1 00:00:10,043 --> 00:00:11,378 The President: Hi, everybody.

2 00:00:11,378 --> 00:00:14,981 My top priority as President is doing everything I can to create

3 00:00:14,981 --> 00:00:18,184 more jobs and more opportunities for hardworking families

4 00:00:18,184 --> 00:00:19,686 to get ahead.

5 00:00:19,686 --> 00:00:22,055 On Friday, we learned that our economy created over

6 00:00:22,055 --> 00:00:24,858 200,000 new jobs in July.

7 00:00:24,858 --> 00:00:28,895 That's on top of about 300,000 new jobs in June.

8 00:00:28,895 --> 00:00:31,598 We're now in a six-month streak with at least 200,

9 00:00:31,598 --> 00:00:33,833 000 new jobs each month.

10 00:00:33,833 --> 00:00:37,036 That hasn't happened since 1997.

11 00:00:37,036 --> 00:00:40,607 All told, our businesses have created 9.9 million jobs

12 00:00:40,607 --> 00:00:42,909 over the past 53 months.

13 00:00:42,909 --> 00:00:45,945 That's the longest streak of private-sector job creation

14 00:00:45,945 --> 00:00:47,814 in our history.

15 00:00:47,814 --> 00:00:51,351 Because of you - because of your hard work and determination -

16 00:00:51,351 --> 00:00:54,888 America has recovered faster and come farther than almost any

17 00:00:54,888 --> 00:00:57,589 other advanced country on Earth.

18 00:00:57,590 --> 00:01:00,427 The economy is clearly getting stronger.

19 00:01:00,427 --> 00:01:02,429 Things are clearly getting better.

20 00:01:02,429 --> 00:01:05,131 And the decisions we make now can keep things

21 00:01:05,131 --> 00:01:07,300 moving in that direction.

22 00:01:07,300 --> 00:01:09,301 That's what's at stake right now.

23 00:01:09,302 --> 00:01:12,305 Making sure our economy works for every working American.

24 00:01:12,305 --> 00:01:15,074 Making sure that people who work hard can get ahead.

25 00:01:15,074 --> 00:01:17,544 That's why I've been pushing for common-sense ideas like

26 00:01:17,544 --> 00:01:20,012 rebuilding our infrastructure in a way that supports millions

27 00:01:20,013 --> 00:01:23,183 of good jobs and helps our businesses compete.

28 00:01:23,183 --> 00:01:25,652 That's why I've been pushing to raise the minimum wage.

29 00:01:25,652 --> 00:01:27,620 To make it easier for working folks to pay

30 00:01:27,620 --> 00:01:29,255 off their student loans.

31 00:01:29,255 --> 00:01:33,059 That's why I've been pushing for fair pay and paid leave.

32 00:01:33,059 --> 00:01:35,261 These policies have two things in common.

33 00:01:35,261 --> 00:01:37,363 All of them would help working families feel

34 00:01:37,363 --> 00:01:39,365 more stable and secure.

35 00:01:39,365 --> 00:01:41,434 And unfortnately all of them have been blocked

36 00:01:41,434 --> 00:01:44,604 or ignored by Republicans in Congress.

37 00:01:44,604 --> 00:01:47,173 That's why my administration keeps taking what actions

38 00:01:47,173 --> 00:01:51,144 we can on our own to help working families -

39 00:01:51,144 --> 00:01:54,380 because Congress is doing so little for working families.

40 00:01:54,380 --> 00:01:56,716 House Republicans actually got together this week

41 00:01:56,716 --> 00:02:00,419 and voted to sue me for taking actions on my own.

42 00:02:00,420 --> 00:02:02,555 And then they left town for the month without settling

43 00:02:02,555 --> 00:02:05,225 a bunch of unfinished business that matters to working

44 00:02:05,225 --> 00:02:07,693 families across America.

45 00:02:07,694 --> 00:02:10,563 The bottom line is this - we've come a long way these past

46 00:02:10,562 --> 00:02:12,097 five and a half years.

47 00:02:12,098 --> 00:02:14,534 Our challenges are nowhere near as daunting as they

48 00:02:14,534 --> 00:02:15,535 were back then.

49 00:02:15,535 --> 00:02:18,571 But imagine how much farther along our economy would be -

50 00:02:18,571 --> 00:02:21,441 how much stronger our country would be - if Congress

51 00:02:21,441 --> 00:02:24,043 would do its job.

52 00:02:24,043 --> 00:02:26,246 I'll never stop trying to work with both parties

53 00:02:26,246 --> 00:02:28,314 to get things moving faster for the middle class

54 00:02:28,314 --> 00:02:30,884 and everybody who's working to get into the middle class.

55 00:02:30,884 --> 00:02:33,352 And I could use your help.

56 00:02:33,353 --> 00:02:35,688 If you see your Member of Congress around home this month,

57 00:02:35,688 --> 00:02:37,957 tell him or her what's on your mind.

58 00:02:37,957 --> 00:02:40,959 Ask them why they haven't passed bills to raise the minimum wage

59 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:44,364 or help with student loans or enact fair pay for women.

60 00:02:44,364 --> 00:02:47,433 And when they return from vacation next month,

61 00:02:47,433 --> 00:02:49,435 instead of trying to pass partisan bills on party

62 00:02:49,435 --> 00:02:51,905 lines, hopefully we can come together with the sense

63 00:02:51,905 --> 00:02:54,140 of common purpose that you expect.

64 00:02:54,140 --> 00:02:56,743 And in the meantime, I will never stop doing whatever

65 00:02:56,743 --> 00:03:00,513 I can, whenever I can, not only to make sure that our

66 00:03:00,513 --> 00:03:04,951 economy succeeds, but that people like you succeed.

67 00:03:04,951 --> 00:03:06,953 Thanks, and have a great weekend.