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Deputy Secretary Seth Harris ARE YOU EXCITED?
I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF
OUTSTANDING LEADERS BACKSTAGE.
WE ARE DESPERATE TO COME AND
MEET YOU ALL.
I HAVE TO ASK YOU TO DO ONE
THING, PLEASE STAY IN YOUR SEATS
UNTIL THE PROGRAM IS COMPLETED.
WILL DO YOU THAT?
ALL RIGHT.
OUR COUNTRY WAS INDEED FORTUNATE THAT
THE LAST ELECTION BROUGHT A
SMART, TOUGH AND ENERGETIC LAWYER
FROM CHICAGO TO THE WHITE HOUSE.
AND IT'S NICE THAT SHE BROUGHT
HER HUSBAND ALONG, TOO.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
WELL, WE'VE GOT OUR OWN TOUGH AND
TALENTED LEADER AT THE DEPARTMENT.
SHE IS A VOICE OF PEOPLE WHO
HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN AND SHE HAS
MADE GOOD JOBS FOR EVERYONE OUR MISSION.
PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME OUR
LEADER, HILDA SOLIS.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
Secretary Solis THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THAT VERY KIND
INTRODUCTION.
GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR
JOINING US TODAY.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A VERY
SPECIAL GUEST WITH US.
RIGHT?
WE ARE SO VERY PROUD TO HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE THE
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TO THE FIRST
LADY OF THE UNITED STATES,
MICHELLE OBAMA.
[APPLAUSE]
BEFORE WE BEGIN THIS MORNING'S
PROGRAM, I THINK WE SHOULD ALL
TAKE A MOMENT TO EXPRESS OUR
DEEPEST SYMPATHIES FOR THE
PEOPLE IN HAITI.
AS PRESIDENT OBAMA SAID
YESTERDAY, WE HAVE TO BE THERE
FOR THE PEOPLE OF HAITI IN THEIR
TIME OF NEED.
THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD
STANDS WITH THE HAITIAN PEOPLE
TO PROVIDE THE RESOURCES TO HELP
REBUILD ITS COUNTRY AND RECOVER
FROM THIS TRAGEDY.
THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR IS PROUD
AND HONORED TO HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY THIS MORNING TO HOST
THE FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED
STATES, MICHELLE OBAMA.
WE SAY WELCOME TO OUR HOME AND
WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT YOU HAVE
TAKEN THE TIME TO COME AND VISIT
WITH US TODAY.
MICHELLE OBAMA WORKS WITH THOSE ISSUES
CLOSEST TO HER HEART, SUPPORTING
MILITARY FAMILIES, HELPING
WORKING WOMEN BALANCE THEIR
CAREERS AND FAMILY AND
ENCOURAGING NATIONAL SERVICE.
THESE ARE ALL ISSUES THAT ALL OF
US HERE AT THE DEPARTMENT ARE
WORKING ON EVERY DAY, PROTECTING
THE RIGHTS OF ALL WORKERS,
HELPING FAMILIES DURING THESE
CHALLENGING ECONOMIC TIMES,
PROVIDING PATHWAYS FOR THE
FUTURE AND ENSURING OUR VETERANS
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES.
THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF OUR
PRIORITIES AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY
THAT THESE PRIORITIES ARE THE
ADMINISTRATION'S PRIORITIES.
THE FIRST LADY, AS YOU KNOW, IS
AN INSPIRATION TO ALL OF US.
AND SHE IS A MODEL TO SO MANY IN
OUR MISSION.
I WILL EVEN GO AS FAR AS TO SAY
I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT
MRS. OBAMA IS ALSO ONE OF THE
PRESIDENT'S BEST SPOKESPERSONS,
IF NOT THE BEST.
[APPLAUSE]
I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE
APPROPRIATE TO READ ONE OF HER
MOST FAMOUS AND INSPIRATIONAL
QUOTES.
YOU WORK HARD FOR WHAT YOU WANT IN LIFE
THAT YOUR WORD IS YOUR BOND
THAT YOU DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU ARE GOING TO DO
THAT YOU TREAT PEOPLE WITH
DIGNITY AND RESPECT.
EVEN IF YOU DON'T KNOW THEM OR
EVEN IF YOU DON'T AGREE WITH THEM.
THOSE WORDS RING TRUE TO THE
WORK WE DO HERE AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR.
