WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:03.000 (audience laughter) 00:03.254 --> 00:04.087 - Anyway. 00:06.120 --> 00:06.953 Thank you. 00:07.309 --> 00:09.226 - So, please be seated. 00:10.301 --> 00:12.489 It's a tremendous pleasure and an honor 00:12.489 --> 00:14.306 to welcome Secretary Kerry here 00:14.306 --> 00:16.630 to the Washington Passport Agency. 00:16.630 --> 00:17.545 I think it's your first visit 00:17.545 --> 00:19.795 to this beautiful facility. 00:20.037 --> 00:21.285 And it's a special pleasure 00:21.285 --> 00:23.546 to welcome the secretary because 00:23.546 --> 00:25.970 of the emphasis he has consistently placed 00:25.970 --> 00:27.958 on the Department of State Service 00:27.958 --> 00:32.125 to U.S. citizens here in the United States and abroad. 00:32.788 --> 00:34.344 The Bureau of Consular Affairs, 00:34.344 --> 00:36.576 including our passport agencies 00:36.576 --> 00:38.389 and the other facilities we have 00:38.389 --> 00:40.446 here in the United States, 00:40.446 --> 00:42.140 we take great pride in the work 00:42.140 --> 00:44.557 that we do for U.S. citizens. 00:44.934 --> 00:46.030 And we're proud to be the face 00:46.030 --> 00:47.930 of the Department of State 00:47.930 --> 00:51.013 for millions of Americans every year. 00:51.923 --> 00:53.791 And we know that one of your first experiences 00:53.791 --> 00:56.631 as an 11 year old with the Department of State 00:56.631 --> 00:58.542 was getting that first passport 00:58.542 --> 01:01.183 that you proudly showed us when you arrived. 01:01.183 --> 01:02.958 And that passport opened the door 01:02.958 --> 01:05.993 to his opportunity to travel overseas. 01:05.993 --> 01:07.469 Look where it took you. 01:07.469 --> 01:09.441 I think you've already been to 85 countries 01:09.441 --> 01:11.910 as Secretary of State, but you've traveled, 01:11.910 --> 01:13.967 of course, all over the world. 01:13.967 --> 01:15.269 - Is that what it is? 85? 01:15.269 --> 01:16.102 - [Voiceover] 86, sir. 01:16.102 --> 01:16.935 - 86. - Oh, see. 01:16.935 --> 01:18.665 (audience laughter) 01:18.665 --> 01:19.932 That's what happens when you clear 01:19.932 --> 01:21.758 that material 24 hours ago. 01:21.758 --> 01:24.198 (audience laughter) 01:24.198 --> 01:26.681 The secretary has underscored his commitment 01:26.681 --> 01:28.074 to making the department work 01:28.074 --> 01:30.797 for U.S. citizens right from the start. 01:30.797 --> 01:33.831 His very first speech as a secretary, 01:33.831 --> 01:35.916 at the University of Virginia, 01:35.916 --> 01:38.414 that was the message that he was delivering. 01:38.414 --> 01:40.280 And this bureau, Consular Affairs, 01:40.280 --> 01:43.568 takes that commitment very, very seriously, 01:43.568 --> 01:44.947 constantly looking for ways 01:44.947 --> 01:46.194 to improve our assistance 01:46.194 --> 01:48.567 to U.S. citizens who are traveling, 01:48.567 --> 01:50.484 living, working abroad. 01:51.018 --> 01:52.724 And we have developed new programs 01:52.724 --> 01:55.234 and are consistently looking for additional initiatives 01:55.234 --> 01:59.401 to expand and modernize our service to U.S. citizens. 01:59.595 --> 02:00.621 So, Mr. Secretary, 02:00.621 --> 02:02.930 thank you for this visit to the agency 02:02.930 --> 02:05.385 and for sharing our commitment 02:05.385 --> 02:07.330 to the department's primary mission 02:07.330 --> 02:09.478 of serving U.S. citizens here and aboard. 