Mr Speaker Madam vice president our first lady and second gentleman good to see you guys up there members of Congress by the way chief justice I may need a court order she gets to go to the the game tomorrow next week I have to stay home got to work something out here members of the cabinet leaders of our military chief justice associate Justice and retired Justice Supreme Court and to you my fellow Americans you know uh I start tonight by congratulating 118th Congress the new Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy speaker I don't want to ruin your reputation but I look forward to working with you and I want to congratulate the new leader of the House Democrats the first African-American minority leader in history Hakeem Jeffries if you want to despite the fact I campaigned for him congratulations the longest serving leader in the history of the United States Senate Mitch McConnell where are you Mitch and congratulations to Chuck Schumer another uh you know another term is was Senate minority leader uh you know I think you uh you know this time you have a slightly bigger majority Mr leader you're the majority leader about that much bigger well I tell you what I want to give special recognition to someone who I think is going to be considered the greatest speaker in the history of the House of Representative Nancy Pelosi folks the story of America is a story of progress and resilience of always moving forward of never ever giving up there's a story unique among all nations we're the only country that has emerged from every crisis we've ever entered stronger than we got into it look folks that's what we're doing again two years ago the economy was Reeling I stand here tonight after we've created with the help of many people in this room 12 million new jobs more jobs created in two years than any president's created in four years because of you all because of the American people two years ago and two years ago covet had shut down our businesses were closed our schools were robbed of so much and today covert no longer controls Our Lives and two years ago democracy faced his greatest threats in the Civil War and today though bruised our democracy remains unbowed and Unbroken thank you As We Gather here tonight we're ready in the next chapter in The Great American story a story of progress and resilience when world leaders asked me to Define America and they do believe it or not because I can Define it in one word and I mean this possibilities we don't think anything is beyond our capacity everything is a possibility you know we're often told that Democrats and Republicans can't work together but over the past two years we've proved the cynics and naysayers wrong yes we disagreed plenty and yes there were times when Democrats went alone but time and again Democrats and Republicans came together came together to defend us stronger and safer Europe it came together to pass one in the Gen one in a generation once in a generation infrastructure law Building Bridges connecting our nation and our people we came together to pass the most significant law ever helping victims expose the toxic burn pits and in fact foreign in fact I signed over 300 bipartisan pieces of legislation since becoming president from reauthorizing the violence against women act the Electoral count Reform Act the respect for marriage act that protects the right to marry the person you love and to my Republican friends if we could work together the last Congress there's no reason we can't work together and find consensus on important things in this Congress as well I think folks folks you all are as formed as I am but I think the people sent us a clear message fighting for the sake of fighting power for the sake of power Conflict for the sake of conflict gets us nowhere that's always been my vision of our country and I know it's many viewers to restore the soul of this nation to rebuild the backbone of America America's middle class and to unite the country we've been sent here to finish the job in my view for decades the middle class has been hollowed out in more than and not know one Administration but for a long time too many good pain manufacturing jobs move overseas factories closed down once thriving cities and towns that many of you represent became Shadows of what they used to be along the way something else we lost Pride our sense of self-worth I ran for president to fundamentally change things to make sure our economy works for everyone so we can all feel that pride in what we do to build an economy from the bottom up in the middle out not from the top down because when the middle class does well the poor have a ladder up and the wealthy still do very well we all do well I know a lot of you always kidding me for always quoting my dad but my dad used to say Joey and job's about a lot more than a paycheck because you really would say this it's about a lot more than a paycheck it's about your dignity it's about respect it's about being able to look your kid in the eye and say honey it's going to be okay and mean it folks so let's look at the results we're not finished yet by any stretch of the imagination but unemployment rate is at 3.4 percent a 50-year low record the near record unemployment near record unemployment for Black and Hispanic workers we've already created your help eight hundred thousand good paying manufacturing jobs the fastest growth in 40 years thank you and where is it written where is it written that America can't lead the world in manufacturing and I don't know where that's written for too many decades we imported projects and exported jobs now thanks to what you've all done we're exporting American products and creating American jobs inflation has been a global problem because the pandemic disrupted our supply chains and Putin's unfair and brutal war in Ukraine disrupted energy supplies as well as Food Supplies blocking all that grain in Ukraine but we're a better position than any country on Earth right now but we have more to do but here at home inflation is coming down here at home gas prices are down a dollar fifties from their Peak food inflation is coming down not fast enough but coming down inflation has fallen every month for the last six months or take-home pay has