WHITE HOUSE READOUT: VP BIDEN'S CALL WITH UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT POROSHENKO

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

Readout of the Vice President's Call with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko

Vice President Biden spoke with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko today to discuss the latest situation in eastern Ukraine and diplomatic efforts to pursue a sustainable ceasefire that would be respected by the separatists and fully supported by Russia, and would allow for the implementation of the peace plan laid out in Poroshenko’s inaugural address. The Vice President underscored that the United States remained focused on Russia’s actions, not its words. The Vice President noted the United States is prepared to impose further costs on Russia if it fails to withdraw its ongoing support for the separatists, including the provision of heavy weapons and materiel across the border.

READOUT: V.P. BIDEN'S CALL WITH IRAQI PRIME MINISTER AL-MALIKI

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

Readout of the Vice President's Call with Iraqi Prime Minister of Nouri al-Maliki

Vice President Biden spoke this morning with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.  The Vice President expressed the United States’ solidarity with Iraq in its fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).  The Prime Minister discussed Iraq’s current security situation, and the Vice President made clear that the United States is prepared to continue to intensify and accelerate security support and cooperation with Iraq, under the Strategic Framework Agreement, to confront the urgent and growing threat posed by ISIL.  The Vice President underscored that it will be critically important for all of Iraq’s communities to reach a lasting political accommodation and to be united in order to defeat their common enemy, ISIL.  

BIDEN GIVES SPEECH AT U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY 2014 GRADUATION

FROM:  U.S. AIR FORCE 

The U.S. Air Force Academy's Class of 2014 marches into Falcon Stadium for graduation in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 28, 2014. A total of 995 cadets received their commissions during the ceremony. U.S. Air Force photo by Bill Evans.

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds fly overhead as graduating cadets toss their covers skyward as commencement concludes at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. May 28, 2014. U.S. Air Force photo by Mike Kaplan.

VP BIDEN, ROMANIAN PRIME MINISTER PONTA MAKE REMARKS IN BUCHAREST, ROMANIA

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

Remarks by Vice President Joe Biden and Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta in a Joint Press Statement

Victoria Palace

Bucharest, Romania

1:10 P.M. (Local)

PRIME MINISTER PONTA:  (As interpreted) Good day.

We are very glad and honored to have the visit of Mr. Vice President Joe Biden here in Bucharest and at the headquarters of our government.

We are very happy to see you once again after the gathering that happened in October last year in Washington.  At that time, Vice President Biden said that he will come back to Romania, and as always he kept his word, and we’d like to thank him for that.

But I believe that his visit here is at the most necessary and right time for Romania, a moment when we have to reaffirm the idea of a strategic partnership that is stable and of long term between the United States of America and Romania, and the importance and confidence that the United States grant to the entire region and all of our partners and allies from the area, and also a special feeling towards the Romanian people that it’s not just our desire to have this strategic partnership, but also the United States considers Romania to be a trustworthy partner and a respected partner.

So this is the most important formula, and the presence of Vice President Biden in Bucharest is confirming this fundamental idea.  I want to restate once again in the name of Romania our total commitment to meet the requirements in our role that we play as a country at the border of NATO and the European Union, of the democratic world which is at this time confronted with a crisis situation that is unprecedented in the past 25 years, the aggression on behalf of the Russian Federation, breaching the international norms, the illegal annexing of Romania [sic].  These are challenges that this region has not seen in a long time.

And furthermore the presence of Vice President Biden here is a strong message for Romania, but also a strong message for the other countries in the region, first of all for Moldova, the country for which Romania has a lot of good feelings, but also for Ukraine, for Georgia and all the others that have decided to take the route of democracy, the route of reforms, and abiding the international law.

I had discussions with Vice President Biden for the decision of the Romanian government to assume all the positions that involve our situation right now.  The security can never be obtained free.  The investments that the Romanian government has to increase and has already increased regarding the defense system -- and I can tell you that we have an agreement and a political consensus in that -- for that point in the sense that for a short time period up until 2016, Romania will start allocating 2 percent of the GDP for defense expenditures.  And also the investment that Romania has made in -- from budgetary resources and EU financing and private financing in order to develop a strategic concept and specifically energy independence.

Romania is investing quite a lot.  It is open for investments so that it -- Romania itself can ensure for itself and for the Moldovan Republic an energy independence that is even more important in the current crisis conditions, an independence that will allow us to ensure to the Romanian and Moldovan population, to the economy of both countries that Russia will never be able to impede the normal functioning of these countries by using its energy supply.

The Romanian GDP increase, and I was happy to inform Vice President Biden of the situation that right now Romania is the economy that has the most rapid growth in the European Union.  This also grants the guarantee that we can be strong, that we can meet the tasks that we all have to meet here at the border of the NATO and EU, and we have an economic development later on that is even better.

In our discussion in October when I discussed with the state Secretary for Commerce, we had discussed an action plan that the Romanian government has already concluded, and it is implementing at this time in order to increase the investments of U.S. companies in encouraging commerce, in encouraging economic development and the collaboration between the two nations.

Furthermore than the bilateral collaboration, Romania is a very determined supporter of concluding the agreement that is known as T-TIP, the trade commerce agreement between the United States and the European Union.  We believe that at this time in the common trading area where we also have economic collaboration and democratic similar ideas can make us stronger in front of any challenges.

I would like to say in my conclusion that Romania must and can be an example of success in this region, an example of security -- military security, of political collaboration with the United States, of economic development, and of the economic and the democratic functioning of its institutions.  We have reaffirmed the government’s support for an independent justice system, an impartial justice system, an efficient justice system that will be able to apply truly that important principle of the fact that no one is above the law.  And whoever breaks the law no matter what his position is must answer in front of the court.

I would like to mention at this point that we have talked quite a lot about the Moldovan state.  Every time we have the opportunity to meet, I keep telling Mr. Vice President how important Moldova is for Romania, how important it is to support the United States, the European Union for this pro-European and pro-Romanian development of the Moldovan Republic.  And I want to thank for the support that the Washington administration is providing in an explicit manner, and they have assumed the fact that Romania and the Romanian people will be the beneficiary of what many other European citizens have, which is the visa waiver system.  All of the Romanians that go into the United States are contributing to what means the United States as a whole.

And I would like to say in my closing that I assured Vice President Biden that also in this year and the following years Romania will be for the United States a reliable and respected partner.

VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN: (In progress) hospitality, Mr. Prime Minister.  It’s good to see you again.  I appreciate your dedication to the U.S.-Romanian relationship, and I’ve enjoyed our chances to talk together both in Washington and here.

The first thing the Prime Minister and I spoke about today was cooperation, security cooperation between the United States and Romania.  I reiterated to the Prime Minister what he already knew that -- America’s unwavering commitment to collective self-defense and Article 5.  We expect all nations to honor their NATO commitments.  We will honor ours.  And there should be no doubt about that on anyone’s mind.

We also spoke at some length about energy security and how national security and energy security come together in this part of the world in the need to ensure that Russia can no longer continue to use its energy resources and European dependence on those resources as a weapon -- a weapon against anyone in this region.

And that's why I believe that the development of a secure, diverse and interconnected energy market in Europe is the next big step for our European colleagues to initiate in a great project of European economic integration.

