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The joint session will come to order, the chair appointed
members
. The gentleman from Virginia,
the gentleman from Morgan, the gentleman from Oklahoma, Mr.
Langford. The gentleman from Kansas, Ms. Higgins, the
gentleman from North Carolina, Ms. Fox, the gentleman from --
the gentle men from Ireland, the gentleman from South Carolina,
the gentleman from California,
the gentleman from New York, Mr. Crowley. The gentleman from
New York, Mr. Israel, and the gentleman from Connecticut, Ms.
Delaro.
>> At the direction of the body appoints the following senators
as members of the committee on the part of the Senate to escort
the president
of the United States into the House chamber. The Senator. from
Nevada, Mr. Reid. Senator. from Mr. --
Mr. Schumer, Senator. from Washington, Ms. Murray, Senator.
from cauliflower -- senator from Michigan, Senator. from
Alaska, Senator. from Kentucky, Senator. from Texas, Senator.
from South Dakota, Senator. from Missouri, and the Senator.
from Wyoming,
. >> The members of the committee
would like to approve the chamber doors through the lobby.
Mr. Speaker, as acting Dean of the Atlantic floor.
>> [ Applause ] >>
Mr. Speaker, the Chief Justice and associate Justices of the
Supreme Court. >> [ Applause ]
>>
[ Applause ]
>> Mr. Speaker, the
President's Cabinet. >> [ Applause ]
>>
Mister Speaker , but President of the United States.
>> [ Applause ]
[ Applause ]
>>
Members of Congress,
I have the high privilege and distinct honor of presenting to
you the President of the United States.
>> Thank you, thank you. >> [ Applause ]
>>
Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Mister Speaker , Mr. Vice President, members of Congress,
my fellow Americans
, today
, America, a teacher spent extra time with a student who needed
it and did her part to lift America's graduation rate to the
highest levels in more than three decades.
An entrepreneur flipped on the lights in a tech
start up and did her part to add to the more 8 million new
jobs are businesses have created over the past four years.
>> [ Applause ] >> On autoworker
fine-tuned some of the best most fuel-efficient cars in the
world and did his part to help America win itself off of
foreign oil. A farmer prepared for the spring after the
strongest five-year stretch of farm exports in our history.
A rural doctor gave a young child the first prescription to
treat asthma that his mother could afford.
>> [ Applause ] >>
MM took the bus home from his graveyard shift, bone tired, but
dreaming big dreams for his son. And a tightknit community,
all across America, fathers, mothers will talk in their kids,
put an arm around their spouse
, remember fallen comrades, and give thanks for being home from
a war that after 12 long years is finally coming to an end.
>> [ Applause ]
>>
Tonight, this chamber speaks with one voice to the people we
represent. It is you, our citizens, who make the state of
our union strong. >> [ Applause ]
>> And here are the results of your efforts. The lowest
unemployment rate in over five years, a rebounding housing work
it
-- market, a manufacturing sector adding jobs for the first
time since the 1990s, more oil produced,
more oil produced at home then we buy from the rest of the
world, the first -- happened in nearly 20 years.
Our deficits, cut by more than half. And for the first time
, for the first time in over a decade, business leaders around
the world have to cleared
that China is no longer the world's number one place to
invest, America is. >> [ Applause ]
>>
That's why I believe this can be a breakthrough year for
America. After five years of
grit and determined effort, the United States is better
positioned for the 21st century than any other nation on earth.
The question for everyone in this chamber, running through
every decision we make this year is whether we are going to help
or hinder this progress.
For several years now, this time has been consumed by a
argument over the proper size of the federal government. It is
an important debate. One that dates back to our very founding.
When that debate prevents us from carrying out even the most
basic functions of our democracy, when our differences
shut down government
or threaten the full faith and credit of the United States,
then we are not doing right by the American people.
>> [ Applause ] >>
Now, as President, I'm committed to making Washington
work better and rebuilding the trust of the people who sent us
here. I believe that most of you are, too. Last month, due to
the work of the Congress,
we undid some of the severe cuts to priorities like
education. Nobody got everything they wanted and we can still do
more to invest in this country's future while bringing
down our deficit in a balanced way, but the budget compromise
should
lead us to a focus on creating new jobs, not creating new
crisis. And in the coming months [ Applause ]
, in the coming months, let's see where else we can make
progress together. Let's make this a year of action. That's
what most Americans want. For all of us in this chamber to
focus on their lives, their hopes, their aspirations.
And what I believe unites the people of this nation,
regardless of race, region or party, young or old, rich or
poor, is the simple profound belief in opportunity for all.
The notion that if you work hard and take responsibility, you
can get ahead in America. >> [ Applause ]
>>
Let's face it, that belief has suffered some serious blows.
For more than three decades, even before the great recession
hit,
massive shifts in technology and global competition had
eliminated a lot of good middle-class jobs and weaken the
economic foundations that families depend on.
Today, after four years of economic growth, corporate
profits and stock prices have rarely been higher and those at
the top have never done better. But, average wages have
thoroughly botched -- budged, and
inequality has deepened, upper mobility has installed. The cold
hard fact is that even in the midst of recovery,
too many Americans are working more than ever just to get by,
let alone to get ahead. And too many still are not working at
all. >> [ Applause ]
>> So, our job is to reverse these trends
. It won't happen right away, and we won't agree on
everything. But what I offer tonight is a set of concrete
practical proposals to speed up growth
, strengthen the middle class and build new ladders of
opportunity into the middle class.
Some require congressional action. And I'm eager to work
with all of you.
But, America does not stand still and neither will I. So,
wherever and whenever, I can take steps without legislation
to expand opportunity for more American families, that is what
I'm going to do. >> [ Applause ]
>>
As usual, our first lady sets a good example.
>> [ Applause ]
>>
Michelle's Let's Mover -- Move Partnership with schools and
businesses has
brought down the child obesity rate for the first time in 30
years, and achievement that will improve lives and reduce
healthcare costs for decades to come. The joining forces
aligning, Michele and Biden, have watched
the training of over 400,000 veterans and military spouses.
>> [ Applause ] >>
Taking a page from the playbook,
the White House organized a college opportunity Summit were
already 150 universities, businesses, nonprofits have made
concrete commitments to reduce inequality and access to higher
education and health every hard-working kid go to college
and succeed when they get -- and across the country.
