AT&T Statement On President Obama's Speech On The Economy

DALLAS, July 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The following statement may be attributed to Randall Stephenson, AT&T Chairman and CEO.

"We welcome the President's call today for a bipartisan focus on the economic challenges facing our Nation.  Three points in particular stand out for us.

"First, the President stressed the importance of growing jobs here at home.  That is exactly where we must start.  If we address our fiscal problems, and create the certainty needed for increased investment, we can significantly increase U.S. job growth.  At AT&T, we are continuing to do our part, investing at record levels to build the best communications infrastructure in the world.

"Second, the President rightly emphasized the importance of reforming our educational system, including higher education, to lower costs and improve outcomes.  This is vital to our economic future and to the success of every business in America, including AT&T.  We have made this a priority for our company, but clearly engagement by the federal government would take the reform effort to an entirely new level.

"Third, the President again endorsed tax reform, and we commend him for continuing to keep this issue front and center.  Few things would have a faster and more certain impact on job growth in the US than eliminating tax breaks and loopholes, and significantly lowering rates.  This is especially important given that our country's corporate tax rate is now one of the highest in the industrialized world.

"We look forward to working with the President and the Congress on these worthy objectives."

About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and internationally. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's largest 4G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile Internet, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries.  It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse^® and AT&T │DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world.

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SOURCE AT&T Inc.