We are -- where our help is welcome, we are ready to provide help, and we have some little, unique expertise in this area if it is desired.

And Romania can and should be a significant part of a European energy solution.  By upgrading Romania’s infrastructure, Romania can be a lynchpin that holds together the energy markets from the Black Sea to Central and Eastern Europe.  And by expanding domestic production of natural gas, Romania can emerge as an alternative supplier for its neighbors.

And by extending the Romanian pipeline network, Romania can be part of the energy solution for Moldova, a country that is now overwhelmingly almost 100 percent reliant on Russian energy.

Our countries stand together in supporting Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, its democratic development and its European aspirations.

The Prime Minister and I also spoke about steps we are taking to grow and deepen the economic partnership, including the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership that we’re in the process of negotiating.  Not only will it strengthen the vibrant economies of Europe and the United States and strengthen them all, but it also will set down new rules of the road that are necessary for the conduct to trade and commerce in the 21st century.

And as I discussed with the President and the Prime Minister, there is no more important step Romania can take than to attract jobs and investment that can continue to help it grow but continue in the process to strengthen the rule of law in order to allow that to continue.

When other countries exploit corruption to undermine their neighbor’s sovereignty and independence, this is not only a matter of economic opportunity, but national security.  But it’s also a matter of economic competitiveness.  Where the rule of law is strong, where courts adjudicate disputes and in a transparently fair way, where the rules of the marketplace are predictable, this is where companies around the world invest.  This is where they make their homes.

I was encouraged by the Prime Minister’s agreement last October to take concrete steps to improve Romania’s business climate.  Of course, the follow-through is essential.  But it’s underway.  I applaud you, Mr. Prime Minister, for taking this initiative on such an important issue.

Romania to state the obvious is already a terrific ally, partner and friend.  And our future together is bright.  It’s no longer a matter of what it was a decade or more ago about what the United States can do for Romania.  It’s about what we can do together to strengthen each of our countries.

So, Mr. President [sic], thank you for your commitment to continue to strengthen this relationship, for your work to make our futures even brighter and may God bless the Romanian people.  May God bless America and may God protect our troops -- Romanian and American -- who are still deployed in Afghanistan.

Thank you very much, Mr. Prime Minister.

END
1:23 P.M. (Local)

VP BIDEN SPEAKS AT JOINT U.S. AND ROMANIAN CARPATHIAN SPRING MILITARY EXERCISE

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

Remarks by Vice President Joe Biden to Joint United States and Romanian Participants in Carpathian Spring Military Exercise

Otopeni Military Airbase
Bucharest, Romania

3:31 P.M. (Local)

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Let me begin by saying, Mr. Minister, thank you, and it’s very hot in here.  I was supposed to -- I was told it was going to be cooler here, but thank you for the great weather.

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s an honor to have a chance to see our militaries work together in this Carpathian Spring Joint Military Exercise.  The last time I saw you working together was in Afghanistan.  And it is -- it’s a great benefit to both of us that we are side by side.  It’s my pleasure to take a moment to recognize all that you do to keep the people safe and strong in our alliance. 

Over the past 25 years I’ve come to know and appreciate this beautiful country.  I’ve been here many, many times.  I’ve met I think with just about every one of your leaders.  I’ve watched you make the journey from tyranny to freedom.  I even advocated for Romania’s early entry into NATO when I was a United States senator. 

Even so I’m not sure I understood the full extent of the moral and physical courage of the Romanian people when we began this effort until I heard about you from American troops on the front lines.  They told me that Romanian soldiers were warriors.  They were capable, and they were brave.  I think our fellow men and women here in American uniforms would agree that we are very proud -- very proud -- to serve with Romanian forces. 

So above all I’m here to say thank you to the Romanian men and women who serve to keep us safe, to the families who wait for them at home.  My wife, Jill, and I understand what it’s like to wait.  Our son spent a year in Iraq.  And so your families, we owe you as well. 

And I especially want to pay tribute to the 26 Romanians who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the 143 who were wounded.  We owe them and their loved ones a debt of gratitude that we will never be able to repay.

In Romania, American forces have found a devoted NATO ally.  I never doubted that for a moment as the effort to admit Romania into NATO was underway, serious and steadfast partner that you’ve been from day one.  About a thousand Romanians remain in Afghanistan -- four serving without caveats, fully in the fight, alongside our women and men.  And I’m pleased that you will continue to support the post-2014 mission in Afghanistan.

Romania today is hosting U.S. Marines at the M-K Airbase, which also supports logistical operations for Afghanistan.  You’re building a fleet of F-16s.  Romania is working to bring its defense budget up to 2 percent of GDP, as all NATO allies should and must.

To the Americans here today, let me say that I believe you are the greatest generation of warriors the world has ever produced.  And that is not hyperbole.  You represent a generation of Americans equal to any that has ever gone before you.  I’ve seen you in Bosnia and Kosovo, Baghdad and Basra, Fallujah and Ramadi, Kabul and Kandahar.  I’ve even seen you in those FOBs up in the Kunar Valley.  You’re an incredible group of warriors. 

You and your family are part of an unbroken chain of patriots who’ve stood guard since World War II over freedom’s frontier, right here in Europe.  I could not be more proud of all of you.

We too care deeply about the alliance, Mr. Minister.  America’s commitment to collective defense under Article 5 of NATO is a sacred obligation in our view -- a sacred obligation not just for now, but for all time.  So I’m here to say on behalf of the President what I hope you already know:  You can count on us.  Period.  We do what we say, and we mean what we say.

Today aggression in Crimea, less than 250 miles from Romanian territory, from NATO’s borders reminds us why we need NATO and why Romania belongs to NATO.  What Russia has done violates not just Ukraine’s sovereignty, but a fundamental principle we fought for in the 20th century and thought we had clearly established.  Europe’s borders should never again be changed at the point of a gun, which is why we continue to condemn -- condemn -- Russia’s illegal occupation of Crimea. 

So long as Russia’s efforts to destabilize Ukraine continues we must remain resolute in imposing greater costs on Russia, imposing those costs together.  But our strategy is about more than just imposing cost.  It’s fundamentally about investing in a revitalized NATO that emerges from this crisis and works toward a successful summit in Wales, stronger and more united.  America and our NATO allies have urgently stepped up our military presence in the air, land and on the sea of NATO’s eastern flank.  In just the past weeks we’ve had ships visit.  The USS Truxton, Cook, Taylor, as well as the Dacian Viper F-16 exercise.  And in the coming days, new ships -- the Vella Gulf will enter the Black Sea to conduct port visits and maritime training.  Period. 

Since mid March the U.S. has been flying refueling missions over Poland and Romania in support of NATO’s AWACs.  And we are on track to open up a missile defense site at Deveselu, next year.  We support the Supreme Allied Commander of Europe’s intention to finalize contingency plans for the Black Sea allies by the Wales summit.  And we have -- we have assigned extra strategic planners to help NATO meet that goal.  As President Obama said, “NATO nations never stand alone.”  NATO nations never stand alone. 

I want to thank our Romanian colleagues for standing with us, alongside us, emboldening us, making us stronger.  And I thank each and every one of the American troops for their continued patriotic service.  Each and every one of you is doing your countries a great service.

