Photo: A Christmas Tree Arrives at the White House

Here's what's going on at the White House today.         DAILY SNAPSHOT Friday, November 28, 2014             Featured Photo: A Christmas Tree Arrives at the White House As the lovely notes of "O Christmas Tree" filled the North Portico this morning, four Clydesdale horses adorned in jingle bells pulled this year's official White House Christmas tree up to the front door. First Lady Michelle Obama, Sasha, Malia, Bo, and Sunny greeted the 18.5-foot-tall Douglas Fir, along with the Botek family -- who grew the impressive evergreen on the Crystal Spring Tree Farm in Leighton, Pennsylvania. Read more about the 2014 White House Christmas Tree. First Lady Michelle Obama, with daughters Sasha and Malia, along with Bo and Sunny, welcome the arrival of the official White House Christmas tree at the North Portico of the White House. The tree arrived by a horse-drawn wagon. November 28, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)       Top Stories Weekly Address: Happy Thanksgiving from the Obama Family In this week's address, the President wished everyone a happy Thanksgiving and reflected on the history of our country and its celebration of diversity. He gave thanks for the many Americans who sacrifice every day, from volunteer workers who serve their communities, to men and women in uniform who serve us all. READ MORE West Wing Week 11/28/14 or, "We Need Turkey" This week, the President traveled to Las Vegas and Chicago to highlight the steps he is taking to reform our broken immigration system, awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and delivered a statement on the Grand Jury's decision in Ferguson, while the Vice President and Dr. Biden visited Ukraine and Turkey. That's November 21st to November 27th or, "We Need Turkey." READ MORE President Obama Pardons a Thanksgiving Turkey Yesterday, President Obama celebrated the 67th anniversary of the National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation by pardoning two 20-week old, 48-pound turkeys. And just like last year, the American public decided which of the two turkeys – Mac or Cheese – would become the National Thanksgiving Turkey by casting a vote for #TeamMac or #TeamCheese online. READ MORE   Facebook     Twitter    |   More Ways to Engage Sign Up for Email Updates Privacy Policy Contact the White House The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111

Weekly Address: Happy Thanksgiving from the Obama Family

Here's what's going on at the White House today.         DAILY SNAPSHOT Thursday, November 27, 2014             Featured Weekly Address: Happy Thanksgiving from the Obama Family In this week's address, the President wished everyone a happy Thanksgiving and reflected on the history of our country and its celebration of diversity. He gave thanks for the many Americans who sacrifice every day, from volunteer workers who serve their communities, to men and women in uniform who serve us all. On Thanksgiving, a holiday that is uniquely American, he reminded us to focus on what unites -- our commitment to American ideals like justice and equality and our gratitude and love for our country. Watch the President's Weekly Address now.       Top Stories West Wing Week 11/28/14 or, "We Need Turkey" This week, the President traveled to Las Vegas and Chicago to highlight the steps he is taking to reform our broken immigration system, awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and delivered a statement on the Grand Jury's decision in Ferguson, while the Vice President and Dr. Biden visited Ukraine and Turkey. That's November 21st to November 27th or, "We Need Turkey." READ MORE This Day in History: Carving Out a Piece of Thanksgiving History When was Thanksgiving officially established at the White House? It all started on September 28, 1789, when the first Federal Congress asked President George Washington to declare a national day of thanksgiving. Just a few days later, George Washington issued a Presidential Proclamation declaring Thursday, November 26th as a national day of "public thanksgiving." READ MORE Five Things to Know About How President Obama's Executive Action Impacts Undocumented Immigrants Last week, the President took action to fix as much of our broken immigration system as possible within the scope of his existing legal authority. The President's Immigration Accountability Executive Actions are an important step to fix our broken immigration system. Millions of undocumented immigrants who live in the shadows want to play by the rules, pay their fair share of taxes, and get right with the law. READ MORE   Facebook     Twitter    |   More Ways to Engage  Sign Up for Email Updates Privacy Policy Contact the White House The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111