02:09.478 --> 02:10.386 - Thank you. - Thank you, sir. 02:10.386 --> 02:11.727 - Thank you Michelle very, very much. 02:11.727 --> 02:12.560 Thank you. thank you. 02:12.560 --> 02:13.393 (audience applause) 02:13.393 --> 02:15.143 Thank you. Thank you. 02:17.732 --> 02:20.732 Michelle, thank you very, very much. 02:21.018 --> 02:22.861 Today is also an education for me. 02:22.861 --> 02:25.444 You have no idea how many times 02:26.295 --> 02:30.462 We have this beautifully brilliant office over here 02:31.781 --> 02:32.698 my horizons 02:33.906 --> 02:34.823 even today. 02:37.259 --> 02:39.193 all in a few minutes, if I can, 02:39.193 --> 02:40.943 but first let me just 02:42.459 --> 02:43.459 give you all 02:52.022 --> 02:53.355 what you do here 02:56.316 --> 02:58.649 I'll tell you, when I served 02:58.739 --> 03:01.656 on the foreign relations committee, 03:09.880 --> 03:13.963 would say, they would ask the Secretary of State, 03:15.255 --> 03:18.351 and I witnessed many of them testifying, 03:18.351 --> 03:20.768 amid all of the China, India, 03:22.152 --> 03:26.319 Guatemala, whatever national desks that exist in state, 03:26.353 --> 03:27.974 it was a well-known question to say, 03:27.974 --> 03:31.307 "Hey, do you guys have an America desk?" 03:31.804 --> 03:34.717 Some of you are nodding. You've heard that. 03:34.717 --> 03:37.295 And it was meant as a not-so-gentle reminder 03:37.295 --> 03:39.430 that the state department, obviously, 03:39.430 --> 03:41.337 has a number one responsibility, 03:41.337 --> 03:45.504 which is to serve the best interests of our citizens. 03:46.947 --> 03:51.114 I know that no Secretary of State ever needed that reminder, 03:53.855 --> 03:57.022 but the message was sent all the same. 03:57.930 --> 04:02.097 Today, let me just make this crystal clear to everybody. 04:03.276 --> 04:04.689 There's no question in my mind, 04:04.689 --> 04:05.978 and I see it everywhere I go 04:05.978 --> 04:08.181 and I've visited a number of passport offices 04:08.181 --> 04:09.931 in various countries, 04:10.184 --> 04:12.723 that the state department's top priority, 04:12.723 --> 04:15.140 is today and always has been, 04:15.576 --> 04:19.243 to provide the best service we possibly can, 04:19.804 --> 04:22.637 every day, to the American people. 04:22.932 --> 04:25.515 And that is true whether or not 04:25.548 --> 04:27.400 our citizens are here in America 04:27.400 --> 04:29.983 or they are traveling overseas. 04:30.357 --> 04:32.356 And one of the major ways we do that, 04:32.356 --> 04:35.606 one of the single strongest arms of our 04:36.045 --> 04:40.212 many efforts and tools that we have at our disposal, 04:41.144 --> 04:42.811 is consular affairs. 04:44.879 --> 04:45.879 Our passport 04:46.765 --> 04:49.975 offices, and I often remind folks when I get a chance 04:49.975 --> 04:53.725 to visit abroad with the embassies and folks, 04:54.005 --> 04:57.455 the first line of contact in many cases is consular affairs. 04:57.455 --> 04:59.446 You walk up to that window, 04:59.446 --> 05:01.203 and for many people in many countries, 05:01.203 --> 05:04.512 the first American official they ever met 05:04.512 --> 05:05.970 and ever talked to. 05:05.970 --> 05:07.791 And how they are talked to, 05:07.791 --> 05:09.326 what kind of response they get, 05:09.326 --> 05:12.785 how long it takes to get their business done 05:12.785 --> 05:16.202 is their first impression of our country. 05:16.332 --> 05:18.523 It's important for people to remember that. 05:18.523 --> 05:19.356 That, 05:21.457 --> 05:22.606 in some cases, 05:22.606 --> 05:26.773 it may be the only person they ever have a contact with. 05:27.194 --> 05:29.194 Now, when I say contact, 05:29.554 --> 05:31.419 we're talking about one hundred 05:31.419 --> 05:33.911 and twenty-eight million Americans 05:33.911 --> 05:35.994 who have passports today. 