May God bless Romania, may God bless America, and may God protect our troops.  Thank you for your service.  (Applause.)

END

PRESIDENT OBAMA, VP BIDEN HONOR TOP COPS

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

Remarks by the President and the Vice President Honoring the National Association of Police Organizations TOP COPS

East Room

May 12, 2014

5:39 P.M. EDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to the White House.  I especially want to welcome my old friend, Tommy Nee, and Bill Johnson and everyone in the National Association of Police Organizations.  Ladies and gentlemen, let me begin by saying congratulations to all of you assembled behind us.

It’s a genuine honor to be in the presence of the “best of the best.”  Each year you guys come down here -- and, Tommy, you bring down the best -- and you're an inspiration.  You're not only an inspiration to us, but you're an inspiration to all your fellow law enforcement colleagues all across the entire country.

And the President and I, we recognize the bravery that you display simply by putting on that shield every morning.  That, all by itself, is an act of bravery.  Strapping on your sidearm, kissing your husband or your wife goodbye at the door, walking out knowing -- because most of you are experienced -- knowing that you don't know with any degree of certitude what’s about to greet you.  You have no idea -- except some of it may not be good.

The officers we have here today have been singled out for going above and beyond the call of duty, and we commend each and every one of them.  And from my perspective, there’s no greater honor that a law enforcement officer could have than being recognized and nominated by his fellow officers -- because you all know what real courage is.  You all know what kind of steel in your spine it takes to make the decisions that the men standing behind me have made.

We also know that there are thousands and thousands of more law enforcement officers out there on the job today and every day who are taking risks that are hard for ordinary people to imagine.  They take risks to protect the community, protect the people they don't know, protect people they’ve never met.  But they go out there and you all do it anyway, regardless of whether or not -- where they’re from, who they are, whether you know them or not.

And today is a day for them as well, all those officers -- a day that every man and woman in uniform should feel extremely proud -- proud of themselves, not just the men and women standing behind me.  Today is a day the entire community of police officers should understand that America appreciates what you're doing, that this President and I appreciate what you're doing.

We owe the families, because every single day, as I said, you kiss your husband or wife goodbye, your son or your daughter, you know there’s that little, nagging feeling inside you -- that nagging feeling that I wonder what’s going to be meeting them today.  And that's a sacrifice.  It's a sacrifice that goes without adequate recognition.

Ladies and gentlemen, it's my great honor and privilege to present to you a man who fully recognizes that sacrifice, who’s committed to law enforcement in his bones.  And every action he has taken as President has been designed to protect those of you behind the shield, and the shield in front of the families that they represent. 

Ladies and gentlemen, it's my honor and privilege to present to you the President of the United States of America, Barack Obama.  (Applause.)    

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, everybody.  It is a great honor to be here -- one of my favorite events that we do every single year.  And let me start by thanking Joe Biden not only for being a great Vice President -- which he is -- but also being a lifelong friend of law enforcement.  (Applause.)  Now, he and I have a special reason for loving law enforcement, because we have the unusual privilege of being surrounded by law enforcement every minute of every day.  (Laughter.)  And they also protect the people we love most in the world -- our families.  So we’re incredibly grateful to them and to all the law enforcement officers who serve and protect families and communities across the nation every single day.

Some of the public servants who make sure America’s police officers have what they need to do their jobs are also here today, and I just want to recognize them briefly.  First of all, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson is here.  (Applause.) Attorney General Eric Holder is here, as well.  (Applause.)  Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton is here.  (Applause.)  And I want to thank everybody from the National Association of Police Organizations, including your outstanding president, Tom Nee.  (Applause.) 

But, most of all, we’re here to welcome and congratulate our guests of honor, America’s Top Cops of 2014, and to thank their families -- their spouses, moms, dads, sons, daughters who love and support these heroes every single step of the way.  So give them a big round of applause.  (Applause.)  We know it takes a lot of courage to be a cop, but it also takes a lot of courage to love a cop -- (laughter) -- and to send them off to work every single day with a hug and a prayer for their safety.  So all of you are heroes in my book, as well. 

The 53 officers, detectives, patrolmen, special agents, and troopers that we celebrate today are America’s Finest -- the best of the best.  They hail from different parts of the country, and different events brought them here today.  But they share one important thing in common.  When the moment came -- when the shooting started, or a bomb went off, or a hostage was taken, or a child screamed for help -- they did not hesitate.  They went into action.  They ran toward the danger -- not away from it.  And they risked their lives to save the lives of others.

Now, I got a chance to spend a little time with these guys before they came out here.  When you talk to them -- and this has been true every time we’ve done this, every single year -- they’ll always say, I was just doing my job, insisting that they didn’t do anything extraordinary.  And they’re right about one thing:  There are heroes in every force, in every city, in every town across the nation.  And everyone standing up here owes something to police officers who aren’t here, somebody who pushed them to do their best and had their backs when they needed it.  So this is also a celebration for all law enforcement who are doing their jobs out there bravely and diligently, and we want to thank them for keeping us safe.

Having said that, even if these guys won’t admit it, there is something special about these guys.  This is the sixth year that I’ve welcomed Top Cops to the White House, and every year, their stories are incredible.  There are no exceptions.

There’s somebody on the loose here!  (Laughter.)  Oh no!  She was making a break for it.  (Laughter.)  That was great.  Did you see her?

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Yes, I saw her.  (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT:  She was moving.

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  She could move quickly.  (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Here are some of the reasons these officers are here today. 

Surviving a violent ambush in the pitch-black woods while confronting an escaped felon convicted of sexual assault.  

Engaging in hand-to-hand combat to take down someone seen trying to blow up a gas station near a major international airport. 

Storming an underground bunker to rescue a kidnapped five-year-old boy. 

Braving a hail of gunfire to protect victims of domestic violence.

One of these officers, in protecting the public, took out a suspected cop-killing bank robber with what was described as a one-in-a-million shot.  Another stopped a shooter by returning fire through the windshield of his patrol car -- while making sure to wear his seat belt.  (Laughter.)  One jumped a fence during his own Father’s Day celebration when a boy screamed that someone was trying to kill his mom.  He saved both the mother and her son -- and now that little boy says he’s thinking about becoming a cop as well.

And there are officers here who were in the thick of two attacks last year:  the shooting at the Washington Naval Yard and the bombing at the Boston Marathon.  On those awful days -- and we all remember them -- amid the smoke and the chaos, the courage of these officers shone through.  And their quick thinking and level-headedness undoubtedly saved lives.  Their willingness to put themselves in danger to protect others answered the prayer of Americans watching all across the country.

So heroism like this can come with great sacrifice.  Some of the officers here today sustained serious injuries in the line of duty.  They were shot or stabbed.  Some lost friends, even a partner.  Some are still recovering. 

There’s one person who should be here today but isn’t -- Officer Dennis Simmonds of the Boston P.D.  Last year, Officer Simmonds was injured in an explosion during that gun battle after the Boston Marathon bombing.  And just a few weeks ago, he died while on active duty.  Dennis’s partner, Officer Jean Gerard Jean-Louis, is here.  So are members of his family, including his parents, Dennis and Roxanne.  And our sorrow at your loss is matched only by our gratitude for your son’s service and sacrifice.  I told the family before I came out here he will not be forgotten.