Vote for the 2014 National Thanksgiving Turkey

Here's what's going on at the White House today.         DAILY SNAPSHOT Wednesday, November 26, 2014             Featured Vote for the 2014 National Thanksgiving Turkey Today, President Obama will announce the National Thanksgiving Turkey and we're inviting the American people to decide which bird takes the title. This year's top turkeys, Mac and Cheese, are going beak-to-beak on Twitter -- and it's up to you to decide who will be America's next top turkey. Are you on #TeamMac or #TeamCheese? Starting now, the turkeys are going beak-to-beak on Twitter, so get your vote in by 1:00pm ET on Wednesday, November 26th.       Top Stories Taking Action to Attract High-Skilled Immigrants, Graduates, and Entrepreneurs America needs a 21st century immigration system that lives up to our heritage as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants – and that grows our economy. READ MORE President Obama Travels Back Home to Chicago to Talk Immigration President Obama traveled to Chicago to give remarks on the necessity and content of his immigration executive order. READ MORE Second Estimate of GDP for the Third Quarter of 2014 Real gross domestic product (GDP) grew 3.9 percent at an annual rate in the third quarter of 2014. And today's upward revision affirms that economic growth in the third quarter was strong, consistent with a broad range of other indicators showing improvement in the labor market, increasing domestic energy security, and continued low health cost growth. READ MORE       Today's Schedule All times are Eastern Time (ET) 10:00 AM: The President receives the Presidential Daily Briefing 2:15 PM: The President pardons the National Thanksgiving Turkey WATCH LIVE 4:25 PM: The First Family participates in a service event   Facebook     Twitter    |   More Ways to Engage Sign Up for Email Updates Privacy Policy  Contact the White House The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111

Vote for the 2014 National Thanksgiving Turkey

Here's what's going on at the White House today.         DAILY SNAPSHOT Wednesday, November 26, 2014             Featured Vote for the 2014 National Thanksgiving Turkey Today, President Obama will announce the National Thanksgiving Turkey and we're inviting the American people to decide which bird takes the title. This year's top turkeys, Mac and Cheese, are going beak-to-beak on Twitter -- and it's up to you to decide who will be America's next top turkey. Are you on #TeamMac or #TeamCheese? Starting now, the turkeys are going beak-to-beak on Twitter, so get your vote in by 1:00pm ET on Wednesday, November 26th.       Top Stories Taking Action to Attract High-Skilled Immigrants, Graduates, and Entrepreneurs America needs a 21st century immigration system that lives up to our heritage as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants – and that grows our economy. READ MORE President Obama Travels Back Home to Chicago to Talk Immigration President Obama traveled to Chicago to give remarks on the necessity and content of his immigration executive order. READ MORE Second Estimate of GDP for the Third Quarter of 2014 Real gross domestic product (GDP) grew 3.9 percent at an annual rate in the third quarter of 2014. And today's upward revision affirms that economic growth in the third quarter was strong, consistent with a broad range of other indicators showing improvement in the labor market, increasing domestic energy security, and continued low health cost growth. READ MORE       Today's Schedule All times are Eastern Time (ET) 10:00 AM: The President receives the Presidential Daily Briefing 2:15 PM: The President pardons the National Thanksgiving Turkey WATCH LIVE 4:25 PM: The First Family participates in a service event   Facebook     Twitter    |   More Ways to Engage Sign Up for Email Updates Privacy Policy Contact the White House The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111

President Obama Delivers a Statement on the Ferguson Grand Jury's Decision

Here's what's going on at the White House today.         DAILY SNAPSHOT Tuesday, November 25, 2014             Featured President Obama Delivers a Statement on the Ferguson Grand Jury's Decision Speaking from the White House Briefing Room, President Obama spoke to the American people about the announcement of the grand jury's decision in the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. The President joined Michael Brown's parents in calling on anyone who protests to do so peacefully. See President Obama's full remarks.       Top Stories Second Estimate of GDP for the Third Quarter of 2014 Real gross domestic product (GDP) grew 3.9 percent at an annual rate in the third quarter of 2014. And today's upward revision affirms that economic growth in the third quarter was strong, consistent with a broad range of other indicators showing improvement in the labor market, increasing domestic energy security, and continued low health cost growth. READ MORE Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel Steps Down Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced yesterday that he would be stepping down from his position overseeing the Department of Defense. Hagel, who served in the Army during Vietnam, is the 24th Secretary of Defense. READ MORE Chart of the Week: SHOP Marketplace Premiums Flat in 2015 Historically, small businesses have paid as much as 18 percent more than their larger competitors for the same coverage, reflecting high broker fees, administrative costs, and other factors. The Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) tackles these problems by creating a competitive marketplace where small businesses can shop for coverage that meets their needs via a convenient online application. READ MORE       Today's Schedule All times are Eastern Time (ET) 10:00 AM: The President and the Vice President receive the Presidential Daily Briefing 11:50 AM: The President and the Vice President meet with Secretary of Health and Human Services Burwell 1:00 PM: The President meets with senior advisors 1:45 PM: The President departs the White House en route Joint Base Andrews 2:00 PM: The President departs Joint Base Andrews en route Chicago, Illinois 3:50 PM: The President arrives Chicago, Illinois 4:50 PM: The President meets with community leaders to discuss immigration reform 5:35 PM: The President delivers remarks on immigration reform WATCH LIVE 7:25 PM: The President departs Chicago, Illinois 9:05 PM: The President arrives Joint Base Andrews 9:20 PM: The President arrives the White House   Facebook     Twitter    |   More Ways to Engage Sign Up for Email Updates Privacy Policy Contact the White House The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111