We are partnering with mayors, governors and state legislature
on issues from homelessness to marriage equality. The point is,
there are millions of Americans outside of Washington who are
tired of stale political arguments and are moving this
country forward.
They believe, and I believe, that here in America, our
success should depend not on --
of birth, but the strength of our work ethic and scope of our
dreams. That is what drew our forebears here.
That's how the daughter of a factory worker is CEO of
America's largest automaker. >> [ Applause ]
>>
How the son of a barkeep is speaker of the house.
>> [ Applause ] >>
How the son of a single mom can be president of the greatest
nation on earth. >> [ Applause ]
>>
Opportunity is who we are.
And a defining project of our generation must be to restore
that promise. We know where to start. The best measure of
opportunity is access to a good job.
With the economy picking up speed, companies today intend to
hire more people this year and over half of big manufacturers
say they are thinking of in sourcing jobs from abroad.
>> [ Applause ] >>
So, let's make that decision easier for more companies.
Both Democrats and Republicans have argued that our tax code is
riddled with wasteful, complicated loopholes that
punish businesses investing here and reward companies that keep
profits abroad. Let's split that equation and work together
to close those loopholes
and those who invented the ship jobs overseas and lower tax
rates for businesses to create jobs right here at home.
>> [ Applause ] >>
Moreover, we can take the money we save from this transition to
tax reform
to create jobs, rebuilding our roads, upgrading our ports,
unclogging our commutes, because in today's global economy,
first class jobs gravitate to first-class infrastructure.
We will need Congress to protect more than 3 million jobs
by finessing transportation and water waste bills this summer.
>> [ Applause ] >> That can happen. But, I will
act on my own
2/bureaucracy and streamline the permitting process for key
projects so we can get more instructional workers on the job
as fast as possible. >> [ Applause ]
>>
We also have a chance right now to beat other countries in the
race for the next wave of high-tech manufacturing jobs.
And my administration has launched two hubs for high-tech
manufacturing in Raleigh, North Carolina and
Ohio where we have connected businesses to universities who
can help
America lead the world in advanced technologies. Tonight,
I'm announcing that we will watch this more this year.
Bipartisan bills in both houses could double the number of these
hubs
and the jobs they create. So, get those bills to my desk. Put
more Americans back to work. >> [ Applause ]
>>
Let's do more to help the entrepreneurs and small-business
owners to create most of the jobs in America.
Over the past five years, my administration has made more
loans to small business owners than any other and when 98% of
our exporters are small businesses, new trade
partnerships with Europe and the Asia-Pacific will help them
create even more jobs.
We need to work together on tools like bipartisan trade
promotion authority
to protect our workers, to protect our environment and open
new markets to new goods, stamps made in the USA.
>> [ Applause ] >>
Listen, China and Europe are standing on the sidelines and
neither should we.
We know that the nation that goes all in on innovation today
will own the global economy tomorrow.
This is an edge America cannot surrender. Federally funded
research
helped lead to the ideas and inventions behind Google and
smart phones
and that's why Congress should undo the damage done by last
year's cuts to basic research, so we can unleash the next Great
American discovery.
>> [ Applause ] >>
There are entire industries to be built, based on vaccines that
stay ahead of the drug resistant but areas or paperthin
material that is stronger than steel.
And let's pass a pound reform bill that allows our businesses
to stay focused on innovation, not costly and needless
litigation. >> [ Applause ]
>>
Now, one of the biggest factors in bringing more jobs back is
our commitment to American energy.
The all of the above energy strategy I announced a few years
ago is working and today, America is closer to energy
independence that we have been in decades.
>> [ Applause ] >>
One of the reasons why is natural gas.
If extracted safely, it's the bridge fuel that can power our
economy with less of the carbon pollution that causes climate
change.
Businesses plan to invest almost $100 billion in new
factories that use natural gas. I will cover a -- to help
states get those factories built and put folks to work in
this Congress can help by putting people to work building
fueling stations that ship more cars and trucks from foreign oil
to American natural gas. >> [ Applause ]
>>
Meanwhile, my administration will keep working with the
industry to sustain production and jobs growth while
strengthening profession
dust protection of our air, our waters, our communities.
And I will use my authority to protect more of our pristine
federal lands for future generations.
>> [ Applause ] >>
Now, it's not just oil and natural gas production that is
blooming. We are becoming a global leader in solar as well.
Every 4 min., another American home or business goes solar.
Every panel pounded into place by a worker whose job cannot be
outsourced
, let's continue that progress with a smarter tax policy that
stops giving $4 billion a year to fossil fuel industries that
donated so we can invest more in fuels and the futures that do.
>> [ Applause ] >>
And even as we have increased energy production, we have
partnered with businesses, builders and local communities
to reduce the energy we consume
. When we rescued our automakers, for example, we
worked with them to set higher fuel efficiency standards for
our cars. In the coming months, I will build on that success by
setting new standards for our trucks so we can keep driving
down oil imports and what we pay at the pump. And
taken together, our energy policy is creating jobs and
leading to a cleaner, safer planet.
Over the past eight years, the United States has reduced our
total carbon pollution more than any other nation on earth.
>> [ Applause ] >>
But we have to act with more urgency.
Because a changing climate is already harming Western
communities struggling with drought and coastal cities
dealing with floods.
That is why I directed my administration to work with
states, utilities and others to set new standards on the amount
of carbon pollution our power plants are allowed to dump into
the air.
The shift to a cleaner energy economy won't happen overnight
, and it will require some tough choices along the way. But the
debate is settled. Climate change is a fact. And when our
children's children look up in the eye and ask if we did all
that they could to lead to a more sables and stable
world with new sources of energy, I want to be able to
say, yes we did. >> [ Applause ]
>>
[ Cheering ] >>
Finally,
if we are serious about economic growth, it's time to
heed the call of business leaders, labor leaders, faith
leaders, law enforcement and fix our broken innovation system.
>> [ Applause ] >>
Republicans and Democrats
have acted and I know that members of both parties in the
house want to do the same.
Independent economists say immigration reform will grow our
economy and shrink deficits by almost $1 trillion in the next
two decades, and for good reason. When people come here to
fulfill their dreams, to study, contribute to our culture,
they make our country a more attractive place for businesses
to locate and create jobs for everybody. So let's get
immigration reform done this year.
