(CNN) – "We now have a president who's going to put science at the heart of our environmental policies and decisions," Michelle Obama said to a cheering crowd of employees at the Environmental Protection Agency Thursday. "It's a new day."
Mrs. Obama spoke to roughly 1,000 EPA staffers, her latest stop in a series of visits to government agencies, thanking employees for their work and assuring them that they have "unwavering support from a phenomenal president."
"This new era puts the EPA at the center of President Obama's highest priorities, securing America's energy independence and securing the future of our planet by combating climate change," the first lady said.
The EPA is an agency whose mission is particularly close to Obama's heart: public health. "I've often spoken about my most important job - being a mom, and like mothers and fathers everywhere, the health and safety of our children is our top priority," she said. "This is what it is all about - the future."
The first lady touted environmental spending in the president's stimulus plan which designates 10.5 billion dollars to the EPA to "continue to clean up our communities and improve the health of our fellow Americans." The boost in environmental spending is nearly 50 percent higher than President Bush asked for in 2008, and includes funds designated to improve sewage treatment plants, drinking water systems and to protect waterways.
The first lady maintained the president will "champion bold policies and make smart investments" like create more energy efficient buildings, Obama said as the crowd roared.
"See now that's exciting, you know you're at the EPA."
From CNN Politics
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Bush ran this country into the ground in spending money on war.. and lining his and Cheney's pockets... everyone was soneone to clean up the mean.. but thinks it can be done for free..........................investing in our future and our country...comes with a price tag..
Michelle, thanks for keeping it clean and green. Please keep up the good work!!!
@ ray ray
You're right. It's incredibly narcissistic to use science to inform your decisions. Now, please put down the spoon and syringe and step away from the keyboard.
its a new day, not a better day...
@ Deborah-Why don't you understand ?
In order to reduce the deficit that our children are going to inherit, we first have to fix the problems. In order to fix the problems we have to spend money. These things will not fix themselves and no matter how much we would like it to be different, things cannot be fixed FREE. Money must be spent. Obama did inherit this mess and he is trying to fix it. Hang in there and give the man a chance. At least a little more than 40 days.l
A NEW DAY......................carbon tax time!!! Goodbye middle class.
TCM – I saw the same "facts" circulating in a mass email. Look it over carefully and check the math. It is wrong. Maybe you should think before you believe everything you read – especially on the internet.
@ Deborah and the other misinformed,
Dubya and his cronies deliberately left the cost of funding two wars out of the budget; he spent the money and did not divulge the information.
President Obama is including the cost of the two wars in the budget; that is why it seems like he is spending more money, when in fact, you will see he is spending less when the actual monies Dubya spent comes out in the OPEN, like it should been in the first place.
You get someone in office who wants to do the RIGHT thing and all of a sudden he is bombarded by distractions. Hmmmm, I wonder why? Because the Rethuglicans do not want the truth to come out, that's why!
AndyL
George W Bush started with basically a balanced budget and 1 trillion dollar surplus. He eliminated the surplus in the 1st year, then rose the deficit each year while doubling the national debt.
Michelle will never understand the middle class no matter how hard she tries. She never was. Why she comes across as a misfit and unsophisticated.
Every day is a knew day with this administration. No change, but a new day. I think in his first 100 days we will all see through his BS and campaign speeches and see the real crap we voted for – same old same old. I didn't vote for Hillary because I wanted change, now i want Hillary back.
That will be a first in a long time if EPA puts sound science first. They don't really care about pollution only who they can pick on and how much they can get in fines. To them it has nothing to do with really improving things.
@ TCM
That "Jesus hates the stimulus plan" is not a "note"...it is a commercial paid for by right wing nutjobs who figured that invoking Jesus' name in an ad attacking the plan would get the GOP's fundy base extra angry. As soon as you guys figure out that the majority of Americans now see straight through your superficial and transparent political games, the healing can begin and the GOP can rest easy that we won't kill it off.
To all the Haters and Negative Gabbers:
Get over it. We now have the best President and First Lady this country ever had. That's the first "change." And, they will be our leaders for the next 8 years, so shut up and get used to it.
It is a great United States because we have a change agent in the White House FOR THE PEOPLE. President Obama and Michelle, RIGHT ON !!!
Al, California – let us all know in about 3 years if you still like your "reward."
May God continue to bless our beautiful First Lady and her family! And to all the haters, please get a life!!
Michelle, what an idiot. And so is anyone else that believes any real "science" is associated with any aspect of the great hoax of Global Warming.
MICHELLE PLEASE TAKE THE CHECK BOOK AWAY FROM BARACK.
He has no idea what he is doing.
You always take care of the checkbook and he is clueless.
He has been running around the White House all morning confused.
He still cant find his office.
He was last seen on the plane heading out of town. Be sure to grab the checks before he leaves.
Thank you,
AMERICA 1
"It's a new day" You're broke.
We now have a president that has commited to spend 16% of our entire GDP in the first month in office.
We now have a president who will increase our electricity prices in the name of eliminating a global threat that scientific investigations are now indicating may not exist.
We now have a president not afraid to raise taxes directly on upper incomes, and indirectly on lower incomes.
We now have a president not afraid to surrender to our enemies.
It's a new day indeed.
She's an idoit and so is anyone else that believes any real "science" is associated with any aspect of the great hoax of Global Warming.
You go First Lady! Don't pay attention to those haters. They've been drinking Haterade for so long with the Republicans takes a while for the taste to get out. Keep up the good work!
Lova ya
GENE TAYLOR is a great Democrat.
The guy came out against Barack today.
He VOTED AGAINST PRESIDENT BUSH 's spending.
He is against Barack spending as well.
I like this guy. He knows what he is talking about.
Barack needs to stop spending and start cutting the spending.
If you incorporate any of the lies AlGore the Hutt goes around spewing, then you're not involving science at all.
But yes, global warming is a serious issue. Just ask anyone living in the northern areas of the US. I'm sure they were feeling the ill affects of global warming when it was 30 below zero. And hey, for a place that, according to AlGore, Ed Bagley Jr., and Ted Danson, was supposed to be an overheated slag pile by now, why is it that the global average temperature is lower than in the past? What about all these hurricanes AlGore promised us would happen?
I think the only greenhouse gas is coming from AlGore himself.
This lady is an ignorant airbag. She wouldn't know what a "new day at the EPA" is. Throwing trillions at pork projects isn't helping the U.S. and won't make the U.S. any cleaner or safer.
Good job, Dimwitocrats.