gone up additionally over the last two years a record 10 million Americans apply to start new businesses 10 million and by the way every time every time someone starts in small businesses an act of Hope and Madam vice president I want to thank you for leading that effort to ensure the small businesses have access to Capital and the historic laws we enacted that are going to just come into being standing here last year I shared with you a story of American genius and possibilities semiconductors small computer chips the size of a fingerprint that power everything from cell phones to Automobiles and so much more these chips were invented in America let's get that straight they're invented in America we used to make 40 of the world's chips in the last several decades we lost our Edge we're down only producing 10 percent we all saw what happened during the pandemic when chip factories shut down overseas today's automobiles need 3 000 chips each of those automobiles but American automobiles couldn't make enough cars because there weren't enough chips car prices went up people got laid off so did everything from refrigerators to cell phones we can never let that happen again that's why that's why we came together to pass the bipartisan chips and science Act [Music] folks I know I've been criticized for saying this but I'm not changing my view we're going to make sure the supply chain for America begins in America the supply chain begins in America we've already created we've already created 800 000 new manufacturing jobs without this law before the law get kicks in with this new law we're going to create hundreds of thousands of new jobs across the country I mean all across the country throughout not just the coast but through the middle of the country as well that's going to come from companies that have announced more than 300 billion dollars in investment in American manufacturing over the next few years outside of Columbus Ohio Intel is building semiconductor factories on a thousand acres literally a Field of Dreams it's going to create 10 000 jobs that one investment seven thousand construction jobs three thousand jobs in those factories once they're finished they call them factors jobs paying an average of a hundred and thirty thousand dollars a year and many do not require a college degree jobs because we work together these jobs where people don't have to leave home to search for opportunity it's just getting started think about the new homes the small businesses the big the medium-sized businesses so much more that's going to be needed to support those three thousand those three thousand permanent jobs the factories that are going to be built talk to Mayors and governors Democrats and Republicans and they'll tell you what this means for their communities we're seeing these Field of Dreams transform into the heartland but to maintain the strongest economy in the world we need the best infrastructure in the world oh no we used to be number one in the world in infrastructure we've sunk to third teeth in the world the United States of America 13th in the world and infrastructure modern infrastructure but now we're coming back because we came together and passed the bipartisan infrastructure law the largest investment infrastructure since President Eisenhower's interstate highway system already we've funded over 20 000 projects including major airports from Boston to Atlanta to Portland projects are going to put thousands of people to work rebuilding our highways our bridges our railroads our tunnels ports airports clean water high-speed internet all across America Urban rural tribal and folks were just getting started we're just getting started thank you and I mean you sincerely I want to thank my Republican friends who voted for the law and my Republican friends who voted against it as well but I'm still I I still get asked to fund the projects in those districts as well but don't worry I promised I'd be a president for all Americans we'll fund these projects and I'll see you at the groundbreaking look this law this law will further unite all of America projects like Brent spent bridge in Kentucky over the Ohio River built 60 years ago badly needed repairs one of the nation's most congested Freight routes carrying two billion dollars worth of freight every single day across the Ohio River and folks have been talking about fixing for decades but we're really finally going to get it done I went there last month with Democrats and Republicans and from both states to deliver a commitment of 1.6 billion dollars for this project while I was there I met a young woman named Sarah who's here tonight I don't know where Sarah is the chef in the Box I don't know Sarah how are you well Sarah for 30 years for 30 years I learned she told me she'd been a proud member of the Iron Workers Local 44 known as known as the Cowboys in the sky the folks who built built Cincinnati skyline Sarah said she can't wait to be 10 stories above the Ohio River Building that new bridge God bless her that's pride and that's where also building we're building back Pride look we're also replacing poisonous lead pipes that go into 10 million homes in America 400 000 school and Child Care Centers so every child in America every child American drink the water instead of having permanent damage to their brain look we're making sure that every community every community in America has access to Affordable high-speed internet no parent should have to drive by McDonald's parking lot to help them do their farm work online or their kids which many thousands were doing across the country and when we do these projects and again I get criticized this is why I make no excuses for it we're going to buy American we're going to buy America folks and it's totally it's totally consistent with International Trade rules why America has been the law since 1933 but for too long past administration is Democrat and Republican have fought to get around it not anymore tonight I'm announcing new standards required all construction materials used in federal infrastructure projects to be made in America made in America I mean it Lumber glass drywall fiber optic cable and I might watch American roads Bridges and American highways are going to