Weekly Women's Update

Welcome to this edition of the Council on Women and Girls Weekly Highlights! This week, President Obama traveled to El Paso, Texas to discuss the importance of fixing our broken immigration system. Later this week, The President focused on building a strong national infrastructure by pursuing a clean energy economy. In honor of Mother’s Day, the First Lady and Dr. Biden welcomed military spouses to the White House and thanked them for the sacrifices they make for their families.

Read about this and other Administration activities below. And remember, if you have friends or family who would like to join our Council on Women and Girls efforts, please have them click here.

Highlights

President Obama on Fixing Our Broken Immigration System: “E Pluribus, Unum”
On Monday, President Obama traveled to El Paso, Texas to deliver a speech about how we can work towards a better future with comprehensive immigration reform. Watch the speech to learn about important steps our Nation needs to take in order to enforce laws in a smarter and more strategic way.

President Barack Obama delivers remarks on immigration reform while speaking at Chamizal National Memorial Park in El Paso, Texas, May 10, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

Weekly Address: Clean Energy to Out-Innovate the Rest of the World
Speaking from a hybrid vehicle transmission company in Indiana, the President explains how investments in clean energy economy are the only solution to high gas prices in the long term.

Inspiring Americans to Recognize and Reach out to our Military Families
In honor of Mother’s Day, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden hosted a special Mother’s Day tea to show their appreciation for the sacrifices military families make every day in order to serve our country. Jason Dempsey, a White House Fellow in the First Lady’s Office and a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army, talks about this latest Joining Forces event and his own family’s experience in military service.

Kathleen Sebelius: Health Reform Will Do Wonders For Women
To commemorate National Women’s Health Week, please read Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’ article that describes how Health Reform Will Do Wonders For Women and their families by protecting their right to coverage and making it easier to receive preventative care.

The Gift of Good Health on Mother’s Day
In honor of Mother’s Day, we would like to celebrate the benefits of text4baby, a free, mobile health information service that offers useful tips timed to a woman’s due date or baby’s date of birth.

Mothers Who Served, World War II - Present
In honor of Mother’s Day, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is celebrating the women who have served our country while also being mothers. We reached out to mom Veterans and their family members for photographs and stories, and have received an overwhelming number of diverse responses from women involved in conflict ranging from WWII to today’s war in Iraq.

A Celebration of American Poetry at the White House
On Wednesday The President and First Lady welcomed accomplished poets, musicians, artists and students from across the country to the White House for a celebration of American poetry and prose.

West Wing Week: "On the Border"
This week the President talks clean energy and gas prices in Indiana, focuses on fixing our broken immigration system in Texas, and honors Top Cops here in the Rose Garden.

Photos of the Day

First Lady Michelle Obama participates in the “Pit Crew Challenge” station during an event with the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition on the South Lawn of the White House, May 9, 2011. The First Lady visited seven activity stations during the event, which helped promote both the Let's Move! and Joining Forces initiatives. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

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