This Labor Day, Let’s Talk About the Minimum Wage

In this week’s address, the President wished Americans a happy Labor Day weekend, highlighted the important economic progress we’ve made, and reaffirmed his commitment to accelerate our progress and ensure that our growing economy fuels a strong middle class.

To do this, the President reiterated that Congress should do right by hardworking Americans across the country and raise the minimum wage, and he praised the 13 states and Washington, D.C. as well as employers large and small who have heeded his call and taken action to provide their citizens and employees a fair wage.

The President underscored that America built the world’s greatest middle class by making sure that everyone who’s willing to work hard and play by the rules can get ahead — an economic patriotism worth remembering this Labor Day, and every day.

Click here to watch this week’s Weekly Address.

This past Tuesday, the White House celebrated Women’s Equality Day — commemorating the certification of the 19th Amendment on August 26, 1920, securing women’s right to vote. Although we’ve made a lot of progress in the decades since, there is still much work to be done.

Throughout the day, White House economist Betsey Stevenson also took over the popular “I Love Charts” Tumblr blog to tell the story of the progress we’ve made in closing the earnings gap between women and men, and the challenges women still face in the workforce. See her charts here.

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Our Moral Obligation

President Obama traveled to Charlotte, NC on Tuesday to address the American Legion and pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of our veterans from every corner of the country and every generation.

President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the American Legion’s 96th National Convention at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, N.C., Aug. 26, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

The President noted how his Administration has been working with the Legion to fulfill our moral obligation to today’s generation of service members when they come home:

The bond between our forces and our citizens has to be a sacred trust, and that for me, for my administration, upholding our trust with our veterans is not just a matter of policy, it is a moral obligation.

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The Economy Continues to Grow

A new report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis on Thursday showed that U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) increased at a 4.2 percent rate in the second quarter of 2014. The report affirms that second-quarter economic growth was strong — consistent with the recent string of solid job growth and improvements across other economic indicators.

But we still have to do more to build on this momentum. That’s why the President is continuing toact on his own to encourage investment in American manufacturing, energy, and infrastructure, and to help improve the financial security of our nation’s working families.

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As always, to see even more of this week’s events, watch the latest West Wing Week.