05:36.810 --> 05:38.536 That is two out of every five. 05:38.536 --> 05:40.619 It's gone up continually. 05:41.197 --> 05:43.601 More than 17 million passports 05:43.601 --> 05:45.742 will be issued this year alone 05:45.742 --> 05:47.578 and I think it is anticipated it'll be 05:47.578 --> 05:50.578 something like 21 million next year. 05:51.158 --> 05:54.010 Just to give people a sense of growth. 05:54.010 --> 05:57.510 Now, applications are at record levels now 05:57.834 --> 06:00.001 and they're still going up 06:00.090 --> 06:01.923 and yet, waiting times 06:02.765 --> 06:04.015 are going down. 06:05.104 --> 06:06.411 And a decade ago, 06:06.411 --> 06:07.465 I think the average wait 06:07.465 --> 06:10.132 for a new passport was 3 months. 06:10.151 --> 06:10.984 Today, it's half that. 06:10.984 --> 06:14.651 In many cases much faster than half of that. 06:15.118 --> 06:15.951 So, 06:16.912 --> 06:17.974 every one of you knows 06:17.974 --> 06:21.391 that this trend did not occur by accident 06:21.451 --> 06:25.149 and I might add, it hasn't occurred because we've gone out 06:25.149 --> 06:28.439 and been able to hire massive numbers of new people 06:28.439 --> 06:31.339 and do things in an inefficient way. 06:31.339 --> 06:34.145 It has happened because we have taken the same numbers 06:34.145 --> 06:34.978 of people 06:42.330 --> 06:44.663 we've been able to apply new 06:46.652 --> 06:49.069 able to apply new technology. 06:49.260 --> 06:51.927 And technology helps enormously, 06:52.173 --> 06:53.006 but I hope 06:56.391 --> 06:59.206 full measure of pride in what you're doing 06:59.206 --> 07:02.956 that we take in you and in what you're doing, 07:03.960 --> 07:06.150 to highlight how important this is, 07:06.150 --> 07:09.693 I am today announcing the state department's 07:09.693 --> 07:11.610 mission one initiative, 07:12.914 --> 07:14.858 and this initiative is expanding 07:14.858 --> 07:16.508 and modernizing the services 07:16.508 --> 07:18.017 that we offer to you as citizens 07:18.017 --> 07:20.900 both in our own country and overseas 07:20.900 --> 07:22.154 so that we help ourselves 07:22.154 --> 07:23.737 do this job better, 07:24.724 --> 07:25.557 faster, 07:25.786 --> 07:26.619 and safer. 07:27.499 --> 07:30.386 Now, let me give you an example of this. 07:30.386 --> 07:31.626 By the end of next year, 07:31.626 --> 07:33.626 we hope to have in place 07:34.174 --> 07:37.424 a secure online passport renewal system 07:38.591 --> 07:42.758 with a redesigned passport with enhanced safety features 07:44.480 --> 07:45.313 and 07:46.141 --> 07:49.395 I want to emphasize the mere issue of the passport 07:49.395 --> 07:50.406 is not going to be the end 07:50.406 --> 07:53.739 of what mission one attempts to achieve. 07:54.226 --> 07:57.912 Our new American liaison network is reaching out 07:57.912 --> 08:00.803 to volunteers in particular countries 08:00.803 --> 08:04.899 to identify the needs of local American communities, 08:04.899 --> 08:06.131 to disseminate information 08:06.131 --> 08:08.707 among families within those communities, 08:08.707 --> 08:10.106 and to coordinate measures 08:10.106 --> 08:11.536 that will safeguard the health 08:11.536 --> 08:13.609 and safety of our people. 08:13.609 --> 08:14.469 At the same time, 08:14.469 --> 08:16.969 our local resources initiative 08:17.346 --> 08:19.271 is assisting citizens abroad 08:19.271 --> 08:22.021 gain access to essential services 08:22.701 --> 08:25.118 such as police, medical care, 08:25.924 --> 08:27.757 crisis and counseling. 