“We’ve got to put politics aside, pass a budget that funds our national security priorities at home and abroad and gives middle-class families the security they need to get ahead in the new economy.” —President Obama on his 2016 budget

President Obama just released his 2016 budget. Check it out on Medium.

“We have risen from recession freer to write our own future than any other nation on Earth.” —President Obama on his plan to help more Americans get ahead. Check out his preview of the budget he’s sending to Congress.

“We saved an economy that was on the brink of depression. We’ve created 11 million new jobs. We’ve doubled clean energy. We’ve reduced pollution. We’ve made sure that more young people can go to college. We have given now so far 10 million people health insurance that didn’t have it before, and that’s going to grow over time. We have ended two wars in a responsible way.” —President Obama to YouTube creator GloZell

Good news: The unemployment rate is the lowest it’s been in 6 years, but there’s still more work to do.

Check out how President Obama’s unprecedented investments in clean energy are helping to combat climate change.

ILoveCharts:

Let’s talk about clean energy and steps we’re taking to combat climate change. We’re making the government’s largest-ever investment in renewable energy, an investment aimed at doubling the generating capacity from wind power, solar energy, and other renewable sources over the next three years.

Across America, entrepreneurs are building wind turbines and solar panels and batteries for hybrid cars with the help of loan guarantees and tax credits, projects that are creating new jobs and new industries. These investments are good for our economy, they’re good for the environment, and they’re an important piece of President Obama’s plan to act on climate change.

Oh, and they’re also good for the grandkids I hope to have someday! (Hint, hint to my daughters if they read this.)

Check out the ILoveCharts Tumblr for a breakdown of how health care spending in America has been growing at historically low rates.

ILoveCharts:

Let’s take a step back and remember what our health care system was like just a few years ago. Back in 2009, when I had just started working at the White House, one of our top concerns was the fact that companies and families worried constantly about the rising cost of health care.

Thanks in large part to President Obama’s efforts to pass the Affordable Care Act, health care spending in America has been growing at historically low rates over the past few years. That’s helping to increase workers’ take-home pay and cut costs for businesses.

The average premium for employer-provided family coverage grew by just 3% in 2014, tying 2010 for the slowest rate on record, and down from double-digit increases in the 2000s. If premium growth had continued at the rate we saw last decade, the average premium for employer coverage would have been $1,800 higher in 2014. That’s a lot of money that stays in your pocket!

So the Affordable Care Act is saving millions of Americans money, including my daughter who’s a recent college grad and is able to stay on my health care plan as she gets her career started.

President Obama made the case at NorthwesternU​ yesterday for how America’s economic greatness has always fueled its leadership. Today, Cecilia Muñoz, Director of the President’s Domestic Policy Council, is taking over ILoveCharts​ for a look at charts and graphs that lay out the progress we’ve made and where we’re going.

ILoveCharts:

Hey everyone! I’m Cecilia Muñoz, Director of President Obama’s Domestic Policy Council, and I’ll be taking over I Love Charts today to break down some of the current trends in our economy, and what they mean for you.

Every issue we work on affects our country’s economic growth, and just like the President, we spend every day thinking about ways we can expand opportunity for more Americans and help strengthen the middle class.

So what does that actually mean? Whether we’re promoting access to education to help more young people afford college and get a good job, or investing in clean energy like wind and solar power, we’re focused on growing our economy in ways that help YOU! And every American.

This morning we got some very good news: Our businesses added 236,000 jobs last month, and are now on pace for their strongest year of job growth since 1998. Our unemployment rate dropped to 5.9%, the lowest it’s been since July 2008. That’s a big deal, but we’ve got to keep at it so more families feel the impact of the progress we’re making.

I really do love charts, because they show policy wonks like me the real impact that our decisions have over time. But for me, it’s all about what these charts mean for my daughters’ lives. So if you love charts as much as I do, follow along over the course of the day!