>> [ Applause ] >> Let's get it done.
>> [ Applause ] >> It's time.
>> [ Applause ]
>> The ideas I have outlined so far can speed up growth and
create more jobs. But in this randomly
changing economy, we have to make sure that every American
has the skills to fill those jobs. The good news is, we know
how to do it.
Two years ago, as the auto industry came roaring back,
-- opened up a manufacturing firm in Detroit.
She knew that Ford needed parts for the best-selling truck in
America and she knew how to make those parts. She just needed
the workforce
. So, she dialed up what we call in America job center
, places where folks can walk in to get the help or training
they need to find a new job or a better job. She was flooded
with new works.
And today, the Detroit manufacturing system has more
than 700 employees. And what Andra
and her employees experienced is how it should be for every
employee and every job seeker. So tonight, I have asked Vice
President Biden to lead on across-the-board reform
on training programs to make sure they have one mission,
trained Americans with the skills employers need and match
them to good jobs that need to be filled right now.
>> [ Applause ] >>
That means more on-the-job training and more
apprenticeships
that such a young worker on a trajectory for life. It means
connecting companies to community colleges that can help
design training to fill their specific needs. And if Congress
wants to help, you can concentrate funding unproven
programs that connect more ready to work Americans with ready to
be filled jobs.
I'm also convinced we can help Americans return to the
workforce faster by reforming
unemployment insurance so that it's more effective in today's
economy. But first,
this Congress needs to restore the unemployment insurance you
just let expire 41.6 million people. --
for 1.6 million people. >> [ Applause ]
>> [ Cheering ] >> Let me tell you why. Macy
DeMars is a mug
-- mother of two young boys. She has been
unemployed since a teenager, she has never collected
unemployment benefits, she had paid her taxes
, MA, she and her husband used their life savings to buy their
first home. A week later, budget cuts claimed the jobs that she
loved.
Last month, when their unemployment insurance was cut
off, she sat down and wrote me a letter, the kind I get every
day.
We are the face of the unemployment crisis, she wrote.
I am not dependent on the government, our country depends
on people like us to build careers. Contribute to society.
Care about our neighbors.
I'm confident that in time, I will find a job, I will pay my
taxes,
and we will raise our children in their own home in the
community we love. Please give us this chance.
>>
Congress, give these hard-working, responsible
Americans that chance. >> [ Applause ]
>> Give them that chance. >> [ Applause ]
>> Give them a chance. >> [ Applause ]
>>
They need our help right now, but more importantly, this
country needs them in the game.
That's why I have been asking CEOs to give more long-term
unemployed workers a fair shot at new jobs, a new chance to
support their families
. And in fact, this week, many will come to the White House to
make that commitment real.
Tonight, I ask every business leader in America to join us and
do the same because we are stronger when America feels a
full team. >> [ Applause ]
>> Of course, it's not enough to train today's workforce. We
also have to prepare tomorrow's workforce. I guarantee
-- by guaranteeing every child access to world-class education.
>>
And Stephen Rodriguez could not speak a word of English when he
moved to New York City at age 9. But last month, thanks to the
support of great teachers and an innovative tutoring program,
he led a march of his classmates through a crowd of cheering
parents and neighbors
from their high school to the post office where they mailed
off the college applications
. And this son of a factory worker just found out he's going
to college this fall. >> [ Applause ]
>>
Five years ago, we set out to change the odds for all of our
kids.
We worked with lenders to reform student loans and today,
more young people are earning college degrees than ever
before.
Race to the top, with the help of governors from both parties,
have help states raise expectations and performance.
Teachers and principals in schools from Tennessee to
Washington DC are making big strides in preparing students
with the skills for the new economy. Problem solving,
critical thinking, science, technology, and generic, math.
And some of those changes are hard. It requires everything for
more challenging curriculum and more demanding parents to
better support for teachers. And new ways to measure how well
our kids think, not how well they can fill in a bubble on a
test. But, it is worth it. And it is working.
The problem is, we're still not reaching enough kids. And it
has to change.
One of the best investments we can make in a child's life is
high-quality education. >> [ Applause ]
>>
Last year, I ask this Congress to help states make high-quality
pre-K available to every 4-year-old. And as a parent as
well as a
President, I will repeat that request tonight. But in the
meantime, 30 requests have raised pre-K funding on their
own. They know we can't wait. So just as we work with states
to reform our schools,
this here, we will invest in new partnerships with states and
communities across the country in a race to the top for our
youngest children
. And as Congress decides what it is going to do, I'm going to
pull together a coalition of elected officials, business
leaders and philanthropists, willing to help market access to
high-quality pre-K that they need. It is
right for America, we need to get this done.
>> [ Applause ] >>
Last year, I also pledged to connect 99% of our students to
high-speed broadband over the next four years.
Tonight, I can announce that with the support of the FCC if
companies like Apple, Microsoft, Sprint and Verizon,
we've got a down payment to start connecting more than
15,000 schools
and 20 million students over the next two years without
adding a time to the deficit. >> [ Applause ]
>>
We are working to redesign high schools and partner them with
colleges and employers that offer the real-world world
education and heads on training that can lead directly to a job
and career. We are shaking up our system of higher education
to give parents more information and colleges more incentives to
offer better value
so that no middle-class kids priced out of a college
education.
We are offering millions, the opportunity to cap their monthly
student loan payments to 10% of their income.
And I want to work with Congress to see how we can help
even more Americans who feel trapped by student loan debt.
>> [ Applause ] >>
And I'm reaching out to some of America's leading foundations
and corporations on a new initiative to help more young
men of color facing especially tough odds to stay on track and
reach their full potential. The bottom line is, Michele and I
want every child to have the same chance this country gave
us.
We know our opportunity agenda won't be complete and too many
young people entering the workforce today will see the
American dream as an empty promise.
Unless we also do more to make sure our economy honors the
dignity of work
and hard work pays off for everything go American.
>> Now today, women make up about half of our workforce.
But,
they still make $.77 for every dollar that a man earns. That is
wrong. And, in 2014, it is an embarrassment. Women deserve
equal pay for equal work. >> [ Applause ]
>> [ Cheering ] [ Applause ]
>>
Now, she deserves to have a baby without sacrificing her
job. >> A mother deserves a day off
to care for a sick child or a sick parent without running into
hardship. And you know what? A father does, too.