08:28.068 --> 08:29.686 Actually I've been abroad 08:29.686 --> 08:32.468 when I've seen some of these crises 08:32.468 --> 08:35.247 cross the desk of an ambassador of the embassy 08:35.247 --> 08:37.731 and I've watched teams jump into action 08:37.731 --> 08:40.731 in order to respond to some of these 08:42.148 --> 08:43.148 emergencies. 08:43.934 --> 08:46.267 And I've gotten on the phone on occasion and called people 08:46.267 --> 08:49.129 and said we've gotta help this, that, or the other 08:49.129 --> 08:50.948 in one country another to respond. 08:50.948 --> 08:52.781 So, I understand this. 08:53.088 --> 08:54.990 These networks that we're creating 08:54.990 --> 08:57.686 will help us to stay in close touch 08:57.686 --> 08:59.686 with Americans overseas. 08:59.764 --> 09:02.648 It'll help us give advice about best practices 09:02.648 --> 09:04.486 in a particular country. 09:04.486 --> 09:06.804 It will help us to furnish help 09:06.804 --> 09:09.888 in time to meet individual emergencies 09:09.888 --> 09:12.236 and that is in the case of either a natural 09:12.236 --> 09:14.319 or a human-caused crisis. 09:15.130 --> 09:17.901 So, I really can't emphasize the importance 09:17.901 --> 09:19.318 of these services 09:20.803 --> 09:23.803 enough and you can't overstate them. 09:24.329 --> 09:28.496 It is especially true when these services count the most. 09:28.894 --> 09:30.311 In the last year, 09:32.552 --> 09:34.808 our folks here at the department 09:34.808 --> 09:38.022 were able to respond to the needs of citizens 09:38.022 --> 09:42.189 wounded in the terror attacks in Paris and Brussels, 09:42.645 --> 09:46.317 people seeking safe haven for the violence in Yemen, 09:46.317 --> 09:49.736 people grieving the loss of loved ones in Syria, 09:49.736 --> 09:53.486 in Mali, Burkina Faso, just to mention a few. 09:54.544 --> 09:56.025 It matters that our personnel 09:56.025 --> 09:59.108 are working around-the-clock even now 09:59.641 --> 10:01.753 to aid U.S. citizens during the outbreak 10:01.753 --> 10:04.003 of fighting in south Sudan. 10:04.781 --> 10:08.948 It matters that we are there when personal tragedies strike. 10:09.374 --> 10:11.678 This is a figure that stunned me, 10:11.678 --> 10:13.858 but last year we helped the families 10:13.858 --> 10:17.025 of more than 10,000 American civilians 10:17.179 --> 10:19.179 who died while overseas. 10:21.108 --> 10:22.834 And it matters that were quick to respond 10:22.834 --> 10:26.292 to family requests to just check on relatives 10:26.292 --> 10:29.187 who are traveling, but are temporarily out of touch 10:29.187 --> 10:30.954 or who may have run out of money 10:30.954 --> 10:34.781 or who have encountered problems with local authorities. 10:34.781 --> 10:37.245 Last year through the American liaison network, 10:37.245 --> 10:41.412 consular officials in south Asia rescued three citizens 10:42.313 --> 10:46.042 who had been the victims of forced marriages. 10:46.042 --> 10:47.806 All three have since returned home 10:47.806 --> 10:50.973 to our country to rebuild their lives. 10:51.018 --> 10:52.900 We also worked with a church in Africa 10:52.900 --> 10:55.091 to shelter a woman and her children 10:55.091 --> 10:57.418 from threats of imminent violence 10:57.418 --> 11:00.306 until they could leave the country safely. 11:00.306 --> 11:02.227 And in the south pacific, 11:02.227 --> 11:06.394 one of our America liaison volunteers used her own 11:07.791 --> 11:09.691 boat to go out and check 11:09.691 --> 11:12.034 on the well-being of other Americans 11:12.034 --> 11:14.534 in the aftermath of a cyclone. 11:15.127 --> 11:17.710 The bottom line is very simple. 