THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary January 12, 2017 Statement by the President on Cuban Immigration Policy Today, the United States is taking important steps forward to normalize relations with Cuba and to bring greater consistency to our immigration policy. The Department of Homeland Security is ending the so-called “wet-foot/dry foot” policy, which ...
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By U.S. Embassy Havana | 13 January, 2017 | Topics: Former U.S. Government Leaders, Press Releases, U.S. & Cuba | Tags: Barack Obama
The White House Office of the Press Secretary January 13, 2017 RELIGIOUS FREEDOM DAY, 2017 BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION Believing that “Almighty God hath created the mind free,” Thomas Jefferson authored the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom after our young Nation declared its independence. This idea of religious ...
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By U.S. Embassy Havana | 13 January, 2017 | Topics: Former U.S. Government Leaders | Tags: Barack Obama
“I leave this stage tonight even more optimistic about this country than when we started. Because I know our work has not only helped so many Americans; it has inspired so many Americans — especially so many young people out there — to believe that you can make a difference; to hitch your wagon to ...
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By U.S. Embassy Havana | 11 January, 2017 | Topics: Former U.S. Government Leaders, Speeches | Tags: Barack Obama
President Obama Names Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary November 16, 2016 WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama named 21 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the Nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made ...
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By U.S. Embassy Havana | 16 November, 2016 | Topics: Former U.S. Government Leaders, News | Tags: Barack Obama
We’re not Democrats first. We're not Republicans first. We are Americans first. We’re patriots first. We all want what’s best for this country.
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By U.S. Embassy Havana | 10 November, 2016 | Topics: Former U.S. Government Leaders, News | Tags: Barack Obama
The United Nations New York, New York Mr. President; Mr. Secretary General; fellow delegates; ladies and gentlemen: As I address this hall as President for the final time, let me recount the progress that we’ve made these last eight years. From the depths of the greatest financial crisis of our time, we coordinated our response ...
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By U.S. Embassy Havana | 20 September, 2016 | Topics: Former U.S. Government Leaders, Speeches | Tags: Barack Obama
From the beginning of my time in office, I’ve urged the people of the Americas to leave behind the ideological battles of the past. We are in a new era. I know that many of the issues that I’ve talked about lack the drama of the past. And I know that part of Cuba’s identity ...
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By U.S. Embassy Havana | 22 March, 2016 | Topics: Former U.S. Government Leaders, Speeches | Tags: Barack Obama
My wife, Michelle, and I brought our daughters -- and by the way, they don't always want to go with us; they’re teenagers now. They have friends at home and they have things to do -- but they wanted to come to Cuba because they understood, and we wanted to show them, the beauty of ...
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By U.S. Embassy Havana | 21 March, 2016 | Topics: Former U.S. Government Leaders, Speeches | Tags: Barack Obama, President Obama Visit to Cuba
Now, I’m not here to give a big speech. I’m going to do that tomorrow. What I really want to do is hear from you and have a conversation about what we can achieve together. But I do want to begin by stepping back and talking about the forces and hopes that bring us together ...
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By U.S. Embassy Havana | 21 March, 2016 | Topics: Former U.S. Government Leaders, Speeches, U.S. & Cuba | Tags: Barack Obama, President Obama Visit to Cuba
Back in 1928, President Coolidge came on a battleship. It took him three days to get here. It only took me three hours. (Laughter.) For the first time ever, Air Force One has landed in Cuba, and this is our very first stop. So this is a historic visit, and it's a historic opportunity to ...
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By U.S. Embassy Havana | 20 March, 2016 | Topics: Former U.S. Government Leaders, Speeches | Tags: Barack Obama, President Obama Visit to Cuba
An American president has not traveled to Cuba in almost 90 years. But on March 20, President Obama will become the first president to set foot on the island country that’s only 90 miles off the coast of Florida. The visit is a historic milestone after more than a year of progress from the day in December ...
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By U.S. Embassy Havana | 17 March, 2016 | Topics: Former U.S. Government Leaders, U.S. & Cuba | Tags: Barack Obama, Direct Mail
One year ago, I announced that after more than 50 years, America would change its relationship with Cuba and put the interests of the people of both countries before the outdated ways of the past. Since then, we have taken important steps forward to normalize relations between our countries
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By U.S. Embassy Havana | 17 December, 2015 | Topics: Former U.S. Government Leaders, Speeches, U.S. & Cuba | Tags: Barack Obama
In the most significant changes in our policy in more than fifty years, we will end an outdated approach that, for decades, has failed to advance our interests, and instead we will begin to normalize relations between our two countries. Through these changes, we intend to create more opportunities for the American and Cuban people, ...
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By U.S. Embassy Havana | 17 December, 2014 | Topics: Former U.S. Government Leaders, Speeches, U.S. & Cuba | Tags: Barack Obama, Diplomatic Relations