THOSE ARE WORDS TO LIVE YOUR
LIFE BY AS WELL.
IT'S MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE THE
FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES,
MICHELLE OBAMA.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
First Lady Michelle Obama YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO GET OUT
OF YOUR SEATS!
[LAUGHTER]
BUT THAT'S OKAY.
>> GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
I'M PROUD TO BE HERE AS YOU-ALL
SEEM TO BE.
[LAUGHTER]
BUT BEFORE WE BEGIN, I DO WANT
TO TAKE A MOMENT JUST TO EXPRESS
MY PROFOUND HEARTBREAK AND OUR
NATION'S DEEPEST SUPPORT FOR THE
PEOPLE OF HAITI IN THE WAKE OF
THIS DEVASTATING DISASTER.
THE DESTRUCTION AND THE
SUFFERING WE SEE THE IMAGES
COMING OUT OF THAT COUNTRY ARE
JUST OVERWHELMING, AND IT IS
IMPORTANT FOR THE PEOPLE OF
HAITI TO KNOW THAT WE ARE
KEEPING THE VICTIMS OF THIS
TRAGEDY AND THEIR LOVED ONES IN
OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.
AND I ALSO INCLUDE PRAYERS GOING
OUT TO ALL THE HAITIAN AMERICANS
WHO HAVE FAMILIES AND FRIENDS
THAT ARE BACK HOME.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO GET WORD.
PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHERE FOLKS
ARE.
THIS IS A TOUGH TIME FOR HAITIAN
AMERICAN CITIZENS HERE AS WELL.
AND WE ALSO WANT TO SEND OUR
THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS OUT TO THE
AMERICAN CITIZENS WHO ARE
WORKING AND LIVING IN HAITI AS
WELL.
RIGHT NOW MY HUSBAND AND THE
ADMINISTRATION ARE FOCUSED ON
MOVING AS MANY RESOURCES AS
POSSIBLE INTO HAITI AS QUICKLY
AS POSSIBLE SO WE CAN SAVE AS
MANY LIVES AS WE CAN.
AND LATER TODAY, I'LL BE TAPING
A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
FOR THE RED CROSS, WHICH IS
PROVIDING ON THE GROUND SUPPORT
FOOD, WATER AND MEDICINE THAT IS
NEEDED RIGHT NOW PARTICULARLY IN
THIS SHORT PERIOD OF 48-72 HOURS
AFTER THE DISASTER.
SO FOR THOSE AMERICANS WHO ARE
WATCHING THIS WHO ARE LISTENING,
WHO WANT TO HELP, AND EVERYONE'S
HELP AND RESOURCES AND ENERGY AT
THIS TIME ARE CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT, YOU CAN GO TO THE
WHITE HOUSE WEBSITE AT
WWW.WHITEHOUSE.GOV TO SEE WHAT
YOU CAN DO TO SUPPORT OUR
FRIENDS IN HAITI IN THIS TIME OF
URGENT NEED.
AS YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST IN
THE WEEKS AND MONTHS AHEAD.
THIS IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING
THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT
OUR ATTENTION TO FOR MANY YEARS
TO COME.
SO, AGAIN OUR THOUGHTS AND
PRAYERS GO OUT TO THE COUNTRY OF
HAITI.
I'D LIKE TO START BY THANKING
YOUR WONDERFUL SECRETARY,
SECRETARY SOLIS, NOT JUST FOR
THAT BIG KIND INTRODUCTION BUT
ALL OF HER WORK THAT SHE IS
DOING IN THE DEPARTMENT.
SHE IS DOING A FABULOUS JOB IN
SO MANY AREAS AND ALL OF YOU
KNOW --
[APPLAUSE]
-- SHE IS TAKING THE TIME TO
TRAVEL WITH ME ON MY SPECIAL
PROJECTS.
WE SPENT A WONDERFUL DAY IN
DENVER PARTICIPATING IN
LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS FOR YOUNG
GIRLS AND SECRETARY SOLIS WAS
RIGHT THERE, THE FIRST ONE TO
SIGN UP TO GO.
AS A BUSY SECRETARY, SHE IS
NEVER TOO BUSY TO GIVE BACK TO
AN AMAZING GROUP OF GIRLS AND I
WILL BE GRATEFUL TO HER FOR A
VERY LONG TIME.