11:19.011 --> 11:22.094 There always has been an America desk 11:23.265 --> 11:24.182 and our job 11:24.501 --> 11:27.334 now is personified by mission one. 11:28.711 --> 11:29.628 In our era, 11:30.519 --> 11:31.524 I've said this before, 11:31.524 --> 11:32.586 I'll say it again and again, 11:32.586 --> 11:36.419 there is nothing foreign about foreign policy. 11:36.467 --> 11:39.674 And Americans have a huge stake in what we do 11:39.674 --> 11:42.174 in this globalized, connected, 11:42.658 --> 11:45.075 remarkable, large marketplace 11:45.200 --> 11:47.057 that the world has become. 11:47.057 --> 11:48.272 Where people have joined together 11:48.272 --> 11:50.531 because of instant communication 11:50.531 --> 11:54.009 and because of shared values and interests. 11:54.009 --> 11:54.842 So, 11:55.484 --> 11:56.734 we are frankly, 11:57.085 --> 11:58.163 I think every one of you here 11:58.163 --> 11:59.492 in this department would agree, 11:59.492 --> 12:01.883 never happier than we are able 12:01.883 --> 12:04.071 to really make somebody else 12:04.071 --> 12:05.979 and the American citizen happy. 12:05.979 --> 12:08.472 Because we're able to respond to their needs 12:08.472 --> 12:11.143 or to be able to respond to a guest, 12:11.143 --> 12:12.975 a visitor from another country, 12:12.975 --> 12:14.832 coming to the United States 12:14.832 --> 12:17.749 to get to share in what we can call 12:18.341 --> 12:19.174 home. 12:19.570 --> 12:21.476 Now, if I can just take a moment, 12:21.476 --> 12:24.643 I want to celebrate something special, 12:25.687 --> 12:26.520 which is 12:32.758 --> 12:35.341 this fabulous woman to my left. 12:38.819 --> 12:39.652 secretary 12:40.286 --> 12:43.286 who began serving, I think, in 1974. 12:51.800 --> 12:55.383 that was responding to the Cyprus invasion. 12:56.975 --> 12:58.743 That's the one thing she hasn't finished work on. 12:58.743 --> 13:01.136 (audience laughter) 13:01.136 --> 13:04.348 but she joined the foreign service shortly after that 13:04.348 --> 13:06.931 and for four decades she's been 13:09.081 --> 13:11.406 She's a public servant to her core, 13:11.406 --> 13:12.989 as all of you know. 13:13.469 --> 13:16.800 Sets a terrific example for every single person 13:16.800 --> 13:18.717 in the consular service 13:19.412 --> 13:20.745 here and abroad. 13:21.172 --> 13:23.830 And so, I am pleased to present Michelle 13:23.830 --> 13:25.580 with an award marking 13:25.596 --> 13:26.429 40 13:26.554 --> 13:27.387 years 13:27.640 --> 13:29.020 of dedicated service 13:29.020 --> 13:31.070 to the United States of America. 13:31.070 --> 13:33.713 And I am so grateful to you for all that you have done. 13:33.713 --> 13:35.387 Thank you and God bless. 13:35.387 --> 13:37.053 Do you have that with (mumbles)? 13:37.053 --> 13:37.886 What? 13:39.158 --> 13:40.402 - (background noise drowns out other words) downstairs. 13:40.402 --> 13:41.284 - It's downstairs. 13:41.284 --> 13:42.117 - Yeah. 13:42.650 --> 13:44.853 - Well, we pre-prepped it here. 13:44.853 --> 13:45.686 (laughter) 13:45.686 --> 13:46.644 I didn't know it was downstairs. 13:46.644 --> 13:48.245 You hid the award downst...? - Hold that thought. 13:48.245 --> 13:49.912 - All right. Anyway. 13:50.579 --> 13:51.808 Thank you all. Honestly. 13:51.808 --> 13:53.291 I really appreciate it. 13:53.291 --> 13:55.408 I'm very proud of everything everybody does here. 13:55.408 --> 13:56.825 Keep it up. Okay? 13:57.546 --> 13:59.046 21 million coming. 13:59.328 --> 14:01.094 (audience laughter) 14:01.094 --> 14:01.927 All right. 14:01.927 --> 14:03.642 Thank you. Good to see you all. 14:03.642 --> 14:04.476 Where are we going? 14:04.476 --> 14:06.066 We're going this way? All right. 14:06.066 --> 14:09.066 Thanks so much everybody. Thank you.