So what these officers do is dangerous.  They do it because it’s important.  Maintaining the public safety is the foundation of everything that is good that happens every single day in America.  It’s why parents can send their kids to school and adults can head off to work, and community centers and houses of worship can open their doors to one and all, and businesses can start and thrive.  And that’s why people can cast their votes and express their views without fear.  It’s one of the reasons people travel and do business in these United States. 

And that’s why Americans everywhere owe a debt to our nation’s law enforcement.  And we have to do our part by making sure all of you have the resources and protections and support that you need to do your job well.  That’s our end of the bargain.  That’s what I’m going to keep on fighting for every day that I have the honor of serving as your President.  And that’s what Joe Biden is going to work every day as long as he has the honor of serving as your Vice President.   

So on behalf of all the American people, thank you.  There are people alive today because of you.  You may not even know their names, but we do, and we’re proud of you.  

God bless you.  God bless your families, and God bless the United States of America.  Please give them a big round of applause.  (Applause.)

END
5:51 P.M. EDT

V.P. BIDEN CALLS FOR "UNITED PROSPEROUS AND COHERENT UKRAINE" IN REMARKS BEFORE UKRAINIAN LEGISLATORS

THE WHITE HOUSE 

April 22, 2014

Remarks by Vice President Joe Biden at a Meeting with Ukrainian Legislators

Rada

Kyiv, Ukraine 

10:03 A.M. (Local)

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Mr. Ambassador.  And I want to thank my colleagues for bringing me back home.  For 36 years I sat in our legislature, and I used to actually have this seat in our -- I was the chairman of our committee.  Thank you for making me feel relevant again, back in a legislative body.

I’m honored, and I mean this sincerely, I’m honored to be with you all, all members of the Rada representing the whole of Ukraine.

I signed the book in the hotel as I was leaving today.  The management asked me to sign their book, and I signed, “Ukraine united, Joe Biden.”  And as I look here, this is Ukraine united -- center, south, east, west.  And as someone who has held high public office in my country for now 40 years and just because I’ve been around, literally met every major leader in the world in the last 40 years, I don't -- I want you to know I do not underestimate the incredible pressure you all are under.  I do not underestimate the challenge that you all face.  And I do not underestimate the frustration you must feel when someone like me comes along and says this is a great opportunity for you.  (Laughter.)  As my mother would say, but for the honor, I’d just as soon as pass the opportunity.

But the truth of the matter is your fellow countrymen expect a whole lot of you right now.  Their expectations are high.  The demands on you are -- my guess is are fairly extreme.  And in addition to that, we have -- there is -- John Kennedy, President Kennedy wrote a book that became very famous called “Profiles in Courage,” and it listed those men and women in our country who had taken political positions that were overwhelmingly interest of the United States of America, but not in their personal interests.  That's a profile in courage.  I hope none of you have to appear in the first edition of the “Profiles in Courage in Ukraine,” but my expectation is some of you are going to have to make some really difficult, difficult personal decisions.

But you’re facing such unrest and uncertainty, and we can speak a little bit more about that today.  But I also think -- it’s easy for me to say -- there’s an expression in English, it says, an expert is anyone from out of town with a briefcase.  Well, I don't have a briefcase, and I’m not an expert.  But I have an opinion, and I speak for the President of the United States, and he shares the same opinion.  And that is that this is a second opportunity to make good on the original promise made by the Orange Revolution.  This is a genuine opportunity to get right what is always difficult to do the first time when coming out from under the oppression or control of another power.

You’re a month away from -- I would respectfully suggest, although I will be probably criticized by the press for saying it, what hopefully will be and may be the most important election in Ukrainian history, and that is that you have an opportunity, a chance to bring about an era of reform and democratic renewal that you all hoped for two, five, 10, 15 years ago to lay the groundwork for an even more united and more prosperous Ukraine.

In speaking with your acting President, I was referencing the personal bravery and heroism of Ukrainians is well known.  You are a strong, strong, strong people.  And I’m not being solicitous.  I mean it is real.  And you face very daunting problems and some might say humiliating threats that are taking place indirectly.  And -- but the opportunity to generate a united Ukraine, getting it right, is within your grasp.  And we want to be your partner, your friend in the project.  And we’re ready to assist.

I have an expression I use as I’ve gone around the world through my career is you never tell another man or woman what’s in their interest.  They know their interest better than you know their interest.  And so I want you to know that we are not suggesting we have the answers for you, but we’re merely suggesting that we stand ready to stand with you in every endeavor that you undertake to generate the united prosperous and coherent Ukraine you’re all fighting for.

And to the extent that we can be of small assistance in you holding a free election on May the 25th, we want to be part of that.  To the extent that we can help in stabilizing and strengthening Ukraine’s economy by helping you withstand the unfair economic pressure being thrust upon you, we stand ready to do that, and I say the American people stand ready -- not just Barack Obama and Joe Biden -- but the American people.

As you all know well we have a significant Ukrainian-American population.  We stand with you.  And it is not just a foreign policy judgment, it is a personal -- it’s an emotional commitment, as well, by millions of Americans.

And as you attempt to pursue energy security, there’s no reason why you cannot be energy secure.  I mean there isn’t.  It will take time.  It takes some difficult decisions, but it’s collectively within your power and the power of Europe and the United States.  And we stand ready to assist you in reaching that.  Imagine where you’d be today if you were able to tell Russia:  Keep your gas.  It would be a very different world you’d be facing today.  It’s within our power to alter that.  It will take some time, but it’s within our power.  Very difficult decisions, but within our power.

Also to be very blunt about it, and this is a delicate thing to say to a group of leaders in their house of parliament, but you have to fight the cancer of corruption that is endemic in your system right now.  It’s not just the United States.  You need a court system that not only you and your people, but the rest of the world assumes can actually adjudicate fairly disputes among people.  But you have a chance.  You have a chance.  The constitutional reforms that you are envisioning now are ones that some of you have fought for in various ways your entire career, a balance of power between the parliament and the President.  You’ve tried it two different ways.  I think you’ve figured it out for you -- not what we think -- what you think is the correct balance.

The decentralization and empowering of local communities -- we call that devolution of power back home -- local communities able to elect their own local officials, control their own budgets, elect their councils.  And as I said, maybe if you look around the world at every country that has in the last 30 years come out from under the yoke of another, the hardest thing to put in place is, as I find it around the world, is a court system, is a judicial system.  In a sense it maybe is the single most important thing that can occur in any country.  And it’s hard.  It’s really difficult.

But it’s totally within your power, and sometimes -- presumptuous of me to say this -- but sometimes it’s -- a crisis spawns the commitment, and the desire, the willingness to make some of these bold decisions.

So it is -- I don't want to exaggerate our role or exaggerate what we -- how strongly we feel, but the United States supports the rights, the freedoms and the fundamental dignity of the people of Ukraine, all the people of Ukraine.

And you may have different traditions.  It’s not quite the same, but we understand different traditions in our country -- not as deeply as you do, but we are the most heterogeneous democracy in the world.  We’re soon going to get the point where over 50 percent of the United States of America is made up of people of non-European stock; the majority of the American people are not of European origin in 2020.  We understand.  We have millions of Muslims.  We have hundreds -- but it’s not quite the same.  We’re not up against a border.  We’re not sitting against a border of another powerful nation.

