Subject: EMBARGOED WEEKLY ADDRESS: Happy Mother’s Day From President Obama
From: White House Press Office<[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 6 May 2016 16:32:57 -0500

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

EMBARGOED UNTIL 6:00AM ET, SATURDAY, May 7, 2016

*WEEKLY ADDRESS: Happy Mothers Day From President Obama*

WASHINGTON, DC  In this week's address, President Obama recognized all mothers in celebration of this upcoming Mother's Day, including First Lady Michelle Obama. The President emphasized that we should give all parents the support they need by providing paid maternity and paternity leave, sick leave, accommodations for workers who are pregnant, good health care, affordable child care, flexibility at work, equal pay, and a decent minimum wage. Underscoring the importance of these issues, the President called on Congress to give meaning to Mother's Day by taking action on these items.

The audio of the address and video of the address will be available online at www.whitehouse.gov [ http://www.whitehouse.gov ] at 6:00 a.m. ET, May 7, 2016. 

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*Remarks of President Barack Obama as Delivered*

*Weekly Address*

*The White House*

*May 7, 2016*

Hello, everybody. In our house, everybody knows that President is only the third-most important job in the family. So this weekend, Im going to take a little extra time to say thank you to Michelle for the remarkable way she does the most important job: being a mom. And Im going to give extra thanks to my mother-in-law for the role model shes always been to Michelle and the countless selfless ways in which shes helped Michelle and me raise Malia and Sasha. Iam incrediblylucky to have women who help me raise, love, and look after our girls.

I hope youll also take a moment to say thank you to the women in your life who love you in that special way mothers do. Biological moms, adoptive moms, and foster moms; single moms, grandmomsand godmothers; aunts and mentors  whomever you think of when you think of Mothers Day. Or take a moment, like I will, to remember the moms who raised us, whose big hearts sustained us, and whom we miss every day, no matter how old we get.

Giving flowers is always a good idea. But I hope that on this Mothers Day, well recommit ourselves to doing more than that: Through deeds that match our words, lets give mothers the respect they deserve, give all women the equality they deserve, and give all parents the support they need in their most important roles.

That includes paid maternity and paternity leave, sick leave, accommodations for workers who are pregnant, good health care, affordable child care, flexibility at work, equal pay, and a decent minimum wage. We ask our mothers to do more than their fair share of just about everything. Making sure theyre treated fairly is the least we can do.

The idea of setting aside a Sunday in May for our mothers became an official holiday with a Congressional resolution a little more than 100 years ago. They did it on May 8  the same day well celebrate Mothers Day this year. If Congress can make a holiday, surely they can back it up with the things that give it meaning. After all, thats what my mother taught me. I couldnt just say I was going to do the right thing, or say I agreed with it on principle. I had to actually do it.

So this Mothers Day, say thank you. Say, I love you. And lets make sure we show that gratitude and appreciation through acts of respect throughout the year. No one deserves that more than our moms.

Happy Mothers Day, and have a great weekend.

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