be made with American Products as well folks my economic plan is about investing in places and people that have been forgotten so many of you listen to me tonight I know you feel it so many of you felt like you've just simply been forgotten I made the academic upheaval of the past four decades too many people have been left behind and treated like they're invisible maybe that's you watching from home remember the jobs that went away you remember them don't you Folks at home remember them you wonder whether the path even exists anymore for your children to get ahead without having to move away well that's why I get that that's why we're building an economy where no one's left behind jobs are coming back pride is coming back because choices we made in the last several years you know this is my view of blue collar blueprint to rebuild America and make a real difference in your lives at home for example too many of you lay in bed at night like my dad did staring at the ceiling wondering wasn't God names happens if your spouse gets cancer or your child gets deadly ill or something happens to you what are you going to gain money to pay for those medical bills or you're gonna have to sell the house or try to get a second mortgage on it I get it I get it with the inflation reduction act that I signed into law we're taking on powerful interest to bring health care costs down so you can sleep better at night with more security you know we pay more for prescription drugs than any nation in the world let me say it again we pay more for prescription drugs than any major Nation on Earth for example one in 10 Americans has diabetes many of you in this chamber do and then the audience but every day Millions need insulin to control their diabetes so they can literally stay alive insulin's been around for over a hundred years the guy or invented didn't even patent him because he wanted to be available for everyone it costs the drug companies roughly ten dollars a vial to make that insulin package it and all you may get up to thirteen dollars but big Pharma has been unfairly charging people hundreds of dollars four to five hundred dollars a month making record profits not anymore not anymore so so many things that we did are only now coming to fruition we said we were doing this and we said we passed the law to do it but people didn't know because the law didn't take effect until January 1 of this year we capped the cost of insulin at 35 a month for seniors on Medicare people are just finding out I'm sure you're getting the same calls I'm getting look there are millions of other Americans who do not or are not on Medicare including two hundred thousand young people with type 1 diabetes in these needless insulin to stay alive let's finish the job this time let's cap the cost of instance for everybody at 35 dollars folks the big Farmer's still going to do very well I promise you all I promise you they're going to do very well this law saw this law also caps and won't go into effect on the 2025 cost out-of-pocket drug costs for seniors on Medicare at a maximum of two thousand dollars a year you don't have to pay more than two thousand dollars no matter how much your drug costs are because you know why you all know it many of you like many of my family have cancer you know the drugs can range from 10 11 14 15 000 for the Cancer drugs the drug prices rise faster than inflation drug companies are going to have to pay Medicare back the difference we're finally and finally giving Medicare the power to negotiate drug prices bringing down bringing down prescription drug costs doesn't just save seniors money it cuts the federal deficit by billions of dollars by hundreds of billions of dollars because these prescription drugs are drugs purchased by Medicare to make keep their commitment to the seniors well guess what instead of paying four or five hundred bucks a month you're paying 15. that's a lot of savings for the federal government and by the way why wouldn't we want that now some members here are threatening and I know it's not an official party position so I'm not I'm going to exaggerate but certainly to repeal the inflation reduction Act as my coach that's okay that's fair as my football coach used to say lots of luck in your senior year thank you make no mistake if you try anything to raise the cost of producing jobs I will veto it look I'm pleased to say the more Americans helpful to have health insurance now than ever in history a record 16 million people are enrolled in the Affordable Care Act and thanks thanks for the Live sign last year saving millions of saving 800 a year on their premiums by the way that law was written and the benefit expires in 2025. so my plea to some of you at least in this audience let's finish the job and make these savings permanent expand coverage on Medicaid look the inflation reduction Act is also the most significant investment ever in climate change ever created American jobs leading the world to a clean energy future I visited the devastating aftermath of record floods droughts storms and wildfires from Arizona New Mexico to all the way up to the Canadian border more Timber has been burned and I've observed from helicopters then the entire state of Missouri and we don't have global warming not a problem in addition to emergency recovery from Puerto Rico to Florida to Idaho we're rebuilding for the long term new electric grids that are able to weather major storms and not prevent those forest fires roads and Water Systems withstand the next big flood clean energy to cut pollution and create jobs and communities often left behind we're going to build 500 000 electric vehicle charging stations installed across the country by tens of thousands of IBEW workers and we're helping families save more than a thousand dollars a year with tax credits to purchase electric vehicles and efficient and efficient appliances energy efficient appliances historic conservation efforts to be responsible stewards of our land let's face reality the climate crisis doesn't care if you're in a red or blue state it's an existential threat we have an obligation not to ourselves but our children or grandchildren to confront it I'm proud of how the how America at last is stepping up to the