President Barack Obama met with labor, manufacturing and small business leaders today at an Alexandria, Virginia Home Depot retailer to discuss energy efficiency and job creation. He pitched the notion that energy independence is a surefire way to produce jobs.
In his speech, Obama urged Congress to provide additional tax breaks for homeowners who make their homes more energy efficient. He said, “The simple act of retrofitting homes and office buildings to make them more energy efficient — installing new windows and doors, insulation, roofing, sealing leaks, modernizing heating and cooling equipment — is one of the fastest, easiest and cheapest things we can do to put Americans back to work while saving families money and reducing harmful emissions.”
In our gallery photos below, the president poses near a display of energy efficient Andersen Windows. The window manufacturer was named Home Depot’s Millwork Partner of the Year.
Obama remarked that it is cool to save money. “I know the idea may not be glamorous. Someone said insulation is not very sexy. I disagree. Here’s what’s sexy about it: saving money.” He went on to say, “If you saw $20 bills just sort of floating through the window up into the atmosphere, you’d try to figure out how you were going to keep that. But that’s exactly what’s happening because of the lack of efficiency in our homes.”
Check out the full speech text here and view event photos and video below.