It is time to do away with workplace policy that belongs in
a Mad Men
episode. This here, let's all come together, Congress, the
White House,
businesses from Wall Street to Main Street, to give every woman
the opportunity she deserves because I believe when women
succeed, America succeeds. >> [ Applause ]
>> [ Cheering ] >>
Now,
women hold a majority of lower wage jobs.
But, they are not the only ones stifled by stagnant wages.
Americans understand that some people will earn more money than
others,
and we don't resent those, who by virtue of their efforts,
achieve incredible success. And that is what America is all
about. But, Americans overwhelmingly agreed that no
one who works full-time should ever have to raise a family in
poverty. >> [ Applause ]
>>
In the years since I asked this Congress to raise the minimum
wage, five states have passed laws to raise theirs. Many
businesses have done it on their own.
Josh is here today with his boss John Zarrella,
and Nick helps make the dough. Only now, he makes more of it.
John just gave his employees raise to $10 an hour,
and that is a decision that has eased their financial stress
and boosted their more out. Tonight, I ask more of America's
business leaders to follow John's lead. Do what you can to
raise your employees wages. >> P Mac -- [ Applause ]
>> It's good for the economy and good for America.
To every mayor, governor, state legislator in America, I say,
you don't have to wait for Congress to act. Americans will
support you if you take this on.
And as a chief executive, I intend to lead by example.
Profitable corporations like Costco see higher wages as a
smart way to boost productivity and reduce turnover. We should,
too.
In the coming weeks, I will issue an executive order
requiring federal contractors to pays their federal
contractors to raise their wage wellies $10.10 an hour because
if you cook our troops meals or wash the dishes, you should not
have to live in poverty.
>> [ Applause ]
>> Of course, to reach millions more, Congress needs to get on
board. Today, the federal minimum wage is worth about 20%
less than it was when Ronald Reagan first stood here.
And Tom Harkin and George Miller have a bill to fix that
by lifting the minimum wage to $10.10. It's easy to remember.
This will help families, give business customers with more
money to spend, it does not involve any new bureaucratic
program. So, join the rest of the country, say yes, give
America a raise. >> [ Cheering ] [ Applause ]
>> Give them a raise. >>
There are steps we can take to help them least make ends meet.
And
if you are more effective at reducing inequality and helping
families pull themselves up through hard work than the
earned income tax credit. And right now, it helps half of all
parents at some point. Think about that. It helps about half
of all periods in America at some point in their lives. But I
agree with Republicans like Senator. Rubio,
that it does not do enough for single workers who don't have
kids. So, let's work together to strengthen the credit, reward
works, help more Americans get ahead.
Let's do more to help Americans save for retirement. Today,
most workers don't have a pension.
A Social Security check often isn't enough on its own.
And while the stock market has doubled over the last five
years, that doesn't help folks that don't have 401(k)s. That's
why tomorrow, I'll direct the treasury to create a new way for
working Americans to start their own retirement.
MyIRA. If a new savings bond that
encourages folks to build -- MyRA
guarantees a decent return with no risk of losing what you put
in and if this Congress wants to help, work with me to fix an
upside down
tax code that gives big breaks to help the wealthy states, but
does little or nothing for metal class Americans. Offer every
American access to an IRA
on the job so they can save just like every American on this
chamber can. It's an important investment every Americans make,
their home.
Send me legislation that prevents taxpayers from putting
developer my housing crisis ever again and keeps the dream of
homeownership alive for future generations eared
>> [ Applause ] >>
One last point on financial security. For decades,
few things exposed hard-working families to economic hardship.
More than a broken healthcare system.
And in case you haven't heard, we are in the process of fixing
that.
Now, a pre-existing condition used to mean that somebody like
Amanda Shilling, a physician's assessment and single mom from
Arizona, could not get health insurance. But on January 1, she
got covered. The Mac [ Applause ]
>> On January 3, she felt a sharp pain. On January 6, she
had emergency surgery. Just one week earlier, Amanda said that
surgery would have meant they Cropsey. That is what healthcare
reform is all about. The peace of mind that if misfortune
strikes, you don't have to lose everything. Already, because of
the
affordable care act, more than 3 million Americans under age 26
have gain coverage under their parents plan.
More than 9 million Americans have signed up for private
health insurance or Medicaid coverage.
>> [ Applause ] >> 9 million. And here's another
number. Zero.
Because of this new law, no American, none, zero,
can ever again be dropped or denied coverage for a
pre-existing condition like asthma or back pain or cancer.
>> [ Cheering ] [ Applause ] >>
No woman can ever be charged more just because she is a
woman.
>> [ Applause ] >>
And, we did all of this while adding years to Medicare's
finances, keeping Medicare premiums flat, and lowering
prescription costs for millions of seniors.
Now, I do not expect to convince my Republican friends
on the merits of this law. >> [ Laughter ]
>> But,
I know that the American people are not interested in
refighting old battles. So, again, if you have specific
plans to cut costs, cover more people, increased choice, tell
America what you do differently, let's see if the numbers out
of. But, let's not have another fortysomething votes to repeal a
law that is helping Americans like Amanda.
>> [ Cheering ] [ Applause ] >>
The first 40 were plenty.
We all owe it to the American people to say what we are for,
not just what we are against. And if you want to know the real
impact this has had, just talk to the governor of Kentucky who
is here tonight. Now, Kentucky is not the most liberal part of
the country.
That is not where I got my vote totals. But, he is like a man
possessed when it comes to covering his Commonwealth of
families. The neighbors and friends, he says, are people we
shop and go to church with. Farmers out on the tractor.
Grocery clerks
. They are people who go to work every morning, praying they
don't get sick. No one deserves to live that way.
>> Steve is right.
That is why tonight, I ask every American who knows someone
without health insurance, to help them get covered by March
31. >> [ Applause ]
>> Help them get covered.
Moms, get on your kids to sign up. Kids, call your mom and
walkers are the application.
It will give her some peace of mind, plus, she will appreciate
hearing from you. >> [ Laughter ]
>>
After all, that is the spirit that has always move this nation
forward. It's a spirit of citizenship. The recognition
that through hard work and responsibility,
we can pursue our individual dreams but still come together
as one American family to make sure the next generation can
pursue it streams as well. Citizenship means standing up
for everyone's right to vote. >> [ Applause ]
>>
Last year, part of the voting rights act was weakened, but
conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats are working
together to strengthen it. And the bipartisan commission I
appointed, chaired by my campaign lawyer and Governor.