SO SHE HAS DONE OUT STAND CAN
WORK AND WILLINGNESS TO STEP UP
OUTSIDE OF HER ROLE.
WE ARE GRATEFUL TO YOU.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU
TODAY AND ALL OF YOUR COLLEAGUES
HERE IN WASHINGTON AND ACROSS
THE COUNTRY FOR YOUR WORK.
AS YOU-ALL KNOW, I HAVE SPENT A
LOT OF TIME IN THE FIRST
YEAR -- YES, IT'S BEEN A YEAR.
[LAUGHTER]
SINCE WE HAVE ARRIVED IN
WASHINGTON VISITING AGENCIES AND
IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL FOR ME TO
USE THESE VISITS TO LEARN MORE
ABOUT THE WORK YOU DO, TO
LISTEN, TO OBSERVE, TO HEAR YOUR
CONCERNS AND TO BRING THAT
INFORMATION BACK TO THE WHITE
HOUSE SO THAT MY HUSBAND WILL
GET MORE FEEDBACK ON HOW THINGS
ARE GOING.
SO THESE VISITS HAVE BEEN SO
VERY IMPORTANT TO ME GETTING A
BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THIS
MOVES FORWARD AND GETTING TO
KNOW ALL OF YOU.
I KNOW THAT SOME OF YOU HAVE
BEEN WORKING IN THESE
DEPARTMENTS FOR A VERY LONG TIME
FOR DECADES.
AND WE HAVE SOME OF THOSE
WORKERS BEHIND ME.
WE HAVE SOME OF THE LONGEST SERVING
EMPLOYEES AT THE DEPARTMENT
RIGHT BEHIND ME.
BUT SOMETHING THE SECRETARY
CHOSE TO DO UNIQUELY IS TO ALSO
RECOGNIZE THE FOLKS HERE WHO ARE
JUST BEGINNING THEIR CAREERS.
WE CAN'T FORGET THEM.
THERE ARE A LOST PEOPLE WHO ARE
STEPPING INTO NEW ROLES AND A
LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE STEPPING IN
ROLES.
I KNOW THAT WHETHER YOU-ALL HAVE
WORKED HERE FOR DECADES OR FOR
DAYS, YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY
HARD FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND
ONE OF MY PRIMARY REASONS FOR
BEING HERE IS TO EXPRESS ON
BEHALF OF NOT JUST MY THOUGHTS
AND FAMILY AND THE PRESIDENT,
BUT THE ENTIRE NATION, OUR
GRATITUDE FOR THE SERVICE YOU
HAVE PUT IN.
WE OFTEN FORGET ABOUT THE WORK
THAT YOU DO TO MAKE THINGS
HAPPEN FOR THIS NATION.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE SHED
THIS LIGHT ON EACH AND EVERY ONE
OF YOU OVER THE COURSE OF THIS
YEAR.
I AM ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO
VISITING SOME LITTLE PEOPLE HERE
AFTER I SPEAK HERE I'M GOING TO
GO DOWN TO THE CHILD CARE CENTER
AND -- I'M A SUCKER FOR KIDS.
[LAUGHTER]
I TOLD THE SECRETARY, IF THERE
IS A CHILD CARE CENTER HERE,
I'LL BE HERE EVERY WEEK.
[APPLAUSE]
BUT I'M GOING TO GET TO READ
ONE OF MY FAVORITE
BOOKS, GREEN EGGS AND HAM.
AND I AM ALSO GOING TO MEET SOME
OF THE CULINARY STUDENTS, YOUNG
PEOPLE WORKING IN THE TRAINING
PROGRAM.
YES!
[APPLAUSE]
AND I HEARD THAT YOU HAVE
PREPARED A DELICIOUS AND HEALTHY
SNACK FOR US.
[LAUGHTER]
I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING
YOU-ALL.
I AM PLEASED TO HEAR THERE WAS A
CHILD CARE CENTER HERE AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR THAT NOT
JUST SERVES THE EMPLOYEES OF THE
DEPARTMENT BUT WORKING FAMILIES
THROUGHOUT THE AREA.
THIS ONE GIVES US A GREAT PEACE
OF MIND SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT
THEIR KIDS ARE BEING TAKEN CARE OF.
