Weekly Address: Everyone Should Be Able to Afford Higher Education

In this week's address, with schools getting ready to open their doors again over the next few weeks, the President talked directly to students and parents about the importance of preparing for an education beyond high school.

In today's economy, some higher education continues to be the surest ticket to the middle class, but for too many families across the country, paying for higher education is a constant struggle. The President and First Lady know this first hand -- they only finished paying off their student loans 10 years ago -- and that's why they have made it a priority to help make college more affordable for families.

They have taken action to reform student loans, expand grants and college tax credits, help make loan payments more manageable, and have proposed plans to make sure colleges also do their part to bring down costs. And just this week, as part of the President's Year of Action, the administration announced a new series of commitments to support students who need a little extra academic help getting through college.

Click here to watch this week's Weekly Address.

Weekly Wrap Up: Iraq and Ferguson, Raising the Wage, and Modernizing Government

This week, President Obama gave updates on the continuing humanitarian crisis in Iraq and the situation in Ferguson, Missouri; the White House announced progress on raising the minimum wage; and the Administration launched the U.S. Digital Service to help modernize our government.

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The Social Security Act Turns 79

Seventy-nine years ago, on August 14, 1935, President Franklin Roosevelt said, "We can never insure 100 percent of the population against 100 percent of the hazards and vicissitudes of life, but we have tried to frame a law which will give some measure of protection to the average citizen and to his family against the loss of a job and against poverty-stricken old age."

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West Wing Week 08/15/14 or, "Mikey Goes to Washington"

Your video guide to everything happening at 1600 Pennsylvania. This week, the President focused on the developing situations both in Iraq and in our nation's heartland, in Ferguson, Missouri. West Wing Week also tagged along for the first few hours and days of one of the newest employees here at the White House, and for the launch of the newly created U.S. Digital Service. That's August 8-15 or, "Mikey Goes to Washington."

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