challenge we're still going to need oil and gas for a while but guess what no we do but there's so much more to do we got to finish the job and we pay for these investments in our future by finally making the wealthiest and biggest corporations begin to pay their fair share just began well God with capitalist I'm a capitalist but pay your fair share I think a lot of you at home a lot of you at home agree with me and many people that you know the tax system is not fair it is not fair look the idea that in 2020 55 of the largest corporations in America the fortune 500. made 40 billion dollars in profits and paid zero in federal taxes zero folks it's simply not fair but now because of the law I signed billion dollar companies have to pay a minimum of 15 God loved them 15 percent that's less than a nurse pays and I need to be crystal clear I said at the very beginning under my plans as long as I'm president nobody earning less than four hundred thousand dollars will pay an additional penny in taxes nobody not one penny but let's finish the job there's more to do we have to reward work not just wealth pass my proposal for the billionaire minimum tax you know there's a thousand billionaires in America it's up from about 600 in the beginning of time but no billionaire should be paying a lower tax rate than the school teacher or firefighter think about it I mean look I know you aren't enthusiastic about that but think about it think about it have you noticed Big Oil just reported as profits record profits last year they made 200 billion dollars in the midst of a global energy crisis I think it's outrageous why they invested too little of that profit increased domestic production and when I talked to a couple of them they say we're afraid you're going to shut down all the oil wells and all the oil refineries anyway so why should we invest in them I said we're going to need oil for at least another decade and that's going to exceed and beyond that we're gonna need it production if they had in fact invested in the production to keep gas prices down instead they used the record profits to buy back their own stock rewarding the CEOs and shareholders corporations ought to do the right thing that's why I propose we quadruple the tax on corporate stock BuyBacks and occurs long long-term Investments they'll still make considerable profit let's finish the job and close the loophole to allow very wealthy to avoid paying their taxes instead of cutting the number of orders for wealthy taxpayers I just signed a law to reduce the deficit by 114 billion dollars by cracking down on Wealthy tax sheets fast speed fiscally responsible in the last two years my Administration has cut the deficit by more than 1.7 trillion dollars
the largest deficit reduction in American history under the previous administration the American deficit went up four years in a row because those record deficits no president added more to the national debt in any four years than my predecessor nearly 25 percent of the entire national debt that took over 200 years to accumulate was added by just one Administration alone the last one they're the facts check it out check it out [Applause] how did Congress respond to that debt they did the right thing they lifted the debt ceiling three times without preconditions or crisis they paid American bills to prevent an economic disaster of the country so tonight I'm asking the Congress to follow suit let's commit here tonight to the full-fated credit of the United States America will never ever be questioned so my many some of my Republican friends want to take the economy hostage I get it unless I agree to the economic plans all of you at home should know what those plans are instead of making the wealthy pay their fair share some Republicans some Republicans want Medicare and Social Security Sunset I'm not saying it's a majority let me give you anybody who doubts it contact my office I'll give you a copy I'll give you a copy of The Proposal that means Congress doesn't vote well I'm glad to see you now I tell you I enjoy conversion Congress doesn't keep the programs the way they are they'd go away other Republicans say I'm not saying it's a majority of you I don't even think it's even a significant but it's being proposed by by individuals I'm not politely not naming is being proposed by some of you look folks the idea is that we're not going to be we're not going to be moved into being threatened to default on the debt if we don't respond folks so folks as we all apparently agree Social Security Medicare is often off the books now right all right I'm ready we got unanimity Social Security Medicare are Lifeline for millions of seniors Americans have to pay into them from the very first paycheck they started so tonight let's all agree and apparently we are let's stand up for seniors stand up and show them will not cut Social Security we will not cut Medicare those benefits belong to the American people they earned it and if anyone tries to cut Social Security which apparently no one's going to do and if anyone tries to cut Medicare I'll stop them I'll veto it and book I'm not going to allow them to take away be taken away not today not tomorrow not ever but apparently it's not going to be a problem next month when I offer my fiscal plan I asked my Republican friends to lay down their plan as well I really mean it let's sit down together and discuss our mutual plans together let's do that I can tell you the plan I'm going to show is going to cut the deficit by another two trillion dollars and it won't cut a single bit of Medicare or self-security in fact we're going to extend the Medicare trust fund at least two decades because that's going to be the next argument how do we make keep it solvent right well will not raise tax anyone making under 400 Grand but will pay for it the way we talked about by making sure that the wealthy and big corporations pay their fair share look look here's the deal they're not just taking advantage of the tax code they're taking advantage you the American Consumer here's my message to all of you out there I have your back we're already preventing Americans from receiving surprise medical bills stopping one billion dollar surprise bills per month so far for protecting