THAT MEANS YOU CAN FOCUS ON YOUR
WORK AND NOT WORRY ABOUT WHETHER
YOUR KIDS ARE DOING OKAY.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT I'D
LIKE TO JUST SPEND A FEW BRIEF
MOMENTS TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
AN ISSUE I TALKED A LOT ABOUT
AND THAT'S THE ISSUE OF
WORK-LIFE BALANCE.
YOU KNOW IT'S A CONSTANT
STRUGGLE TO MEET OUR
RESPONSIBILITIES BOTH AS
EMPLOYEES AND BUT ALSO AS BREAD
WINNERS AND MOTHERS AND FATHERS.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE ISSUE THAT IS
WE AS A SOCIETY STILL HAVEN'T
QUITE FIGURED OUT YET.
WE ARE STILL WORKING ON IT.
AND AS A MOTHER OF TWO YOUNG
GIRLS WHO ARE DOING FINE, BY THE
WAY, IS AN ISSUE THAT IS
PARTICULARLY NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART.
IN MY CURRENT LIFE AS THE FIRST
LADY OF THE UNITED STATES, I AM
INCREDIBLY BLESSED, AND I KNOW
THAT BECAUSE I HAVE MORE SUPPORT
THAN I COULD HAVE EVER ASKED FOR
OR EVER IMAGINED, INCLUDING MY
MOTHER, WHO HAS MOVED HERE TO
HELP US SIT THROUGH ALL THE CHALLENGES.
BUT FOR MANY YEARS, JUST A FEW
YEARS AGO, WE CAME TO
WASHINGTON, I WAS A PART OF THAT
WORK FAMILY STRUGGLE TO BALANCE
THAT FULL-TIME JOB PLUS BEING AN
AROUND THE CLOCK -- THAT ROLE
YOU PLAY AS MOM, PARTICULARLY
WHEN YOU HAVE A SPOUSE WHO IS
TRAVELING AROUND.
AND I SAID THIS BEFORE, BUT
PROBABLY LIKE MANY OF YOU, I
CONSIDER MYSELF ONE OF THOSE 120 PERCENTERS.
IF YOU'RE NOT DOING EVERYTHING
AT 120% YOU THINK YOU'RE FAILING.
I SUFFER FROM THAT.
SO WHEN I WAS AT WORK DURING
THESE TIMES, I ALWAYS FELT LIKE
I WAS SHORT CHANGING MY GIRLS.
BUT THEN WHEN I WAS AT HOME, I
WAS WORRIED I WAS LETTING PEOPLE
AT WORK DOWN.
AND THAT KIND OF ANXIETY COMES A
LOT OF ADDITIONAL STRESS AND A
WHOLE LOT OF GUILT.
SO I WAS WALKING AROUND WITH A
WHOLE LOT OF GUILT.
JUST CARRY IT AROUND.
[LAUGHTER]
AND I WAS LUCKY EVEN BACK THEN
BECAUSE I HAD UNDERSTANDING BOSSES.
PEOPLE LIKE SECRETARY SOLIS WHO
SHARED MY SAME VALUES FOR THE
IMPORTANCE OF DOING A GOOD JOB
AND ALSO RAISING A GOOD FAMILY.
AND I WAS ALSO FORTUNATE TO WORK
IN JOBS THAT WERE REASONABLY
ACCOMMODATING WITH PEOPLE WHO
UNDERSTOOD THAT IF YOU LEFT A
LITTLE EARLY TO GET IN THE CAR
LINE, THAT THAT WASN'T SOME HUGE
DEFINITION OF YOUR DEDICATION TO
YOUR JOB.
AND PLENTY OF EMPLOYERS OUT
THERE WHO RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF
GOOD WORK-LIFE POLICIES.
MANY PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY JUST
AREN'T AS FORTUNATE TO WORK WITH
THOSE EMPLOYERS.
WITH THE JOB MARKET THE WAY IT
IS RIGHT NOW, MANY FOLKS CAN'T
AFFORD TO BE PICKY.
YOU JUST CAN'T.
WHEN YOU HAVE A JOB, YOU KEEP IT
AND YOU SETTLE FOR THE TERMS
THAT YOU HAVE BECAUSE YOU KNOW
YOU'RE BLESSED TO EVEN HAVE A JOB.
AND LITERALLY YOU DON'T HAVE
ACCESS AS A RESULT, TO ANY KIND
OF FLEXIBILITY IN THE WORKPLACE
AT ALL.
