THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

EMBARGOED UNTIL 6:00 AM ET, SATURDAY, June 14, 2014

WHITE HOUSE VIDEO MESSAGE: Celebrating Our Fathers

WASHINGTON, DC In this weeks message, U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez underscored the importance of having fathers and mentors ahead of Fathers Day. He encouraged everyone to sign up to be a mentor through the My Brothers Keeper initiative, and previewed the first-ever White House Working Families Summit. As a father of three children, Secretary Perez stands with the President in his effort to support all parents across the country.

The audio of the address and video of the message will be available online HERE.

Remarks of U.S. Secretary of Labor, Thomas Perez

Spanish Weekly Address

The White House

Hi, everybody. Tomorrow is Fathers Day. If you havent got Dad a gift yet, theres still time. Barely.

But the truth is, what we give our fathers can never match what our fathers give us.

I know how important it is to have a dad in your life. Im the happy father of three children. Every chance the President gets, he encourages fathers to get more involved in their childrens lives, because what makes you a man isnt the ability to have a child its the courage to raise one.

The President has met with a lot of young people who dont have a father figure around. And while theres nothing that can replace a parent, any of us can do our part to be a mentor, a sounding board, a role model for a kid who needs one.Earlier this year, the President launched an initiative called My Brothers Keeper an all-hands-on-deck effort to help more of our young men reach their full potential. And if you want to be a mentor to a young man in your community, you can find out how at WhiteHouse.gov/MyBrothersKeeper.

Taking responsibility for being a great parent or mentor is a choice that we, as individuals, have to make. No government program can ever take the place of a parents love. Still, as a country, there are ways we can help support dads and moms who make that choice.

Thats why, earlier this week, President Obama brought working dads from across America to the White House to talk about the challenges they face.In a few weeks, the President will hold the first-ever White House Working Families Summit.

Moms and dads deserve affordable child care, and time off to care for a sick parent or child without running into hardship.Women deserve equal pay for equal work.And no full-time worker should have to raise a family in poverty Americans deserve a minimum wage that lets hard-working parents provide for their children.

Theres nothing more precious in life than the time we spend with our children.

Lets make sure every dad who works hard and takes responsibility has the chance to know that feeling, not just on one Sunday, but every day of the year.Thanks everybody, happy Fathers Day, and have a great weekend.

#