President Biden delivers State of the Union address

foreigner Mr. President the

president

of the United States foreigner my friends are well thank you well welcome back Mr. President here thank you foreigner foreigner foreigner hello hello thank you thank you members of Congress I have the great privilege and honor to introduce you, the

president

of the United States, Mr. President, thank you, you can smile, it's okay, thank you, thank you, thank you, please, Mr. President, Madam Vice President, our first lady and our second gentleman. Good to see you up there, members of Congress, by the way. Chief Justice may need a court order she can go to the game tomorrow next week I have to stay home I have to resolve something here cabinet members leaders of our military court chief justice associate judge and retired Supreme Court justice and you my Fellow Americans, you know that I begin tonight by congratulating the 118th Congress, the new Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy.

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 foreign congratulations the longest serving leader in the history of the Senate of the United States Mitch McConnell where are you Mitch and congratulations to Chuck Schumer another uh, you know, another term was Senate Minority Leader, uh, you know, I? I think, uh, just this time you have a slightly larger majority, Mr. Leader, you are the leader of the majority, much larger.

Well, I tell you that I want to give special recognition to someone who I believe will be considered the best speaker in the world. History of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, friends, the history of the United States is a story of progress and resilience, of always moving forward and never giving up, it is a unique story among all nations, we are the only country that has emerged of every crisis we have had. Have we ever come in stronger than we came in, look folks, that's what we're doing again two years ago, the economy was reeling.

I stand here tonight after we have created, with the help of many people in this room, 12 million new jobs, more jobs created. in two years than any president created in four years thanks to all of you, thanks to the American people two years ago and two years ago, but they closed our businesses, our schools were robbed of so much and today undercover no longer controls Our Lives and Two years ago , democracy faced its greatest threats in the Civil War and today, although bruised, our democracy remains unbreakable and unbreakable. As we gather here tonight, we write the next chapter of The Great American Story, a story of progress and resilience when world leaders asked I define America for them and they, believe it or not, are excited to find it in one word and I mean these possibilities, we don't believe that anything is beyond our ability, everything is a possibility, you know, we are often told that Democrats and Republicans can.

We don't work together, but over the last two years we have proven the cynics and naysayers wrong, yes we were in a lot of disagreements and yes there were times when the Democrats went it alone, but time and time again, the Democrats and the Republicans They joined together to defend a stronger and safer Europe. we came together to pass one in a generation one in a generation once in a generation infrastructure bill Building bridges that connect our nation and our people we came together to pass the most important law ever helping victims expose wells of toxic burning and, in fact, foreigners in fact I signed more than 300 bipartisan laws since I became president, reauthorized the law on violence against women, the Electoral Count Reform Act, the respect for marriage law that protects the right to marry the person you love and, to my Republican friends, if we could work together in the last Congress.

There is no reason we can't work together and find consensus on important things in this Congress as well. I think you are all as educated as I am, but I think the people sent us a clear message to fight for fighting power. For power Conflict for the sake of conflict gets us nowhere; That has always been my vision for our country, and I know there are many viewers who want to restore the soul of this nation, rebuild the backbone of America's middle class, and unite the country we have. From my point of view, they have been sent here to finish the job for decades, the middle class has been hollowed out in more than and I don't know of an administration, but for a long time too many well-paying manufacturing jobs are moved abroad, factories closed that some Once prosperous 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 that we can all feel that pride in what we do to build an economy from the bottom up in the middle, not from the top down, because when the middle class does well, the poor get a promotion and the rich still It's going very well, it's going well for all of us.

I always know many of you. joking about always quoting my dad, but my dad used to say Joey and jobs are so much more than a paycheck because he would actually say this, it's about so much more than a paycheck, it's about your dignity, it's about respect, it's about being able to look. look at his son in the eyes and say honey, everything is going to be fine and be serious friends, so let's see the results. We're not nearly done yet, but the unemployment rate is 3.4 percent, the lowest record in 50 years. near record unemployment unemployment for black and Hispanic workers we have 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 the United States cannot lead the world in manufacturing I don't know where it is written That for too many decades we imported projects and exported jobs now, thanks to what you all have done, we are exporting American products and creating American jobs, inflation has been a global problem because the pandemic disrupted our supply chains. and Putin's unjust and brutal war in Ukraine disrupted energy supplies and food supplies, blocking all that grain in Ukraine, but we are in a better position than any country on Earth right now, but we have more to do, but here at home inflation is going down.