IT'S JUST NOT POSSIBLE.
SO THEY STRUGGLED TO FIND
AFFORDABLE CHILD CARE AND
EMERGENCY CHILD CARE WHEN THE
USUAL ARRANGEMENTS FALL THROUGH,
WHICH THEY ALWAYS DO, RIGHT?
AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, TODAY,
ROUGHLY 40% OF PRIVATE SECTOR
EMPLOYEES WORK AT COMPANIES THAT
DON'T OFFER A SINGLE DAY OF PAID
SICK LEAVE.
NOT A SINGLE DAY.
I THINK THAT IS A PROBLEM.
AND FOR TOO LONG, WE AS A
SOCIETY, VIEWED POLICIES THAT HELP
PEOPLE BALANCE WORK AND FAMILY
AS SOMEHOW A SPECIAL BENEFIT
MAYBE TO WOMEN WHO SHOULDER THAT
RATHER THAN A CENTRAL PART OF A
WORKPLACE THAT CAN BENEFIT
EVERYONE IN THE WORKPLACE.
THE PERCEPTION THAT WORKERS WHO
MANY TIME OFTEN HAVE TO CARE FOR
SICK PARENTS OR WHO WANT A MORE
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE SO THEY CAN GO
TO THE POT LUCK OR THE PLANNING
OR PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE.
ARE SOMEHOW LESS COMMITTED OR
LESS DESIRABLE.
THERE IS THIS IDEA THAT THEY ARE
DESTINED TO BE LESS PROFITABLE,
LESS PRODUCTIVE SOMEHOW.
BUT WE NOW KNOW THAT THAT IS
JUST SIMPLY NOT THE CASE.
THERE IS A LOT OF EVIDENCE OUT
THERE, SOME COMPANIES WHO HAVE IMPLEMENTED
INNOVATIVE POLICIES TO HELP FAMILIES.
WE NOW KNOW THAT THESE KIND OF
POLICIES CAN ACTUALLY MAKE
EMPLOYEES MORE PRODUCTIVE.
WE ALL KNOW THIS. RIGHT?
BECAUSE INSTEAD OF SPENDING ALL
DAY AT WORK WORRY ABOUT WHAT IS
HAPPENING AT HOME, WE HAVE THE
SUPPORT THAT WE NEED TO
CONCENTRATE ON THEIR JOBS AND IT
MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN TERMS
OF PRODUCTIVITY JUST THAT
COMFORT AND STABILITY HELPS
WORKERS BE BETTER.
WE KNOW THAT.
AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO CHANGE THE WAY
WE LOOK AT THESE ISSUES.
SO WORKPLACES CAN CATCH-UP TO
THE REALITIES OF OUR LIVES.
IT'S TIME WE VIEW FAMILY
POLICIES AS NOT JUST NICETIES
FOR WOMEN.
BUT AS NECESSITIES FOR EVERY
SINGLE WORKING AMERICAN, MEN AND
WOMEN, BECAUSE MORE AND MORE,
MEN ARE SHOULDERING THAT SAME
KIND OF BURDEN.
[APPLAUSE]
IF YOU'RE TAKING CARE OF AN
ELDERLY PARENT OR A SICK CHILD,
SHOULDN'T MEAN RISKING ONES JOB.
THAT SHOULDN'T BE THE TRADE OFF.
PEOPLE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO CHOOSE
BETWEEN TAKING THE TIME OF LEAVE
AFTER GIVING BIRTH OR ADOPTING A
CHILD, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND KEEPING THAT JOB -- THAT
SHOULDN'T BE THE CHOICE.
SORT OF LIKE PAID FAMILY LEAVE
AND SICK DAYS AND AFFORDABLE
CHILD CARE SHOULD BE THE NORM,
NOT THE EXCEPTION.
THAT'S WHY WE THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT COMPANIES
WHILE EMBRACING THESE POLICIES,
ONES THAT ARE EXPERIMENTING WITH
FLEXTIME AND TELECOMMUTING AND
FOCUSING ON PERFORMANCE AND
OUTPUT RATHER THAN FACE TIME.