seniors life savings by cracking down in nursing homes that commit fraud endanger patient safety prescribe drugs that are not needed millions of Americans can now save thousands of dollars because they can finally get a hearing aid over the counter without a prescription look capitalism without competition is not capitalism it's extortion is exploitation last year I cracked down with the help of many of you on foreign shipping companies that were making you pay higher prices for every good coming into the country I signed a bipartisan bill that cut shipping costs by 90 percent helping American farmers businessmen and consumers let's finish the job pass the bipartisan legislation of strength and strengthen and Trust enforcement and forbid and prevent big online platforms giving their own products an unfair advantage thank you my Administration has also taking on junk fees surcharges too many companies use to make you pay more for example we're making Airlines show you the full ticket price up front refund your money if your flight is canceled or delayed we've reduced exorbitant Bank overdrafts by Saving consumers more than one billion dollars a year for cutting credit card late fees by 75 percent from thirty dollars to eight dollars look junk fees may not matter to the very wealthy but they matter to most other folks in homes like the one I grew up in like many of you did they add up to hundreds of dollars a month they make it harder for you to pay your bills and afford that family trip I know how unfair it feels when a company overcharges you and gets away with it not anymore we've written a bill to stop it all it's called the junk fee prevention Act we're going to ban surprise Resort fees that hotels charge on your bill those fees can cost up to 90 a night in hotels that aren't even resorts we the idea that cable internet and cell phone companies can charge you 200 or more if you decide to switch another provider give me a break we can stop service fees on tickets to concerts and sporting events and make companies disclose all the fees up front and will prohibit Airlines from charging 50 round trip for family just to be able to sit together baggies fees are bad enough Airlines can't treat your child like a piece of baggage Americans are being played for suckers so pass past the Jump Street prevention act so companies stop ripping us off for too long workers have been getting stiffed but not anymore we're getting we're beginning to restore the Dignity of work for example I I should have known this but I didn't until two years ago 30 million workers have to sign non-compete agreements through the jobs they take 30 million so a cashier at a burger place can't walk across town and take the same job another burger place and make a few bucks more we just change but they just changed it because we exposed it that was part of the deal guys look it up but not anymore we're Banning those agreements so companies have to compete for workers and pay them what they're worth and I must tell you this is bound to get a response from my friends on my left with the right I'm so sick and tired of companies breaking the law by preventing workers from organizing past the pro Act because business had a right workers have a right to form a union let's guarantee all workers have a living wage let's make sure working parents can afford to raise a family with sick days Paid Family Medical Leave affordable child care that's going to enable millions of more people to go and stay at work and let's restore the full child tax credit which gave tens of millions of parents some breathing room and cut child poverty in half to the lowest level in history and by the way when we do all these things we increase productivity we increase economic growth so let's finish the job and get more families access to affordable quality housing let's get seniors who want to stay in their homes the care they need to do so let's get more breathing room to millions of family caregivers looking after their loved ones past my plan so we get seniors and people with disabilities the home care and services they need and support the workers who are doing God's work these plans are fully paid for and we can afford to do them restoring the Dignity of work means making education an affordable ticket to the middle class you know when we made public education 12 years of it Universal in the last century we made the best educated best paid we became the best educated best paid nation in the world the rest was caught up it's caught up Jill my wife who teaches full time has an expression I hope I get it right kid any nation that out educates us is going to out-compete us any Nation out education can now compete us folks we all know 12 years of education is not enough to win the economic competition of 21st century you want to have the best educated Workforce let's finish the job by providing access to preschool for three and four years old studies show that children to go to preschool are nearly 50 percent more likely to finish high school and go on to earn a two or four year degree no matter their background they came from let's get Public School teachers a raise we're making progress by reducing student debt increasing Pell Grants for working in Middle Class families let's finish the job it connects students to career opportunities starting in high school provide access to two years of Community College the best career training in America in addition to being a pathway to a four-year degree let's offer every American a path to a good career whether they go to college or not to folks folks in the midst of the kova crisis when schools were closed and we were shutting down everything let's recognize how far we came in the fight against the pandemic itself while the virus is not gone thanks to resilience of the American people and the Ingenuity of Medicine we've broken the cover grip on us covered deaths were down by 90 percent we've saved millions of lives and opened up our country we opened our country back up and soon we'll end the public health emergency but that's called a public health emergency but we'll remember the toll and pain is never going to go away more than a million Americans lost their lives to covet a million families