And so -- but, we, in fact -- these different traditions, different languages, and sometimes different perspectives, but the one thing I’ve observed, even with what’s going on in the east, is that there is a much greater desire to call oneself a Ukrainian than to call oneself anything else.  And that’s a major, major, major unifying power, no matter how different the traditions are.

So I’m confident -- presumptuous of me to say this -- I’m confident that in your constitutional reforms, you will find a way to guarantee those traditions and at the same time strengthen Ukrainian unity.  And to the extent that the United States of America can be of assistance in that effort, we stand ready to do that.

I thank you -- and I mean this sincerely -- for the honor of being able to speak here in the Rada, or at least a committee room of the Rada.

END
10:15 A.M. (Local)

PRESS BRIEFING ON V.P. BIDEN'S TRIP TO UKRAINE

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

Background Press Briefing on Vice President Biden's Trip to Ukraine

Aboard Air Force Two
En Route Kyiv, Ukraine

2:00 P.M. (Local)

MR. SPECTOR:  Just a reminder at the top this is on background as a senior administration official.  He will give some brief remarks at the top and walk through the schedule, and then he’ll take a few questions afterwards.  And again, senior administration official on background.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thanks, everybody.  We’re about an hour and a half out of Kyiv, and I just wanted to lay out for you what the Vice President will be doing while he’s here, and then speak to some of the themes from the trip and then answer some of your questions.

When we arrive today, he’s got an opportunity to meet with our embassy team that has been pretty much working around the clock for the last few months, even long before February 21st; and then he will sit down with a CODEL led by Congressman Royce to have the chance to speak with them before they have their series of official meetings on Tuesday as well.  So he’ll get brought up to speed on developments on the ground today from our ambassador and our team, and then he’ll go into his meetings tomorrow.

He starts in the morning with a meeting with acting President Turchynov, and then he will do a meeting with Rada representatives from every corner of the country -- from the center, the west, the east, the south -- from multiple generations of Ukrainian politics; some familiar names and then some younger faces and voices.  And the key message of that meeting from him is one of national unity and a successful constitutional reform effort that takes into account the perspectives and aspirations of all Ukrainians. 

But in addition to sending that message, he’s also going to want to hear from them -- all of them -- about what they would like to see both in the immediate term, and then over the medium to long term.

He will then meet with Prime Minister Yatsenyuk where he’ll cover the full range of issues confronting Ukraine today.  And then he’ll finish with a meeting with a couple of dozen or more members of civil society from a variety of backgrounds who work on a variety of issues from democracy to anti-corruption, to youth issues, to cultural issues.  He’ll have an opportunity to address not just them but a broader segment of the Ukrainian public in public remarks there that will be open to the media before going behind closed doors to have conversations with the assembled group about the way they see things and what the United States can do to support them.

So that's the schedule.  In terms of what the Vice President is trying to accomplish, first and foremost, he wanted to come Kyiv to send a very clear message of the United States’ support for Ukraine’s democracy, unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity.  And he wanted to have the opportunity to speak to all Ukrainians from the center, from the west, from the east and from south.  He will call for urgent implementation of the agreement reached in Geneva last week, while also making clear as we have done for the last few days there will be mounting costs for Russia if they choose a destabilizing rather than constructive course in the days ahead.

He will speak to government leaders both the Prime Minister and the acting President, but also members of various factions in the Rada, as well as with civil society about how the United States can support constitutional reform, including the government’s decentralization proposals and how we can support their effort to bring about free and fair elections, international monitors supporting international standards on May 25th.  He will speak to officials about steps towards economic stabilization in Ukraine.  He’ll discuss forms of U.S. assistance, including the loan guarantee that was signed this past week, but also and especially the IMF agreement.  We hope that the final elements of that will come together imminently, and that the IMF board will be able to meet relatively soon to complete that process and begin dispersing the money.

He will speak about both the short- and long-term energy situation in Ukraine.  As he arrives, there will also be a team on the ground from the United States, a team of experts working on the reverse flow issue.  That team will be in Kyiv and then will travel also to Slovakia, Poland and Hungary to help address the issue of reversing the flow of natural gas to provide Ukraine with some measure of short-term supply of natural gas as they look to replenish their stores.

But also he’ll discuss with them medium- and long-term strategies to boost conventional gas production, and also to begin to take advantage of the unconventional gas reserves that are in Ukraine.

Then, of course, as you might anticipate from his meeting with civil society, he’s looking to lift up the voices of Ukraine civil society as they seek to ensure there isn’t a repeat of the past, that they look to a future with less corruption, less coercion, less division. 

And then finally let me just say I don't want to preempt him but he will be discussing various forms of assistance that the United States will be offering in some of these areas.  And we’ll have an opportunity to go through some of those forms of assistance and what’s behind them after he’s had the opportunity to consult with leaders there.  So I’ll look forward to coming back to briefing you in greater detail on that over the next 24 hours or so.

Q    Are you talking about --

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Yes.

Q    -- beyond economic assistance?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Well, there’s a package of economic and energy and governance assistance that he’ll be discussing.  And we, as you saw, just recently announced a latest tranche of security assistance, nonlethal security assistance.  And he’ll have the opportunity to speak with the government about what more is needed and what more we could provide in the period ahead.

Q    So there’s a package that includes economic, energy and discussion of further security assistance.  Is that right?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Well, the package I’m describing includes economic, energy and governance assistance.  On the question of security assistance, that's something we’ll be consulting with the Ukrainian leadership about.

Q    What kind of energy assistance can the U.S. provide broadly?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  We have a wide range of technical expertise and then forms of technical assistance in four areas.  The first is how to address this immediate reverse flow issue, and we already have a team on the ground to deal with that.  The second is technical assistance to help them be able to boost production in their conventional gas fields, where presently they aren’t getting the maximum of what they could be.  Third, technical assistance relating to a regulatory framework, and also the technology that would be required to extract unconventional gas resources; and Ukraine has meaningful reserves of unconventional gas according to the latest estimates.  And then finally various forms of technical assistance relating to energy efficiency, where experts have shown that the Ukraine could substantially lessen its energy dependence and deny any country the capacity to use energy as a political weapon through a combination of all those things, but in no small part through greater energy efficiency and use of its existing energy.

Q    The economic assistance, does that mean money?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I think the biggest piece of business beyond the $1 billion loan guarantee and bringing to closure the IMF and helping also to shepherd the European money will be teams that we can put on the ground to help ensure that that money is allocated in an effective way.  Technical assistance teams from the Treasury Department and elsewhere.  And when I say effective, I mean in keeping with what the IMF and Ukraine have agreed, but also in keeping with everyone’s desire to ensure that all parts of Ukraine benefit from this assistance -- the east and the south, as well as the center and the west.