Romney's campaign lawyer came together and have
offered reform so that no one has to wait more than a
half-hour to vote. Let's support these efforts.
It should be the power of our vote, not the size of our bank
account that drives our democracy.
>> [ Applause ] >>
Citizenship means standing up for the lives that gun violence
steals from us each day.
I've seen the courage of parents, students,
police officers all over the country who say, we are not
afraid.
And I intend to keep trying, with or without Congress to help
stop more tragedies from entering innocent Americans in
our movie theaters or shopping malls or schools like
Sandy Hook.
>> [ Applause ] >>
Citizenship demands a sense of common purpose. Participation in
hard work of self-government. And an obligation to serve our
communities.
And I know this chamber agrees that few Americans give more to
their country than our diplomats and the men and women of the
United States Armed Forces. >> [ Applause ]
>> Thank you.
>> [ Applause ]
Tonight,
because of the extraordinary troops and civilians who risk
and lay down their lives to keep us free, the United States is
more secure. When I took office
nearly 180,000 Americans were serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Today, all of our troops are out of Iraq.
More than 60,000 of our troops have already come home from
Afghanistan
. With Afghan forces now in the league for their own security,
our troops have moved to a support role
. Together with our allies, we will complete our mission there
by the end of this year. And America's longest war will
finally be over. >> [ Applause ]
>>
After 2014,
we will support a unified Afghanistan as it takes
responsibility for its own future.
If the Afghan government signed a security it rumored that we
have negotiated,
a small force of Americans could remain in Afghanistan with
NATO allies to carry out missions,
training and assisting Afghan forces, and counterterrorism
operations to pursue any remnants of Al Qaeda.
And while our relationship with Afghanistan will change, one
thing will not.
I will resolve the terrorists to launch an attack on our
country.
>> [ Applause ] >>
The fact is, that danger remains.
While we put that on the path to defeat, as other affiliates
and extremist take root in other parts of the world, in Yemen,
Somalia, Iraq, we have to keep working with partners to disrupt
and disable those networks.
Inferior, we will support the opposition that rejects the
agenda. Of terrorist networks. Here at home, we will keep
strengthening our defense and combat new threats like cyber
attacks.
And as we reform our defense budget, we will have to keep
faith with our men and women in uniform and invest in the
capabilities they need to succeed in future missions.
>> [ Applause ] >>
We have to remain vigilant.
But I strongly believe our leadership and our security
cannot deep end on our outstanding military alone.
As commander-in-chief, I have used force when needed to
protect the American people. And I will never hesitate to do so
as long as I hold this office.
But, I will not send our troops into harm's way unless it is
truly necessary
, nor will I allow our sons and daughters to be mired in
open-ended complex. We must fight the battles that need to
be fought. Not those that terrorist prefer to us.
Large-scale deployments that drain our strength and may
ultimately these extremists.
So even as we actively and aggressively pursue terrorist
networks
through more targeted efforts and by building the capacity of
our foreign partners, America must move on a per minute
war footing. >>
[ Applause ] That's why I've imposed prudent limits on the
use of drones. For we will not be safer
if people abroad believe we strike within their countries
without regard for the consequence.
That's why working with this Congress, I will reform our
surveillance programs because
the vital work of our intelligence community depends
on public confidence here and abroad that privacy of ordinary
people is not being violated. >> [ Applause ]
>>
And, with the Afghan war ended, this needs to be the year that
Congress lifts the remaining restrictions on detaining
transfers and we close the prison at one time okay. -- At
Guantanamo Bay, because we counterterrorism
I remain true to our constitutional ideal and setting
an example for the rest of the world. You see, in a world of
complex threats, our security, our leadership depends on all
elements of our power. Including strong and principled
diplomacy.
American diplomacy has rallied more than 50 countries to
prevent nuclear materials from falling into the wrong hands.
And allowed us to reduce our own alliance on Cold War
stockpiles. American diplomacy,
backed by the threat of force is why serious chemical weapons
are being illuminated -- eliminated.
>> [ Applause ]
>> And we will continue to work with the international community
to usher in the future that Syrian people deserve, a future
free of dictatorship, terror and fear.
As we speak, American diplomacy is supporting Israelis and
Palestinians
, as they engage in the difficult but necessary talks to
end the conflict there. To achieve dignity. And independent
states for Palestinians. And lasting peace
for the secure state of Israel, a Jewish state that knows
America will always be at their side.
>> [ Applause ]
And it is American diplomacy backed by pressure
that has halted the progress of Iran's nuclear program and
rolled back part of the program for the very first time in a
decade.
As we gather here tonight,
I Ron has begun to eliminate its stockpile of higher levels
of enriched uranium. It's not installing advanced centrifuges
. Unprecedented inspections help the world verify every day that
I Ron is not building a bomb.
And with our allies and partners, we are engaged in
negotiations to see if we can peacefully achieve a goal we all
share. Preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
>> [ Applause ] >>
These negotiations will be difficult. They may not succeed.
We are clear about our Iran's support for representation like
Hezbollah, which
threatens our allies, and we are clear about the mistrust
between our nations, Ms. trust that cannot be wished away. But,
these negotiations don't rely on trust. Any long-term deal we
agree to be based on verifiable action that convinces us and the
international community that I Ron is not building a nuclear
bomb.
If John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan could negotiate with the
Soviet Union
, then surely, a strong and confident America could
negotiate with less powerful adversaries to date.
>> [ Applause ]
The sanctions that we put in place help make this opportunity
possible. But, let me be clear. If this Congress sends me a new
sanctions bill now
that threatens to derail the talks, I will veto it.
For the sake of our national security, we must give diplomacy
a chance to succeed. >> [ Applause ]
>> If Iran's leaders do not seize this opportunity, then
I'll be the first to call for more sanctions.
