English subtitles for clip: File:2009-04-18 President Obama's Weekly Address.ogv

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>> MR. PRESIDENT: It's not
news to say that we're living

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through challenging times.

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The worst economic downturn
since the Great Depression.

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A credit crisis that's made that
downturn worse.

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And a fiscal disaster that has
accumulated over a period of years.

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In the year 2000, we had
projected budget surpluses in

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the trillions, and Washington
appeared to be on the road to fiscal stability.

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Eight years later, and when I
walked in the door, the

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projected budget deficit for
this year alone was 1.3 trillion.

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And in order to jumpstart our
struggling economy, we were

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forced to make investments that
added to that deficit through

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the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act.

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But as surely as our future
depends on building a new energy

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economy, controlling health care
costs, and ensuring that our

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kids are once again the best
educated in the world, it also

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depends on restoring a sense of
responsibility and

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accountability to our federal
budget.

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Without significant change to
steer away from ever-expanding

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deficits and debt, we are on an
unsustainable course.

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So today, we simply can't afford
to perpetuate a system in

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Washington where politicians and
bureaucrats make decisions

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behind closed doors with little
accountability for the consequences.

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Where billions are squandered on
programs that have outlived

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their usefulness or exist solely
because of the power of the

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lobbyist or interest group.

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And where outdated technology
and information systems

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undermine efficiency, threaten
our security, and fail to serve an engaged citizenry.

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If we're going to rebuild our
economy on a solid foundation,

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we need to change the way we do
business in Washington.

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We need to restore the American
people's confidence in their

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government, that it is on their
side, spending their money

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wisely, to meet their family's
needs.

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That starts with the painstaking
work of examining every program,

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every entitlement, every dollar
of government spending, and

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asking ourselves, is this
program really essential?

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Are taxpayers getting their
money's worth?

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Can we accomplish our goals more
efficiently, more effectively

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some other way?

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It's a process we've already
begun, scouring our budget line

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by line for programs that don't
work so we can cut them to make

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room for ones that do.

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That means ending tax breaks for
companies shipping jobs overseas.

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Stopping the fraud and abuse in
our Medicare program and

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reforming our health care system
to cut costs for families and businesses.

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It means strengthening
whistle-blower protections for

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government employees who step
forward to report wasteful spending.

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And it means reinstating the
pay-as-you-go rule that we

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followed during the 1990s.

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So if we want to spend, we need
to find somewhere else to cut.

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And this Monday, in my first
full Cabinet meeting, I will ask

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all my department and agency
heads for specific proposals for

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cutting their budgets.

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Already, members of my Cabinet
have begun to trim back

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unnecessary expenditures.

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Secretary Napolitano, for
example, is ending consulting

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contracts to create new seals
and logos that have cost the

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Department of Homeland Security
$3 million since 2003.

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In the largest department,
Secretary Gates has launched a

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historic project to reform
defense contracting procedures

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and eliminate hundreds of
billions of dollars in wasteful

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spending and cost overruns.

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And I commend Senators McCain
and Levin, a Republican and a

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Democrat, who have teamed up to
lead this effort in Congress.

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Finally, in the coming weeks, I
will be announcing the

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elimination of dozens of
government programs shown to be

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wasteful or ineffective.

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In this effort, there will be no
sacred cows and no pet projects.

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All across America, families are
making hard choices, and it's

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time their government did the
same.

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And that's why I've assembled a
team of management, technology

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and budget experts to guide us
in this work.

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Leaders who will help us revamp
government operations from top

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to bottom, and ensure that the
Federal Government is truly

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working for the American people.

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I've named Jeffrey Zients, a
leading CEO, management

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consultant and entrepreneur, to
serve as Deputy Director for

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Management of the Office of
Management and Budget, and as

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the first ever Chief Performance
Officer.

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Jeffrey will work to streamline
processes, cut costs, and find

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best practices throughout our
government.

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Aneesh Chopra, who is currently
the Secretary of Technology for

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Governor Tim Kaine of Virginia,
has agreed to serve as America's

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Chief Technology Officer.

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In this role, Aneesh will
promote technological innovation

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to help achieve our most urgent
priorities, from creating jobs

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and reducing health care costs,
to keeping our nation secure.

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Aneesh and Jeffrey will work
closely with our Chief

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Information Officer, Vivek
Kundra, who is responsible for

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setting technology policy across
the government, and using

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technology to improve security,
ensure transparency and lower costs.

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The goal is to give all
Americans a voice in their

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government, and ensure that they
know exactly how we're spending

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their money and can hold us
accountable for the results.

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None of this will be easy. Big change never is.

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But with the leadership of these
individuals, I am confident that

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we can break our bad habits, put
an end to the mismanagement that

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has plagued our government, and
start living within our means again.

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That's how we will get our
deficits under control and move

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from recovery to prosperity.

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And that's how we will give the
American people the kind of

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government they expect and
deserve.

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One that's efficient,
accountable, and fully worthy of their trust.

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Thank you.