Q    The violence that broke out on Sunday, in the context of the international agreement, there seemed to be a lot of finger-pointing between Russian and Ukrainian officials about what happened.  Do you have a sense of who is to blame and whether -- how that might affect that agreement?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  The situation regarding the incident outside of Slavyansk is still very murky.  What the Ukrainian government says is that it was a provocation by the pro-Russian forces manning roadblocks there, and that they have no evidence that there was any either Ukrainian security service involvement or involvement by people coming from Kyiv or elsewhere.  We have nothing to suggest that there was either, but we don't have 100 percent of the facts on that, and part of the reason for that, of course, is that it has been difficult for monitors to travel in and around Slavyansk because the pro-Russian separatists there with Russia standing behind them have not permitted the type of international observation that should be permitted.  And we think that the best way to ensure that those kinds of incidents don't happen again would be for the Russian government to follow through on its commitment to use every influence it has to get these pro-Russian separatists to lay down their arms, to de-occupy buildings, to take down roadblocks and to allow the political process to run its course.

Q    You’ve talked about cohesion, that that's part of the Vice President’s message through all of this.  You guys haven’t really talked to that up till now.  And so can you talk about what the thinking is behind that, and why he’s going to be going with that message at this particular time?  And kind of what the expectations are in terms of getting different factions on board? Is he planning on having some kind of specific takeaway?  Or is it more of a general discussion?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Let me start by staying obviously Ukraine’s future -- its political decisions, its economic decisions -- are up to Ukrainians.  And the United States wants to support its free choices in that regard, not to try to dictate any outcomes.

But his focus on unity comes from sort of three bases.  The first is that the Ukrainian government itself has placed an increasingly high premium on pressing for a sense of national unity and has conducted increasingly vigorous outreach to the east and the south, including just this past Friday, when Prime Minister Yatsenyuk spoke about decentralization proposals, spoke about cultural and linguistic traditions.  And the Vice President wants to support that.

Second, there are currently ongoing threats to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.  And the most effective response for Ukraine to that is for the whole country to pull together to push back on those threats and to say we want to take our country forward in a way free from violence, and at the ballot box rather than with arms.

And then third, Ukraine faces substantial urgent challenges right now on a number of different levels.  And only if every aspect of the country gets united behind a game plan to tackle those challenges will they be able to make progress.  That's true with respect to stabilizing the situation on the ground.  It’s true with respect to following through on constitutional reform and elections.  It’s true with stabilizing a very fragile economy.  And it’s true with dealing with an energy situation that remains precarious.  So for all of those reasons, the Vice President feels that the United States’ support for efforts to pull the country together are especially important at this time.

Q    We’re not going to hear at all from him today, right?  The Vice President.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  You’re not going to hear from him today.  You’ll hear from him multiple times tomorrow.

Q    Did the President task him with a specific message?  Or can you talk at all about kind of what President Obama said -- told the Vice President before he left and kind of whether he’s carrying a message from him, or what his goals are in that sense?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Most of what I’ve laid out here is the product of conversations between the President and the Vice President in the run-up to the trip in terms of the issues we’re emphasizing and what we’re trying to accomplish.  I don't want to get into their private conversations, but he will speak directly with the Prime Minister about the President’s perspective on this, and also about the President’s commitment to support the government and to support the broader effort at following through on these various lines of effort.

In terms of what this government has been doing or attempting to do on the economy, on the elections, on constitutional reform, on all the areas that we’ve been discussing, it’s been a very encouraging set of steps that they’ve been trying to take in the face of pretty enormous challenges.  And I think the President and the Vice President want to make sure that the Prime Minister understands that the United States wants to find every way that it can to support those efforts.

Q    -- been vigorous outreach from the Ukrainian government to the south and the east.  Can you give a few examples of the kind of outreach that you think has been very effective and other steps that the U.S. would like to continue to see progress on?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I think I said increasingly vigorous, and that's important because it’s been building over time.  And we want to continue to encourage that.  Obviously, the leadership in Kyiv has a lot to deal with, but this is as much at the top of the list as anything else.  And what I mean is both private conversations among leaders in Kyiv and those representing political interests in the south and the east.  I mean officials who have been appointed by this interim government who are out in the oblasts in the east trying to speak with people across the political spectrum there to figure out how we can design -- how they can design a decentralization process that really works.  I mean the Prime Minister himself addressing directly the concerns of some of the citizens in the east and south, including his comment -- or his pledge regarding the Russian language.

I’m referring also to the work of the constitutional commission, which is a balanced group that reflects significant representation from the south and the east, and is focused on these questions of decentralization and empowering local communities.

So at a variety of different levels you’re seeing more robust interchange within Ukraine, and that's all to the good.  We believe that that has to be sustained and deepened in the days ahead.

Q    We talked a little bit about some of the increase in violence that has been seen in Ukraine in the recent days.  This past weekend, the Ukrainian Prime Minister said that really the only person responsible for containing that is Putin.  Do you expect that we should hear some sort of direct message to President Putin from Vice President Biden during this trip, any sort of direct message -- either from the President or just from the administration in general?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Well, first of all, President Obama spoke with President Putin last week and was able to deliver the message in the most direct fashion possible -- person-to-person.  And what he told President Putin is the same thing that we’ve been saying publicly which is that really Russia has a choice to make here.  They can contribute to a de-escalation process as a responsible actor, which they have not been -- and going back to their illegal annexation/occupation of Crimea, have proven to be just the opposite of that; or they are going to face increasing costs.  And that's something that the President has been very clear about; the Vice President will continue to be clear about.  And we’ll continue to consult with our European partners about.

Q    Does the administration have any sort of updated timeline on that as to when you say these dire consequences, when we would see that?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Well, I didn't say what you just said.  But in terms of the timeframe, Geneva was decided Thursday.  The OSCE has been working over the weekend.  We haven’t seen the kind of progress that, of course, we would like.  We’d like to see every building vacated as soon as possible.  And we’ve seen certain activities that have been discouraging like the shooting at the roadblock outside of Slavyansk.  But I’m not going to put a precise timetable on it.  I will just say that this is not going to be an open-ended process.  This is going to be a situation where we take stock and determine in the relatively near term what our next step should be.

Q    What does that mean?  Because you guys were indicating as recently as Friday that it would be days.  So when you say --

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Nothing has changed since Friday. 

Q    Okay, so days would mean by the end of this week, right?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Like I said, I’m not going to put a precise timeframe on it, only to say that we’re heading into Monday here.  And what we said on Friday was that we would be looking at this in the coming days to determine whether there was progress or whether there wasn’t.  And that still stands.

Q    Could you just say how this trip came about?  Obviously the Vice President has a long history of diplomatic relations with Ukraine.  Was this something that was his initiative?  Did the President ask him to go because of those relationships?  Or how did that come?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  The reason I’m pausing here is it’s one of those -- it’s one of those conversations where it’s a little hard to say whether the President asked him or he said I want to go.  It grew out of a conversation that the two of them had, and both of them agreed that it was important for the U.S. to send a high-level signal of support for all of the lines of effort that this government is undertaking.

Obviously, the most pressing and acute right now is the security situation.  But these other lines of effort are also existential for Ukraine.  Its politics, its economics and its energy also matter acutely, and so they felt it was important to have somebody with deep ties to and a deep passion for the U.S.-Ukraine relationship to come and send that message both privately and publicly.  And there’s no better messenger for that than the Vice President.  So that's what brings us here, and we’ll make sure that over the next 24 hours we keep you guys up to date in terms of how those conversations are going and how a very fast moving situation is unfolding on the ground.

Obviously as we’ve been flying things have been happening in Ukraine.  It’s early afternoon now.  So we’ll make sure that we stay in touch here over the next 24-36 hours.

