Barack Obama: “I hereby determine... that it is important to the national interest to furnish assistance under the Act.”

We designed the center not to be some lifeless mausoleum.

Of course, we did not accomplish everything we set out to do. No administration does. Some of the exhibits reflect unfinished business, in some cases, my own shortcomings and mistakes, in some cases because - as a sign I kept on the…

the American people want to find a way to turn towards each other again, not further away

We’ve now fought a war, spent billions and billions of dollars, you know, put enormous strain on our military. A lot of people have died. And it feels like we’re back where we were before we started the war, except maybe a little bit worse…