And stand ready to exercise all options to make sure I Ron does
not build a nuclear weapon. But if I Ron's leaders to seize the
chance, and we will know soon enough, then I Ron could take an
important
death to join the community of nations and we will have
resolved one of the leading security challenges of our time
without the risks. And finally,
let's remember that our leadership is defined, not just
by our defense against threats, but by the enormous
opportunities to do good and promote understanding around the
globe. To forage greater cooperation to expand new
markets, to free people from fear and want. And no one
is better positioned to take advantage of those opportunities
than America.
Our alliance with Europe remains the strongest the world
has ever known. From Tunisia to Burma
, we are supporting those who are willing to do the hard work
of building democracy. In Ukraine,
we stand for the principle that all people have the right to
express themselves freely and peacefully. And to have a say in
their country's future.
Across Africa, we are bringing together businesses and
governments to double access to electricity and help end extreme
poverty.
In the Americas, we are building new types of Congress,
but we are also expanding cultural and educational
exchanges during young people. And we will continue to focus on
the Asia-Pacific where we support our allies,
shape a future of greater security and prosperity, and
extend a hand to those devastated by disaster.
As we did in the Philippines when our Marines and civilians
rushed to aid those battered by a typhoon. And who were greeted
with words like, "we will never forget your
kindness" and "God bless America",
we do these things because they help promote the inherent
dignity and equality of every human being, regardless of race
or religion, creed or *** orientation.
Next week, the world will see one expression on that
commitment and team USA marches the red white and blue into the
Olympic Stadium and brings home the gold.
>> [ Cheering ] [ Applause ] >>
[ Cheering ] >>
My fellow Americans, no other country in the world does what
we do
, on every issue. The world turns to us
, not simply because of the size of our economy or our military
might, but because the ideals we stand for. And the burdens we
buried to advanced them.
No one knows this better than those who serve in uniform.
As this time the board draws to a close, a new generation of
heroes returns to civilian life.
We will keep slashing that backlog so our veterans receive
the benefits they have earned and our wounded warriors receive
healthcare, including the mental health care that they
need. >> [ Applause ]
>>
We will keep working to help all of our veterans translate
their skills and leadership in the jobs here at home,
and we will all continue to join forces to honor and support
our remarkable military families.
Let me tell you about one of those families I have come to
know. I first met Cory Ramsburg, a proud Army Ranger, at Omaha
Beach on the 65th anniversary of D-Day. Along with some of his
fellow Rangers, he walked me through the
program and ceremony and he was a strong, impressive young man,
had an easy manner, sharp as a tack. And we joked around and
took pictures and I told him to stay in touch. A few months
later, on his 10th deployment, Cory was nearly killed by a
massive roadside bomb in Afghanistan.
His comrades found him in a canal facedown, underwater,
shrapnel in his brain. For months, he lay in a coma. And
the next time I met him in the hospital, he couldn't speak. He
could barely move. Over the years, he has endured dozens of
surgeries and procedures. Hours of
ruling rehab every day. Even now, Cory is still blind in one
eye. Still struggles on his left side. But slowly, steadily
, with the support of caregivers like his dad, Craig, and the
community around him, Cory has grown stronger
. Day by day, he has learned to speak again and stand again and
walk again
. And he is working toward the day when he can serve his
country again.
>> My recovery has not been easy, he says. Nothing in life
that is worth anything is easy.
Cory is here tonight, and like the Army loves, like the America
he serves, Sergeant. first class Cory Ramsburg never gives
up and he does not quit. >> [ Cheering ] [ Applause ]
[ Cheering ]
[ Cheering ] [ Cheering ]
[ Applause ]
>> My fellow American
, my fellow Americans, the men and women like Cory remind us
that America has never come easy . Our freedom, our democracy has
never been easy.
Sometimes, we stumble. We make mistakes, we get frustrated and
discouraged. But, for more than 200 years, we have put those
things aside. And placed our collective shoulder to the wheel
of progress
, to create and build and expand the possibilities of individual
achievement, to free other nations from tyranny and fear,
to promote justice and fairness and equality
under the law, so that the words set to paper by our
founders are made real for every citizen.
The America we want for our kids
, a rising America where honest work is plentiful and
communities are strong, for prosperity is widely shared and
opportunity for all let us go as far as our dreams and toil will
take us, none of it is easy.
But, if we work together, if we summon what is best in us, The
Way, Cory summoned what is best in him,
with our feet planted firmly in today, but our eyes cast for
tomorrow, I know it is within our reach.
Believe me. God bless you, and God bless the United States of
America. >> [ Applause ]
>> [ Cheering ]
>>
[ Applause ]
[ Captioners transitioning ]
What an honor it is for me to be with you after the president
state of the union. Tonight we honor America. A nation that has
witnessed the greatest rise of freedom and opportunity our
world has ever seen. A nation where we are not defined by our
limits but by our potential. A nation where a girl who works at
the
McDonald's drive-through to help pay for college can be with you
from either the United States capital. But the most important
moments right now are not happening here. They are not in
the Oval Office or in the House chamber. They are in your homes,
kissing your kids
good night. Figuring out how to pay the bills and getting ready
for tomorrow's doctors visit. Waiting for to hear from those
you love serving in Afghanistan or searching for that big job
interview.
After all,
we, the people can't have been the foundation of America since
the earliest days, people from all walks of life and from all
corners of the world. People who come to America
because here know challenge is too great and no dream too big.
That is the genius of America. >> Tonight the president made
more promises that sound good
but won't actually solve the problems facing Americans. We
want you to have a better life. The president wants
that too. But we part ways when it comes to how to make that
happen.
So tonight I would like to share a more hopeful Republican
vision,
one that
empowers you, not the government. It's one that
champions free markets and trust people to make their own
decisions. Not a government that decides for you. It helps
working families rise above the limits of poverty
and protect our most vulnerable. And it's one where Washington
plays by the same rules that you do. It's a vision that is fair
and offers the promise of a better future for every
American.
If you would have told me as a little girl that I would one day
put my hand on the Bible and be sworn in as the 200 woman to
these serving in the House of Representatives, I would not
have thought it possible. I grew up working on my family's
Orchard and kettle Falls a small town in Washington
getting up before dawn to pick apples. My dad drove a school
bus and my mom worked as a part times a teacher. They taught me
to work hard, help others and always dream for more. So
when I showed my for age animals at the county fair, my parents
used to say to me, Kathy, you need to say this money so you
can go to college one day. And so I did. I saved. I
worked hard. And I became the first in my family to graduate
from college. The chance to go from my Washington to this one
was unexpected. I came to Congress to help empower people.