Chart of the Week: SHOP Marketplace Premiums Flat in 2015

Here's what's going on at the White House today.         DAILY SNAPSHOT Monday, November 24, 2014             Featured Chart of the Week: SHOP Marketplace Premiums Flat in 2015 On November 15, the Health Insurance Marketplace opened for the 2015 enrollment season on HealthCare.gov. But November 15 also marked the beginning of online shopping through the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP). Historically, small businesses have paid as much as 18 percent more than their larger competitors for the same coverage. However, SHOP now tackles these problems by creating a competitive marketplace where small businesses can shop for coverage that meets their needs via a convenient online application. Find out more about the Chart of the Week and SHOP here.       Top Stories Weekly Address: Immigration Accountability Executive Action In this week's address, the President laid out the steps he took this past week to fix our broken immigration system. Enacted within his legal authority, the President's plan focuses on cracking down on illegal immigration at the border; deporting felons, not families; and accountability through criminal background checks and taxes. These are commonsense steps, but only Congress can finish the job. READ MORE The Faces of Health Care: Amy W. Amy and her husband are self-employed, operating a semi-truck out of Augusta, GA. As self-employed Americans, they had to purchase health insurance on their own. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, they were able to keep a significant amount of their business profits in their pocket by purchasing an affordable, quality plan on the Health Insurance Marketplace. READ MORE What You Need To Know: The President's Actions on Immigration Here's what you need to know about President Obama's new steps to fix our broken immigration system. READ MORE       Today's Schedule All times are Eastern Time (ET) 10:00 AM: The President and The Vice President receive the Presidential Daily Briefing 10:45 AM: The President meets with Nobel Laureates 11:10 AM: The President makes a personnel announcement 12:30 PM: The President and the Vice President meet for lunch 1:00 PM: The President meets with Secretary of the Treasury Lew 1:00 PM: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Josh Earnest 2:15 PM: The President honors recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in a ceremony; the Vice President and the First Lady also attend   Facebook     Twitter    |   More Ways to Engage Sign Up for Email Updates Privacy Policy Contact the White House The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111

"We Were Strangers Once, Too"

Here's what's going on at the White House today.         DAILY SNAPSHOT Friday, November 21, 2014             Featured "We Were Strangers Once, Too" In his address to the nation last night, President Obama announced new executive actions to help fix America's broken immigration system. Since the founding of our nation, we've weaved a tradition of welcoming immigrants into the very fabric of who we are. It's what keeps us dynamic, entrepreneurial, and uniquely American. And as the President made clear last night, America is -- and always will be -- a nation of immigrants. "Scripture tells us that we shall not oppress a stranger, for we know the heart of a stranger -- we were strangers once, too," the President said. "My fellow Americans, we are and always will be a nation of immigrants. We were strangers once, too." Watch the President's address, and see what he's doing to start fixing our country's broken immigration system.       Top Stories President Obama Honors America's Top Scientists and Engineers, Launches New Steps to Cultivate Tomorrow's Innovators Yesterday, President Obama awarded National Medals of Science and National Medals of Technology and Innovation to 19 of our nation's top thinkers, discoverers, and innovators -- marveling both at the amount of brainpower packed into the room and the magnitude of the laureates' achievements. READ MORE Welcoming Bipartisan Action Against Ebola While many issues divide Washington, we've seen bipartisan progress in the effort to combat Ebola. These steps forward are encouraging, and hopefully suggest positive momentum for the President's vital $6.2 billion emergency funding request to fight Ebola here at home and in West Africa. READ MORE President Obama Signs the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act In the Oval Office on Wednesday, President Obama signed S. 1086, the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act, into law. READ MORE       Today's Schedule All times are Eastern Time (ET) 3:15 AM: The Vice President joins Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk at a wreath laying ceremony 3:30 AM: The Vice President holds a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Yatsenyuk 6:00 AM: The Vice President attends a working lunch with President Poroshenko 7:30 AM: The Vice President and President Poroshenko deliver a joint statement to the press 8:30 AM: The Vice President attends a roundtable discussion on anti-corruption and reform efforts 10:25 AM: The President departs the White House en route Joint Base Andrews 10:40 AM: The President departs Joint Base Andrews en route Las Vegas, Nevada 12:30 PM: The Vice President and Dr. Biden arrive at Istanbul Ataturk Airport 3:20 PM: The President arrives Las Vegas, Nevada 3:55 PM: The President delivers remarks on the new steps he will be taking within his executive authority on immigration WATCH LIVE   Facebook     Twitter    |   More Ways to Engage Sign Up for Email Updates Privacy Policy Contact the White House The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111