Q    What’s been happening -- is there anything significant that’s happened while we’ve been in the air?  I’m just sort of curious.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Nothing that I would come back here to announce.

Thanks, guys.

Q    Thank you very much.

END

READOUT: VP BIDEN'S CALL WITH SLOVAKIA PRIME MINISTER ROBERT FICO

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

Readout of the Vice President’s Call with Prime Minister Robert Fico of Slovakia

Vice President Biden spoke today with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico.  The Vice President and Prime Minister discussed the situation in eastern Ukraine.  The Vice President underscored the United States’ support for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis in Ukraine, contingent on Russia’s disavowal and cessation of destabilizing actions within Ukraine.  The two leaders agreed that if Russia further escalated the situation in Ukraine, it would face mounting consequences for its actions.   The Vice President thanked the Prime Minister for Slovakia’s commitment to bolstering energy security within Europe, including by supporting the reverse flow of natural gas to Ukraine.

READOUTS: VP BIDEN'S DISCUSSIONS WITH PRIME MINISTER FICO OF SLOVAKIA AND MONTENEGRO PRIME MINISTER DJUKANOVIC

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

April 8, 2014

Readout of the Vice President's Call with Prime Minister Robert Fico of Slovakia

In a telephone call this afternoon, Vice President Biden and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico consulted on the ongoing crisis in Ukraine and related issues of bilateral and regional concern.  The two leaders expressed concern over Russia’s continued violations of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and agreed on the need to support the Ukrainian people as they prepare for constitutional reforms and the May 25th presidential election.  The Vice President expressed appreciation for Slovakia’s continued efforts to work with Ukraine to help diversify its energy supplies.  Finally, the Vice President congratulated the Prime Minister on the tenth anniversary of Slovakia’s entry into NATO and affirmed the strong U.S. commitment to enhancing collective defense in Europe.  Expressing appreciation for Slovakia’s contributions to global peace and security, the Vice President reaffirmed that Slovakia remains a valued strategic partner and friend to the United States.

Readout of the Vice President’s Meeting with Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic of Montenegro

Vice President Biden met today with Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic at the White House.  Vice President Biden praised Montenegro as a valuable partner to the United States and contributor to peace and security in the region.  The two leaders discussed developments in the Balkans as well as concerns about continued Russian pressure on Ukraine.  The Vice President welcomed the strong progress Montenegro has made in meeting the requirements for NATO membership and expressed steadfast U.S. support for Montenegro’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations.  He encouraged the Prime Minister to sustain its efforts in making defense, security, and rule of law reforms in order to show concrete achievements in advance of the 2014 NATO summit in Wales.  In this context, the Vice President stressed the importance of robust efforts to strengthen democratic institutions, including an independent judiciary and a free press, as well as to protect minority rights.

READOUT: VP'S MEETING WITH IT BUSINESS EXECUTIVES

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

Readout of the Vice President’s Meeting with Business Executives from Information Technology Companies

As part of the Administration’s ongoing efforts to help Americans obtain the skills they need to acquire good middle class jobs, Vice President Biden dropped by a meeting today with a group of business executives from leading information technology companies. The Vice President highlighted the importance of making sure our training efforts teach skills that are in demand by employers. He also encouraged the participants to expand initiatives that have proven successful, including partnerships between companies and community colleges to teach workers new skills. The group discussed how increasing the availability of on-the-job training opportunities -- like apprenticeships – can help Americans find employment and ultimately widen the aperture into the middle class.

The Vice President is working with private companies, non-profit organizations, federal agencies, education institutions, state and local leaders, and others across the country to make the workforce and training system more job-driven, integrated, and effective.

PRESIDENT'S WEEKLY ADDRESS ON MARCH 29, 2014

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

Weekly Address: Raise The Minimum Wage – It’s The Right Thing To Do For Hardworking Americans

WASHINGTON, DC— In this week’s address, Vice President Biden discusses the importance of raising the federal minimum wage. It’s good for workers, it’s good for business, and it would help close the gender pay gap, as women make up more than half of the workers who stand to benefit from a raise. And as the Vice President highlights, Congress should boost the federal minimum wage because it is what a majority of the American people want.

The audio of the address and video of the address will be available online atwww.whitehouse.gov at 6:00 a.m. ET, Saturday, March 29, 2014.

Remarks of Vice President Joe Biden
Weekly Address
The White House
March 29, 2014

Ladies and gentlemen, I’m Joe Biden. I’m filling in for President Obama, who is abroad.

I want to talk to you today about the minimum wage and the overwhelming need to raise the minimum wage. There’s no reason in the world why an American working 40 hours a week has to live in poverty. But right now a worker earning the federal minimum wage makes about $14,500 a year.  And you all know that's incredibly hard for an individual to live on, let alone raise a family on.

But if we raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, that same worker will be making $20,200 a year—and with existing tax credits would earn enough to bring that family or a family of four out of poverty. But there’s a lot of good reasons why raising the minimum wage makes sense.

Not only would it put more hard-earned money into the pockets of 28 million Americans, moving millions of them out of poverty, it’s also good for business. And let me tell you why.

There’s clear data that shows fair wages generate loyalty of workers to their employers, which has the benefit of increasing productivity and leading to less turn over. It’s really good for the economy as a whole because raising the minimum wage would generate an additional $19 billion in additional income for people who need it the most.

The big difference between giving a raise in the minimum wage instead of a tax break to the very wealthy is the minimum wage worker will go out and spend every penny of it because they're living on the edge. They’ll spend it in the local economy.  They need it to pay their electric bill, put gas in their automobile, to buy fundamental necessities. And this generates economic growth in their communities.

And I’m not the only one who recognizes these benefits.  Companies big and small recognize it as well. I was recently in Atlanta, Georgia, and met the owner of a small advertising company, a guy named Darien. He independently raised the wages of his workers to $10.10 an hour.  But large companies, as well, Costco and the Gap—they're choosing to pay their employees higher starting wages.

A growing list of governors are also raising wages in their states – the minimum wage. They join the President who raised the minimum wage for employees of federal contractors like the folks serving our troops meals on our bases.  They're all doing this for a simple reason. Raising the minimum wage will help hardworking people rise out of poverty. 

It’s good for business. It’s helpful to the overall economy. And there’s one more important benefit. Right now women make up more than half of the workers who would benefit from increasing the minimum wage.  Folks, a low minimum wage is one of the reasons why women in America make only 77 cents on a dollar that every man makes. But by raising the minimum wage, we can close that gap by 5 percent. And it matters. It matters to a lot of hardworking families, particularly moms raising families on the minimum wage.

And one more thing, folks—it’s what the American people want to do. Three out of four Americans support raising the minimum wage. They know this is the right and fair thing to do, and the good thing to do for the economy.  So it’s time for Congress to get behind the minimum wage bill offered by Tom Harkin of Iowa and Congressman George Miller of California—the proposal that would raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $10.10 an hour.

So ask your representatives who oppose raising the federal minimum wage—why do they oppose it? How can we look at the men and women providing basic services to us all, like cleaning our offices, caring for our children, serving in our restaurants and so many other areas—how can we say they don't deserve enough pay to take them out of poverty?