grieving children orphaned Empty Chairs the dining room table constantly reminding you that she used to sit there remembering them we remain vigilant we still need to monitor dozens of variants and support new vaccines and treatments so Congress needs to fund these efforts and keep America safe and as we emerge from this crisis stronger we're also got to double down on Prosecuting criminals who stole relief money meant to keep workers in small businesses before I came to office you remember during that campaign the big issue was about inspector generals who would protect taxpayers dollars and were sidelined they were fired many people said we don't need them and fraud became rampant last year I told you the Watchdogs are back since then since then we've recovered billions of taxpayers dollars now let's triple the anti-fraud strike force going after these criminals double the statute of limitations on these crimes and cracked down on identity fraud by criminal syndicates stealing billions of dollars billions of dollars from the American people and the data shows that for every dollar we put in the fighting fraud the tax service get back at least 10 times as much it matters it matters look cover left his scars like the spike in violent crime in 2020. the first year of the pandemic we have an obligation to make sure all people are safe Public Safety depends on public trust as all of us know but too often that trust is violated join us tonight are the parents of Tyree Nichols welcome I had to bury Tyree last week as many of you personally know there's no word to describe the heartache or brief of losing a child but imagine if you lost that child at the hands of the law imagine having to worry whether your son or daughter came home from walking down the street playing in the park or just driving a car most of us in here have never had to have the talk the talk that brown and black parents have had to have with their children Bo Hunter Ashley my children I never had to have a talk with them I never had to tell them if a police officer pulls you over turn your interior lights on right away don't reach for your license keep your hands on the steering wheel imagine having to worry like that every single time your kid got in a car here's what tyree's mother shared with me when I spoke to her when I asked her how she finds the courage to carry on and speak out the faith of God she said her son was quote a beautiful soul and something good will come of this imagine how much courage and character that takes it's up to us to all of us we all want the same thing neighborhoods free of violence law enforcement of enforcement earned the community's trust just as every cop when they pin on that badge in the morning has a right to be able to go home at night so does everybody else out there our children have a right to come home safely equal protection under the law is a covenant we have with each other in America we know police officers put their lives on the line every single night and day and we know we ask them in many cases to do too much to be counseling social workers psychologists responding to drug overdoses mental health crises and so much more in one sense we asked much too much of them I know most cops and their families are good decent honorable people the vast majority if they risk and they risk their lives every time they put that shield on but what happened to Tyree in Memphis happens too often we have to do better give law enforcement the real training they need hold them to higher standards help them succeed in keeping us safe we also need more first respondents and professionals to address the growing mental health substance abuse challenges more resources reduce violent crime and gun crimes more Community Intervention Program more investment in housing education and job training all this can help prevent violence in the first place when police officers police departments violate the public Trust they must be held accountable with the support for the support of the families of victims civil rights groups and law enforcement I signed an executive order for all federal officers Banning chokeholds restricting no knock warrants another key elements of the George Floyd Act let's commit ourselves to make the words of Tyler's mom true something good must come from this something good and all of us all of us folks it's difficult but it's simple all of us in the chain in this chamber we need to rise to this moment can't turn away let's do what we know in our hearts we need to do let's come together to finish the job on police reform do something do something that was The Plea of parents who lost their children Uvalde I met with every one of them do something about gun violence thank God thank God we did passing the most sweeping gun safety law in three decades that includes things like that the majority of responsible gun owners already support enhanced background checks for 18 to 21 years old red flag laws keeping guns out of the hands of people are a danger to themselves and others but we know our work is not done join us tonight is Brandon say a 26 year old hero Brandon put his college dreams on hold to be at his mom's side his mom's side when she was dying from cancer and Brandon Brandon now works at the dance studio started by his grandparents two weeks ago during the Lunar New Year celebrations he heard the studio door closed you saw a man standing there pointing semi-automatic pistol at him he thought he was going to die but he thought about the people inside and that instant he found the courage to act and Wrestled a semi-automatic pistol away from the gunman who had already killed 11 people in another Dance Studio 11. he saved lives it's time we do the same band assault weapons now ban them now once and for all I love the fight to do that in 1994. I mean in 10 years that ban was law mass shootings went down after we let it expire in the Republican Administration mass shootings tripled let's finish the job and ban these assault weapons and let's also come together on immigration make it a bipartisan issue once again we know we now have a record number of personnel working to secure the Border arresting 8 000 human Smugglers seizing over 23 000 pounds of fentanyl in just the last