Our newly elected Mayor Vincent Gray recently had a meeting with President Obama regarding issues that are important to the District of columbia.

The following statement was made after his luncheon meeting with President Obama in the private dining room next to the Oval Office at the White House :

“My meeting with President Obama was indeed time well-spent. We had a great discussion about a number of issues important to the District of Columbia.

“The President underscored his support for continued collaboration to provide high quality education to District children. I talked about my vision for birth-to-24 education, with new emphasis on infant to toddler programs. And I look forward to working with him and the Department of Education on additional support for early childhood education because those investments will pay off.

“I asked President Obama to reinforce his support for self-determination and voting rights for District of Columbia taxpayers and he was unequivocal in his support. I also asked that his administration work with the city on providing jobs and training for District residents, particularly at the new Department of Homeland Security coming to the St. Elizabeths site in Anacostia. I told Mr. Obama the headquarters should not be just a federal enclave but an integral part of the community that should help to generate amenities for the surrounding neighborhood. And he recognized that this is a real opportunity to improve the quality of life in Ward 8. We’ve asked for federal dollars for infrastructure to support the employees who will work there, as well as the residents living nearby.

“One of the biggest take-aways from the meeting is that President Obama is committed to working closely with the District, and wants to build on the relationship established today with other meetings and lots of follow-up. I look forward to working with the President and the White House in the days ahead.”

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