The President and I think they deserve it. And we think a lot of you do too. So, folks, it’s time to act. It’s time to give America a raise.

Thanks for listening and have a great weekend. God bless you all and may God protect our troops.

VP BIDEN REASSURES PRESIDENT GRYBAUSKAITE OF LITHUANIA

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 
Remarks to the Press by Vice President Joe Biden, President Dalia Grybauskaite of Lithuania, and President Andris Berzins of Latvia

Presidential Palace
Vilnius, Lithuania

1:20 P.M. (Local)

PRESIDENT GRYBAUSKAITE:  (As interpreted.)  Good afternoon. So today we had an important meeting with U.S. Vice President Biden and Latvian President Berzins.  With our partners, we discussed the situation in Ukraine and its impact on the security of the Baltic States and Europe as a whole.  I see it as a threat not only to Ukraine but also to the entire international community.

We witnessed the use of brutal force to redraw the map of Europe and to undermine the postwar political architecture established in Europe.  We strongly condemn Russian actions on the territory of sovereign Ukraine.  We consider Sunday’s referendum and its results illegal.  The so-called referendum is a violation of the constitution of Ukraine, international law and the United Nations Charter.

De facto Russia is carrying out the annexation of Crimea and this is happening very close to the borders of Lithuania.  The situation is a direct threat to our regional security.  Therefore, we must take all the necessary measures to ensure the security of Europe and the Baltic region.

And this is what we discussed with Vice President Biden and Latvian President Berzins.  And I would like to thank the United States, especially, which immediately responded to the threats and took all necessary actions to ensure regional security, including the reinforcement of NATO-Baltic air policing mission. The United States is a strategic partner of Lithuania and the Baltic countries.  It has always firmly supported and continues to support our aspirations to ensure political, military, economic, and energy security in the region.

Thank you.

PRESIDENT BERZINS:  Ladies and gentlemen.  Dalia, thank you for hosting this event.  I was happy in a different way to see your country (inaudible.)

Secondly, I would like to appreciate the visit of Vice President Joe Biden to the Baltic States.  Thank you for fulfilling your promise to come to us on this very, very important current stage.  But I would like to thank you for unwavering reassurance.  It is a clear reference to Article 5 by our NATO ally, the United States, to the security of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, as expressed by the Vice President during our meeting earlier today.

The situation in Ukraine caused by annexation of Crimea is alarming.  This dramatically re-forms the European security structure with global implications.  Today we discussed the need for not only the immediate de-escalation of the situation, but also for long-term solutions for the security architecture.  I am glad that we could offer some practical steps with regard during our discussions today.  The same practical approach (inaudible) energy security -- there is the issue of supply need to be addressed.  As a good example here, I would like to underline the need to accelerate the construction of gas interconnection linking Poland, Lithuania and further on, to Latvia, and using storage facilities in Latvia.

Madam President, dear Vice President, we exchanged views on the situation inside Ukraine.  We share the opinion that Ukraine must be helped immediately, both politically and economically.  And I can only praise the United States and the European Union alike for very decisive steps outlining their commitment in this regard.

Yesterday, immediately after meeting with President Komorowski, I got a call from him and we agreed to coordinate our activities over the short term and also in longer term. (Inaudible) this common view on September in NATO meeting in U.K. This coordination and support of U.S. is very, very crucial in current stage and we are fully convinced that working closely together we will come to peaceful solution immediately for Ukraine and for all future activities for whole world.  This is most crucial for it.

Thank you.

VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Thank you.  Madam President, thank you for the hospitality.  It’s great to see you again, to be with you again, particularly in such magnificent surroundings.  Thank you for the hospitality.  And, Mr. President, it’s good to see you again.  It’s good to be back in Vilnius.

For 50 years, three embassies in exile in Washington, D.C. stood as a symbol of America’s commitment to freedom and independence and the people of the Baltics.  Next week, we celebrate the 10th anniversary of your membership in NATO as fellow free nations and close friends.  Nobody understands better than the people of the Baltics the value of freedom.  And nobody understands better the promise of a Europe whole, free, and at peace.

Today, I spoke with my colleagues, the Presidents of Lithuania and Latvia, about the situation in Ukraine.  Yesterday, I met with Estonian President Ilves and the President of Poland and the Prime Minister of Poland in Warsaw.  Just as you did a generation ago, the Lithuanians, Latvians, and Estonians join hands in a human chain of freedom.

Ukrainians have shown tremendous courage to realize their aspirations for a better life and integration into the institutions of their choice -- not anyone else’s choice -- of their choice.  Russia has chosen to respond with military aggression, a referendum rejected by virtually the entire world, illegal efforts to annex Crimea, and now reports of armed attacks against Ukrainian military personnel and installations in Crimea.

I want to make it clear:  We stand resolutely with our Baltic allies in support of the Ukrainian people and against Russian aggression.  As long as Russia continues on this dark path, they will face increasing political and economic isolation.

There are those who say that this action shows the old rules still apply, but Russia cannot escape the fact that the world is changing and rejecting outright their behavior.  Global markets and the international community will and should bet in the long run on countries that reject aggression and corruption, embrace openness and live up to their obligations.  Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania understand this well.  That doesn’t mean that there aren’t aggressors out there that require firm and resolute response.  There always have been and there always will be.  But it does mean that there are costs, and growing costs, that come with naked aggression.

Madam President, Mr. President, the reason I traveled to the Baltics was to reaffirm our mutual commitment to collective defense.  President Obama wanted me to come personally to make it clear what you already know, that under Article 5 of the NATO treaty, we will respond.  We will respond to any aggression against a NATO ally.

As someone who fought for your nation’s admission into NATO, rest assured we take our responsibilities very, very, very seriously -- the President does; I do; my nation does.  That’s why we have in the recent past beefed up our U.S. rotation in NATO Baltic air policing program, which protects the skies above Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.  And that will continue to be the case.  We’ve also asked other members of NATO to make additional contributions to this and other efforts, and I’m confident they will step forward.

Looking ahead, we’re exploring a number of additional steps to increase the pace and scope of our military cooperation, including rotating U.S. forces of the Baltic region to conduct ground and naval exercises, and training missions.  The question today is not what can America do for the Baltic nations; it is what can we do together -- what can we do together.

The Baltic nations have shown leadership at the OSCE, the European Union, the Eastern Partnership and the U.N. Security Council.  Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian troops have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Americans in Afghanistan and have served in difficult regional and global security missions.

I know that President Obama will want to use the upcoming NATO summit in South Wales to generate concrete commitments to ensure that NATO is able to meet its Article 5 obligations to all members, which has been a priority from him and me since the beginning of our administration.

And, finally, we spoke of energy.  We spoke about energy cooperation.  We have learned the hard way that protecting the sovereignty of nations depends on having more than one supplier of energy.  We support your efforts within the European Union to diversify your energy sources, to create more flexible energy markets, and to translate energy innovation into energy security so that no nation can use supplies of energy as a political weapon or a quasi-military weapon against you.

As Ukraine fights for its future, the success of the Baltic nations, your success, paints a picture of what is possible for nations that respect the rights and unleash the talents of their people as both your countries have done.

We are in this with you together.  We are absolutely committed.  May God bless you and your people, and my God bless our troops.  Thank you very much.

END
2:07 P.M. (local)