Not politicians. To grow the working middle class. Not
the government. And to ensure that everyone in this country
can find a job. Because a job is so much more than a paycheck.
It gives
us purpose. Dignity. And the foundation to build a future. I
was single when I
was elected. But it wasn't long before I met Brian, a retired
Navy commander, and now we have three beautiful children, one
who was born just eight weeks ago. Like all parents, we have
high hopes and dreams for our children. But we also know what
it is like to face challenges. Three days after our son was
born, we got news no parent expects. Coal was diagnosed with
Down's syndrome. The doctors told us he could have endless
complications, heart defects, even early Alzheimer's. They
told us all
the problems. But when we looked at our son, we saw only
possibilities. We sought a gift from
God. And today, we see a six-year-old boy who dances to
Bruce Springsteen, who reads above grade level and who is the
best brother in the world. We see all the things he
can do
. Not those he cannot. And Cole and his sisters have only made
me more determined to see the potential in every human life
that whether we are born with an extra 21st chromosome or
without a dollar to our name, we are not defined by our limits
but by our potential. Because our mission, not only as
Republicans, but as Americans, is to once again ensure that we
are not bound by where we come from but empowered by what we
can become. That is
the gap Republicans are working to close. It's a gap we all
face. Between where you are and where you want to be. The
president talks a lot about income
inequality. But the real gap we face today is one of opportunity
and equality. And with this administrations policies, that
gap has become far too wide. We see
this gap growing every single day. We see it in our neighbors
who are struggling to find jobs. A husband, who is now working
just part-time. A child, who dropped out of college because
she cannot afford tuition, or parents who are outliving their
lives savings. Last month more Americans stopped looking for a
job them
found one. Too many people are falling further and further
behind. Because right now
the president policies are making people's
lives harder. Republicans have plans to close
the gap
, plans that will focus on jobs first without more spending,
government bailouts, and red tape. Every day we are working
to expand our economy. One a manufacturing job, nursing
degree, and small business at a time. We have plans to improve
our education and training systems so you have the choice
to determine where your kids go to school. So college
is affordable. And skilled training is modernized.
And yes, it is time to honor our history of
legal immigration. We are working on a step-by-step
solution to immigration reform I first securing our orders and
making sure America will always attract
the best, brightest, and hardest working from around the world.
And with too many Americans living paycheck to paycheck, we
have solutions to help
you take home more of your pay through lower taxes, cheaper
energy costs, and
affordable healthcare. Not long ago, I got a letter from Betty
in Spokane who had hoped the president health
care love would save her money. But found out instead her
premiums were going
up nearly
$700 a month. We've all talked to too many people who have
received cancellation notices they did not expect. Or who can
no longer see the doctors they always have. No. We should not
go back to the way things were. But this law is
not working.
Republicans believe health care choices should be yours, not
the government. And that whether you are a boy with down
syndrome or a woman with breast cancer, you can find coverage
and a doctor who will treat you. So we hope the president will
join us
in a year of real action by empowering people, not by making
their lives harder with unprecedented spending, higher
taxes, and fewer jobs. As Republicans, we advance these
plans every day because we believe in a government that
trusts people that does not limit where you finish because
of where you started. That is what we stand for. It's for an
America that is every bit as compassionate as it is
exceptional. If we are successful, years from now our
children will say -- we rebuild the American dream.
We build a working middle class that could take in anyone and a
workforce that could take on
the world. Whether you are a girl in kettle Falls or a boy
from Brooklyn, our children should be able to say that we
close the gap. Our plan is one that dreams big for everyone and
turns it back on no one. The president said many things
tonight. But now I asked him to listen to you. For the true
state of the union lies in your hearts and in your
home. Tomorrow I will watch my son Cole get on the school bus
and others will
wait in the doctors office or interview for that first job.
Some of us will celebrate new beginnings. Others will face
great challenges. But all of us will wake up and do what is
uniquely American. We will look forward to the balance potential
that lies ahead. We will
give thanks to the brave men and women who have answered
America's call to freedom like Sergeant. Jacob has from
Spokane who recently gave his life to protect all of ours. So
tonight I simply offer a prayer. A prayer for Sergeant. Hess's
family ,
your family, and four hours larger American family. That
with the guidance of God,
we may
prove ourselves worthy of his blessings of life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness. For when we embrace of these gifts,
we are each doing our part to form a more perfect union. May
God guide you and our president and may God continue to bless
the United States
of America. >> [
Pause ]
>>
Good evening. I'm a senator Mike Lee from
Utah. In
the few minutes I have tonight I would like to speak especially
to those Americans who may feel they've been forgotten by both
political parties, those individuals and families who
work hard and play by the rules and balance their budgets, honor
the Golden rule and do not understand why their government
in Washington cannot do the same. You are probably as
frustrated as I am about an ever-growing government that
somehow thinks it's okay to lie to spy on and even target its
own citizens. Many hard-working Americans are discouraged and
wondering what, if anything, can be done.
I think we need to do what Americans have always done, come
together and press for positive change.
Protesting against dysfunctional government is a great American
tradition.
Going back to the original tea party and Boston about 240
years ago
, Americans have a natural instinct to stand up and speak
out when they know something is grok wrong. In 1773 Americans
have simply had it with the London-based national government
that had become too big, too expensive, and far too
intrusive.
It's important to note, however, that had the founding
generation stopped at just protesting against the kind of
government Americans did not want, the Boston tea party would
have been a little more than a footnote in history.
At most it would have been remembered as just one more
futile protest against an abusive national government.
Fortunately for all of us, those early patriots moved on from
Boston. And moved hast their protest against the government
they did not want. They
marched forward on a road toward the kind of government they
did want.
It took them 14 long years to get from Boston to Philadelphia,
where they created, with our Constitution, the kind of
government they did want. In America, the test of any
political movement is not what that movement is against but
what it is for. The founders made
a point at Boston Harbor. But they made history in
Philadelphia's Independence Hall. Unfortunately in
recent years, we've had no choice but to engage in a number
of protest. Against our
current president Washington centered agenda. As Americans,
we must always be willing to fight the Boston type battles.
