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Thank you to the We the People community: from The We The People Team
A half million petitions. Over 40 million signatures. Hundreds of responses.
We the People has proved to be an innovative experiment in a new kind of civic engagement. It is a way for anybody, from anywhere, to send a message directly to the White House -- and, if their petition collects enough signatures, to receive a direct response.
Over the past five years, we've seen petitions on issues ranging from the refugee crisis to gun violence to worker's rights and more. We've watched as your petitions have led to profound engagement between citizens and senior White House staff and served as an outlet for citizens to discuss the issues that resonate most deeply with you.
They've also inspired real change:
In August of 2014, in response to a petition on the subject, President Obama signed a bill allowing consumers to use their mobile devices on the network of their choice.
A petition on puppy mills contributed to the passage of a new ruling to expand protections of animals under the Animal Welfare Act.
After you petitioned us to enact Leelah's Law, which proposed the banning of conversion therapy on minors, the Administration came out in full support of the ban.
See more of the Administration's most memorable petitions and responses here.
Simply put, your signatures helped make our government better. Each time a petition received 100,000 signatures, our team would get to work, collaborating with staff all across the executive branch of government to hunt down answers and draft responses. This wasn't always easy. Most of your petitions weren't to say “Congratulations!” The thorniest ones called on us to take a second look at policies and prompted discussions at the highest echelons of the executive branch. But every response was valuable because it helped to make our government more responsive to the people it serves.
These responses also helped us stay in touch. Often, following an initial response, our team would post ongoing updates on the issue petition signers had raised. We would also invite petition creators to in-person meetings or digital hangouts with Administration officials. Petitions enabled a two-way conversation -- and an opportunity for us to listen.
That's what We the People was meant to be: a way for citizens to have their voices heard and participate in the process of governing. This makes petitions one of the most powerful tools for ensuring that an Administration is not only open about the decisions it makes, but accountable as well.
We're proud of what We the People has become and the communities that you've built. And we're excited to see how they grow and develop. There are many exciting ways to build on this work -- whether it's citizens working with their state and local representatives to build similar tools or adapting other platforms to make government more responsive to you.
As always, thanks for making your voices heard.
-- The We the People Team
P.S. On Tuesday, January 10, President Obama will deliver his Farewell Address in Chicago. He'll talk about how citizens like you have changed the country for the better, and offer his thoughts on the work ahead. You can watch live at wh.gov/farewell.
We the People has proved to be an innovative experiment in a new kind of civic engagement. It is a way for anybody, from anywhere, to send a message directly to the White House -- and, if their petition collects enough signatures, to receive a direct response.
Over the past five years, we've seen petitions on issues ranging from the refugee crisis to gun violence to worker's rights and more. We've watched as your petitions have led to profound engagement between citizens and senior White House staff and served as an outlet for citizens to discuss the issues that resonate most deeply with you.
They've also inspired real change:
In August of 2014, in response to a petition on the subject, President Obama signed a bill allowing consumers to use their mobile devices on the network of their choice.
A petition on puppy mills contributed to the passage of a new ruling to expand protections of animals under the Animal Welfare Act.
After you petitioned us to enact Leelah's Law, which proposed the banning of conversion therapy on minors, the Administration came out in full support of the ban.
See more of the Administration's most memorable petitions and responses here.
Simply put, your signatures helped make our government better. Each time a petition received 100,000 signatures, our team would get to work, collaborating with staff all across the executive branch of government to hunt down answers and draft responses. This wasn't always easy. Most of your petitions weren't to say “Congratulations!” The thorniest ones called on us to take a second look at policies and prompted discussions at the highest echelons of the executive branch. But every response was valuable because it helped to make our government more responsive to the people it serves.
These responses also helped us stay in touch. Often, following an initial response, our team would post ongoing updates on the issue petition signers had raised. We would also invite petition creators to in-person meetings or digital hangouts with Administration officials. Petitions enabled a two-way conversation -- and an opportunity for us to listen.
That's what We the People was meant to be: a way for citizens to have their voices heard and participate in the process of governing. This makes petitions one of the most powerful tools for ensuring that an Administration is not only open about the decisions it makes, but accountable as well.
We're proud of what We the People has become and the communities that you've built. And we're excited to see how they grow and develop. There are many exciting ways to build on this work -- whether it's citizens working with their state and local representatives to build similar tools or adapting other platforms to make government more responsive to you.
As always, thanks for making your voices heard.
-- The We the People Team
P.S. On Tuesday, January 10, President Obama will deliver his Farewell Address in Chicago. He'll talk about how citizens like you have changed the country for the better, and offer his thoughts on the work ahead. You can watch live at wh.gov/farewell.