several months we've launched a new border plan last month unlawful migration from Cuba Haiti Nicaragua and Venezuela has come down 97 percent as a consequence of that but American Border problems won't be fixed until Congress Acts if we don't pass my comprehensive immigration reform at least passed my plan to provide the equipment and officers to secure the Border and a pathway to citizenship for dreamers those on temporary status Farm Workers essential workers here in the people's house it's our duty to protect all the people's rights and freedoms Congress must restore the right and Congress must restore the right that was taken away in Roe v Wade and protect Roe v Wade give Every Woman a constant right the vice president and I are doing everything exact access to reproductive health care we Safeguard patient safety but already more than a dozen states are enforcing extreme abortion bans make no mistake about it if Congress passes a national ban I will veto it [Applause] quality act Venture LPG lgbtq Americans especially transgender young people can live with safety and dignity our strength our strength is not just the example of our power but the power of our example let's remember the world's watching I spoke in this chamber one year ago just days after Vladimir Putin Unleashed his brutal attack against Ukraine a murderous assault evoking images of death and destruction Europe suffered in World War II Putin's Invasion has been a test for the ages test for America we test for the world would we stand for the most basic of principles will we stand for sovereignty we stand for the right of people to live free of tyranny will we stand for the defense of democracy for such defense matters to us because it keeps peace and prevents Open Season I would be aggressive and threatens our prosperity one year later we know the answer yes we would and we did we did and together we did what America always does at our best we LED we United NATO we build a global coalition we stood against Putin's aggression we stood with Ukrainian people to deny we're once again joined by the ukrainian's ambassador to the United States she represents not her and just our nation but the courage of her People ambassador is our ambassador is here United we're in uniting our support of your country would you stand so we can all take a look at you because we're going to stand with you as long as it takes our nation is working for more freedom more dignity more more peace not just in Europe but everywhere before I came to office the story was about how the People's Republic of China was increasing its power and America is failing in the world not anymore we made clear and I made my personal conversation which have been many with President XI that we seek competition not conflict but I will make no apologies that we're investing and to make America stronger investing in American innovation and Industry will Define the future that China intends to be dominated investing in our alliances and working with our allies to protect Advanced Technologies so they will not be used against us modernizing our military to safeguard stability and determine to deter aggression today we're the strongest position in decades to compete with China or anyone else in the world anywhere else in the world and I'm committed I'm committed to work with China where we can advance American interest and benefit the world but make no mistake about it as we made clear last week if China threatens our sovereignty we will act to protect our country and we did look let's be clear when in the competition should unite all of us we Face serious challenges across the world but in the past two years democracies have become stronger not weaker autocracy has grown weaker not stronger name me a world leader who changed places with Xi Jinping name me one name me one America's rallying the world to meet those challenges from climate to Global Health to food insecurity to terrorism to territorial aggression allies are stepping up spending more and doing more look the bridges were forming between partners in the Pacific and those in the Atlantic and those who bet against America are learning how wrong they are it's never ever been a good bet to bet against America never wow when I came to office most assured the bipartisanship assumed was impossible but never believed it that's why a year ago I offered a Unity agenda to the nation as I stood here we made real progress together we passed the law and make it easy for doctors to prescribe effective treatments for opioid addiction we passed the gun safety law making historic investments in mental health we launched the arpa H drive for breakthrough in the fights against cancer Alzheimer's and diabetes and so much more we passed Heath Robinson about exposure to toxic burn kits I shared here last year I understand something about those burn pits but there's so much more to do we can do it together join us tonight is a father named Doug from Newton New Hampshire he wrote Jill my wife a letter and me as well about his courageous daughter Courtney a contagious laugh his sister's best friend her sister's best friend he shared the story all too familiar to millions of Americans and many of you in the audience Courtney discovered pills in high school it spiraled into addiction and eventually death from a fentanyl overdose she was just 20 years old described in the last eight years without her Doug said there's no worse pain if their families turn pain to purpose working the end of stigma and change laws he told us he wants to start a journey toward American Recovery Doug we're with you fentanyl is killing more than 70 000 Americans a year bigger you got it so let's launch a major surge to stop fentanyl production in the sale and trafficking with more drug detection machines inspection cargo stop pills and powder at the border working with curry is like FedEx to inspect more packages for drugs strong penalties to crack down on fentanyl trafficking second let's do more mental health especially for our children when millions of young people are struggling with bullying violence trauma we're them greater access to Mental Health Care at their schools we must finally hold social media companies accountable for experimenting or