Boldly
calling out bad policy whenever we see. But we must do so with
an eye toward Philadelphia, maintaining a positive focus on
the kind of nation we want to be and
become. Today Americans know in their heart that something is
wrong. Much of what is wrong related to the
sense that the American dream is falling out of reach for far
too many
of us.
We are facing and inequality crisis, one to which the
president has paid a lipservice but seems uninterested in truly
confronting or correcting. This inequality crisis
presents itself in three principal forms. Immobility
among
the poor,
who are being trapped in poverty by big government
programs, insecurity and the middle class, where families are
struggling just to get ahead and they cannot seem to do much
more than that, and cronies have lived at the top where
political and economic insiders twist the immense power of the
federal government to profit at the expense of everyone else. To
be fair, President. Obama and his party did not create all of
these
problems. The Republican establishment in Washington can
be just as out of touch as the Democratic establishment.
However, tonight, as on numerous occasions of late, the
president lost
the rhetoric ignored the fact that his administration
continues to leave poor and middle-class families further
behind while he and his allies insist that the real
problem is inequality itself. But where does this new
inequality come from?
From government. Every time it takes rights and opportunities
away from the American people and gives them instead
to politicians, bureaucrats, and special interest. Inequality.
Real
inequality is trapping poor children in failing schools
to benefit bureaucrats and union bosses. It's penalizing low
income parents for getting married or getting better jobs.
It's
guaranteeing insurance companies taxpayer bailouts if
Obamacare cuts into their profits. Inequality is blocking
thousands of middle-class jobs in the energy industry as a
favor to partisan donors and radical environmental activist.
Inequality is denied but viable unborn children any protection
under the
law while
adjusting unsanitary late-term abortion clinics from basic
safety standards. It's denying citizens their right to define
marriage in their states as traditionally or as broadly as
their diverse values
dictate. It's the federal government turning rural
communities, especially in the West by controlling and
mismanaging public
lands. It's changing the laws without congressional approval
and spying on American citizens without constitutional
authority. And of course, Obamacare. All by itself
is an inequality Godzilla that has robbed working families of
their insurance, their doctors, their wages and their jobs. Many
Americans are now seeing why some of us fought so hard to
stop this train wreck over the last four years. Government
driven inequality is the
reason why as hard-working American families across the
company struggled to make
ends meet. Six of the 10 wealthiest counties in America
are now suburbs of Washington DC. Throughout the last five
years, President. Obama has
promised an economy for the middle class. But all he has
delivered is an economy from the middlemen. Tonight his party
cheered as he asked for more of the same, as if the solution to
inequality were -- well,
more inequality. Critics might push back and argue that my own
party has been part of
the problem. Too often joining the Democrats to rig our economy
to benefit of the well-connected at the expense of
the disconnected. I know because I am one of those
critics. But I am speaking to you tonight because I think
maybe, just maybe, that is finally starting
to change. As a nation, we are once again at a critical turning
point. Now, as in 1773, Americans have had it with our
out of touch national government. But if all we do
is protest, our Boston tea party moment will occupy little more
than a footnote in our history. Hopefully
our leaders, reformers and citizens, will join the journey
from Boston to
Philadelphia from the test to progress. Together we can march
forward and take the road that leads to the kind of government
we do want. We have a new generation of leaders in
Washington, with positive and innovative ideas. Thoughtful
policy reforms as my friend tended -- Senator. Ted Cruz says
makes BC listen. Reforms to help poor families work
their way
into the middle class and to help middle class families get
ahead and to level the playing field and put corporate and
political insiders back to work for the rest of us. Conservative
reformers like Senator. Marco Rubio, commerce meant Paul Ryan,
and
Congressman Jim Jordan are working on new welfare reform
ideas to help underprivileged families
escape poverty. Senator. rand Paul and I are working with some
of the most liberal Democrats in Congress to reform the
criminal justice system and to
help keep violent predators behind bars while
creating opportunities for nonviolent offenders to return
to the families and neighborhoods that so
desperately
need them. Senator. John cordon has legislation that would
empower states to
impose
K through 12 education throughout the country. Senator.
Tim Scott has reforms to improve our job training
programs and I've introduced a bill to modernize higher
education, making it more accessible and more affordable
for lower income and non- traditional student. Congressman
Tom Grace has a transportation reform bill to ensure that our
infrastructure dollars are invested in roads and bridges
and not wasted on bureaucrats and special
interest. Congressman Mike Pompeo introduced a bill to and
all federal subsidies for the energy
industry. And other as a working not proposals to do the same
for every industry know that business profits are one from
customers and not true political connections. After all, if we
are
going to reform welfare, we really should start with
corporate welfare. One of the that should directly help you
and your family is the bill I
have introduced to simplify the tax code and provide relief from
the hidden double tax that Washington currently imposes on
working parents. Especially moms and dads in the
middle class. When it comes to health care, we know the best
way to repeal Obamacare is to go deliver better solutions. We
can't just return to the old system. Healthcare policy used
to give too much power to insurance companies. Obamacare
now gives far too much power to government. We
know that real reform will put healthcare dollars and decisions
where they belong in the hands of patients and families and
their doctors and nurses. So reformers in both the House and
the Senate are hard at work developing new patient Center
reforms to control
healthcare costs, ensure access to affordable coverage for all
Americans, and provide extra help for the poor and the sick.
All
of these proposals, within this new conservative reform agenda,
along with many more to come, what Mark the road to
Philadelphia. These principles and these policies will work.
And will put Americans back to work. Not just by cutting big
government but
by fixing
broken government. Not just by making government smaller but by
promoting bigger citizens, stronger families, and more
heroic communities. Our goal should be an America where
everyone has a fair chance to pursue happiness and find it.
That is what it looks like when protest grows
into reform.
So if you are one of those Americans that big government is
leaving behind, if you work hard, play by the rules, and
teacher kids to do the same, I want you to know that your
family will not be forgotten anymore. This new generation
of reformist still has a long way to go to win over our party
in Washington and even further to go to earn
your trust. I'm confident that our best days as a nation are
ahead of us, not because of government, but because within
America's diverse society
of individuals, and families and neighborhoods and churches and
businesses and
communities, freedom does not mean you are on your own.
Freedom means we are all in this together. I invite you to join
us on the road to a more
prosperous America. Together we can create the kind of
government we do want and the kind of nation our children and
grandchildren deserve. Thank you very much for your time. Good
night and