THAT'S WHY THE PRESIDENT AND
SECRETARY SOLIS HAVE SPOKEN OUT
IN FAVOR OF THE HEALTHY FAMILIES
ACT LETTING MORE WORKING
AMERICANS EARN UP TO 7 DAYS A
YEAR OF PAID SICK TIME TO CARE
FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR
FAMILIES.
THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
WE ARE HAPPY WE HAVE A PRESIDENT
AND A SECRETARY AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR WHO HAS THE
VISION AND FORESIGHT TO SEE THIS
NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
[APPLAUSE]
BUT THE ADMINISTRATION ALSO
KNOWS IT'S WE HAVE TO PUT OUR
MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTHS ARE.
SO THE ADMINISTRATION IS WORKING
TO PRACTICE WHAT WE PREACH AND
MAKE THE GOVERNMENT A MODEL OF
WHAT WE ARE ASKING OTHERS TO DO.
FROM EXPANDING TELE-WORK OPTIONS
TO PROVIDING EMERGENCY CHILD
CARE AND AFFORDABLE DAY CARE, WE
NEED TO BE IMPLEMENTING ALL THAT
THOSE IDEAS THROUGHOUT THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
I WAS PARTICULARLY PLEASED TO
LEARN THAT THE CHILD CARE CENTER
HERE AT THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
ACTUALLY PROVIDES FINANCIAL AID
TO HELP EMPLOYEES AFFORD
EXCELLENT CARE REGARDLESS OF THE
SIZE OF THEIR PAYCHECKS.
THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS WE
NEED TO BE DOING ALL ACROSS THE GOVERNMENT.
[APPLAUSE]
SO THOSE ARE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES
OF THE KIND OF CONCRETE STEPS
THAT WE CAN TAKE TO RESTORE SOME
SEMBLANCE OF BALANCE AND SANITY
INTO THE LIVES OF PEOPLE THAT
YOU ALL KNOW, SINCE IT'S
PROBABLY YOU, AND THIS IS JUST
THE BEGINNING.
AND THERE IS A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
AS WE ALL KNOW, THE PRESIDENT
SAID BEFORE HE TOOK THE OATH OF
OFFICE, CHANGE IS IMPORTANT.
CHANGE IS HARD.
AND CHANGE TAKES TIME.
I REMEMBER HIM SAYING THAT.
[LAUGHTER]
SO WE KNOW
IT WON'T BE EASY BUT AS ONE OF
SECRETARY SOLIS' PREDECESSORS,
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S LABOR SECRETARY,
FRANCES PERKINS, ONCE POINTED
OUT THAT MOST OF OUR
PROBLEMS -- AND THIS IS A QUOTE,
HAVE BEEN MET AND SOLVED EITHER PARTIALLY OR AS
A WHOLE BY EXPERIMENT BASED ON
COMMON SENSE AND CARRIED OUT
WITH COURAGE.
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TODAY AS WELL.
WE NEED ALL OF YOU TO TAKE THE
LEAD AND CONTINUE TO TAKE THE
LEAD IN THIS EFFORT.
AND ALL OF US IN BOTH GOVERNMENT
AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR WE NEED
TO COME UP WITH NEW IDEAS, TRY
OUT NEW APPROACHES AND RELY ON
OUR COURAGE AND OUR COMMON SENSE
TO GUIDE US ALONG THE WAY.
BUT I MUST SAY, IN ALL MY VISITS
WE ARE GOING TO MEET ALL OF YOU.
ENERGY, OPTIMISM, WE KNOW YOU
ARE WORKING HARD.
MANY PEOPLE STAYING LATE,
PUTTING IN OVER TIME, GOING THE
EXTRA MILE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR IS STRONG
AND IT CONTINUES TO BE A SOURCE
OF PRIDE, NOT JUST FOR THE
ADMINISTRATION.
THE PRESIDENT IS OUT OF THE
COUNTRY AND WE ARE GRATEFUL TO
ALL OF YOU FOR THAT AND
OFTENTIMES YOU DON'T HEAR IT.
BUT WE ARE GRATEFUL.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR FAMILIES AND
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK
THAT YOU DO.
WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU.
SO, HANG IN THERE.
IF WE HAVE ALL OF YOU WE WILL
MEET THESE CHALLENGES.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT AND I'M
GOING TO SHAKE SOME HANDS
AND READ GREEN EGGS AND HAM.
[APPLAUSE]
♪
AS A PARENT, I KNOW CENTERS LIKE