doing running children for profit there's time to pass bipartisan reservation to stop big Tech from collecting personal data on our kids and teenagers online fan targeted advertising their children and impose stricter limits on the personal data that companies collect on all of this third must do more to keep this nation's ones truly sacred obligation to equip those we send in the Harm's Way and care for them and their families when they come home job training job placement for veterans and their spouses as they come to return to civilian life helping veterans afford the rent because no one should be homeless in America especially someone who served the country foreign we had our first real discussion when I asked him to take the job I'm glad he did we were losing up to 25 veterans a day on suicide now we're losing 17 today to the silent scourge of suicide 17 veterans a day are committing suicide more than all the people being killed in the wars folks VA is doing everything they can including expanding mental health screening proven programs and recruits veterans to help other veterans understand what they're going through get them the help they need we got to do more and fourth last year Jill and I reignited the cancer moonshot that I was able to start with President Obama asked me to lead our Administration on this issue our goal is to cut the cancer death rates at least by 50 percent in the next 25 years turn more Cancers and death sentences to treatable diseases provide more support for patients and their families it's personal to so many of us so many of us in this audience joining us are Morris and Candice an Irishman and a daughter of immigrants from Panama they met and fell in love in New York City and got married in the same Chapel Jill and I got married in New York City Kindred Spirits he wrote us a letter about his little daughter Ava and I saw her just before I came over she was just a year old when she was diagnosed with rare kidney disease cancer after 26 blood transfusions 11 rounds of radiation eight rounds of Keno chemo one kidney removed giving a five percent survival rate he wrote how in the darkest moments he thought if she goes I can't stay many of you have been through that as well Jillian I understand that like so many of you he read Jill's book describing our family's cancer Journey and how we tried to steal moments of joy where we could with Bo for them that glimmer of Joy was the half smile of their baby girl it meant everything to him they never gave up hope little Ava never gave up hope she turns four next month they just found out Davis beating the odds is on her way to being cured of cancer and she's watching from the White House tonight as she's not asleep already but the lives we can save for The Lies We can say in the lives we've lost let this be a truly American moment that rallies the country in the world together and prove that we can still do big things 20 years ago under the leadership of President Bush and countless Advocates and champions he undertook a bipartisan effort through pepfar to transform the global fight against HIV AIDS it's been a huge success who thought big he thought large he moved I believe we can do the same thing with cancer let's end cancer as we know it pure some cancers once and for all folks there's one reason why we've been able to do all of these things our democracy itself it's the most fundamental thing of all with democracy everything's possible without it nothing is the last few years our democracy has been threatened and attacked put at risk put to the test In This Very Room on January the 6th and then just a few months ago an unhinged big lie a sale and Unleashed a political violence the home of the Dead Speaker of the House of Representatives using the very same language the insurrectionists used as they stalk these halls and chanted on January 6th here tonight in this chamber is a man who Bears the scars of that brutal attack but it's as tough and as strong as resilient as they get my friend Paul Pelosi Paul Stanley thank you it's such a heinous act should have never happened we must all speak out there's no place for political violence in America we have to protect the right to vote not suppress the fat fundamental right honor the results of our elections not subvert the will of people we have to uphold the rule of law and restore trust in our institutions of democracy and we must give hate and extremism in any form no Safe Harbor [Applause] must not be a partisan issue it's an American issue every generation American has faced a moment where they haven't been called to protect our democracy defendants stand up for it and this is our moment my fellow Americans we meet tonight at an inflection point one of those moments that only a few Generations ever face with the direction we now take is going to decide the course of this nation for decades to come we're not bystanders of History we're not powerless before the forces that confront us it's within our power of We the People we're facing the test of our time we have to be the nation we've always been at our best optimistic hopeful forward-looking a nation that braces light over dark hope over fear Unity stability over chaos we have to see each other not as enemies but as fellow Americans we're good people the only nation in the world built on an idea the only one other nations are defined by geography ethnicity [Applause] but we're the only nation based on an idea that all of us every one of us is created equal in the image of God a nation that stands as a beacon of the world a nation in a new age of possibilities so I've come to fulfill my constitutional obligation to report in the state of the union and here's my my report because the soul of this nation is strong because the backboken backbone in this nation is strong because the people of this nation are strong the state of the union is strong foreign having served as long as about any one of you have ever served here but I've never been more optimistic about our future about the future America we just remember who we are we're the United States of America and there's nothing nothing beyond our capacity if we do it together God bless you all and may God protect our truth thank you [Music]
2023-02-12