a smart thing to do. I disagree with any Republican who says letting funding for the Department of Homeland Security lapse is "not the end of the world." That's a quote from one of them. I mean, I tell you, these are the guys who are always saying they're concerned about the borders. These are the folks who say they're concerned about terrorism. Well, who do you think helps monitor our borders? Well, what do you mean, it's not at the end of the world? That's all you've been talking about. And now, suddenly, because you want to make a political point, you think that we can afford to have the Department of Homeland Security not functioning, because of political games in Washington? I mean, we can pay for all of the proposals that I put forward in the State of the Union we can pay for by fixing a Tax Code that is riddled with loopholes for special interests. And if Republicans don't agree with my approach for paying for it, then they should put forward their own proposals. And I'm happy to engage them on that. I'm eager to engage with them on that. I think it's entirely fair for them to say, that's not the right way to fund higher education, that's not the right way to help families with childcare. And we can have a good, healthy debate. What we can't suggest is that childcare is not important to American families or that higher education costs are not relevant to folks who are currently in the middle class or trying to work their way into the middle class or hoping their children will be able to get in the middle class. Those things are important. So put forward alternatives. And the good news is, is that I think there are some who want to work with us. And maybe the fact that I've now run my last election means that, instead of just blocking what we're trying to do, they may be interested in getting some stuff done. Of course, they'll then spend all their time attacking the next Democrat coming down the pike, but that's okay. Because, ultimately, what this is about, the reason we are here, the reason so many of you make such extraordinary sacrifices--and your families make sacrifices--to be here, is because the story of the people that I mentioned in the State of the Union--people like Rebekah, who I talked about, from Minnesota--those people are us. They're our moms and our dads and our aunts and our uncles and our nephews and our cousins and our neighbors and our coworkers and our friends. And we remember some point in time where somebody gave us a little bit of a hand up. And we remember that scholarship that allowed us to go to school when it wasn't clear that our family might be able to afford it. And we remember what it was like to try to find childcare when you've got two folks working and trying to pay the mortgage at the same time, just like Michelle and I had to do. We remember those things. And the reason that we do this is so that those folks have the same extraordinary opportunities in the same extraordinary country as we did. And more importantly, so that our children and our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren have those same opportunities. And it is our obligation to make sure that we are crystal clear about what we stand for and who we are fighting for. And I will just say, obviously, we were all disappointed with the outcome of the last election, and there are a lot of reasons for it, and I'm happy to take on some of the blame. But one thing I'm positive about is, when we're shy about what we care about, when we're defensive about what we've accomplished, when we don't stand up straight and proud and say, yes, we believe that everybody in this country should have health insurance, and we're glad that we are making that happen; yes, we believe that families shouldn't be torn apart, and we're glad that we're fighting for immigration reform; yes, we believe in middle class economics, and we don't apologize for wanting to make sure that some wonderful young man or young woman out there can actually afford to go to college even if their parents didn't go--we need to stand up and go on offense and not be defensive about what we believe in. That's why we're Democrats. And I promise you, I'm not going out the last 2 years sitting on the sidelines. I am going to be out there making the case every single day, and I hope you join me. Thank you. Note: The President spoke at 7:34 p.m. at the Sheraton Philadelphia Society Hill Hotel. In his remarks, he referred to Reps. Steny H. Hoyer, Xavier Becerra, and Mario R. Díaz-Balart; 2012 Republican Presidential nominee W. Mitt Romney; and St. Anthony, MN, resident Rebekah Erler.

Remarks on Precision Medicine

January 30, 2015