Here at home, gas prices are down a dollar fifty from their peak. Food inflation is not coming down fast enough, but it is coming down. Inflation has fallen every month for the last six months or take-home pay has increased additionally in the last two years, a record. 10 million Americans apply to start new businesses 10 million and by the way, every time someone starts small businesses it's an act of hope and madam vice president. I want to thank you for leading that effort to ensure that small businesses have access to capital and the recreated historic laws that are going into effect here last year.

I shared with you a story of the American genius and its possibilities. semiconductors small computer chips the size of a fingerprint to power everything from cell phones to cars and much more these chips were invented in the United States, let's get it straight, they were invented in the United States, can we make 40 percent of the chips in the world in recent decades? We lost our advantage, we are producing only 10 percent. We all saw what happened during the pandemic when chip factories closed overseas current cars need 3,000 chips for each of those cars but American cars couldn't make enough cars because there weren't enough chips, car prices went up, people were laid off, just like everything from refrigerators to cell phones, we can never let that happen again, which is why we came together to pass the bipartisan Chips and Science Act.

Friends, I know I've been criticized for saying this, but I'm not going to change my opinion. We're going to make sure that the US supply chain. begins in the United States the supply chain begins in the United States we have already created you have already created 800,000 new manufacturing jobs without this law before the law goes into effect with this new law we are going to create hundreds of thousands of new jobs across the country, I mean across the country, not just on the coast but also in the center of the country, that will come from companies that have announced more than $300 billion in investments in American manufacturing during the next few years out 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, an investment, seven thousand construction jobs, three thousand jobs in those factories, once completed, They call them factors, jobs that pay an average of one hundred. and thirty thousand dollars a year and many do not require a college degree jobs because we work together these jobs where people do not have to leave home to look for opportunities this is just beginning think about new homes small businesses large businesses medium-sized Many more will be needed large companies to support those three thousand, those three thousand permanent jobs and the factories that are going to be built, talk to Democratic and Republican mayors and governors and they will tell you what this means for their communities.

We are watching these Fields of Dreams transform into the heart, 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 which we have sunk to the third tooth. the world the United States of America is ranked 13th in the world and infrastructure modern infrastructure but now we are coming back because we came together and passed the bipartisan infrastructure bill the largest investment in infrastructure since President Eisenhower's inter

state

highway system we have already funded more of 20,000 projects including major airports from Boston to Atlanta to Portland.

The projects will put thousands of people to work rebuilding our roads, our bridges, our railroads, our tunnels, ports, airports, clean water, high-speed Internet across America. Urban, rural, tribal and people we are just receiving. We're just getting started, and I mean this sincerely, I want to thank my Republican friends who voted for the bill and my Republican friends who voted against it as well, but they're still asking me to fund the projects in those districts. too, but don't worry, I promised I would be president for all Americans, we will fund these projects and I will see you in the groundbreaking introduction of this bill, this bill will further unite all of America's projects, like the spent Brent Bridge in Kentucky on the Ohio River built much-needed repairs 60 years ago on one of the country's most congested freight routes that moves $2 billion worth of cargo each day across the Ohio River and people have been talking about fixing it for decades, but finally we are I'm going to get it done I went there last month with Democrats and Republicans and from both

state

s to deliver a $1.6 billion commitment for this project while I was there I met a young woman named Sarah who is here tonight I don't know where Sarah He's the chef at the Box I don't know Sarah, how are you?

Sarah for 30 years for 30 years. I heard. She told me that she had been a proud member of Ironworkers Local 44, known as the Cowboys in the Sky. the people who built the Cincinnati skyline Sarah said she can't wait to be 10 stories over the Ohio River Building that new bridge God bless her that's pride and that's her too building we're rebuilding Pride look we're also replacing the poisonous lead pipes that reach 10 million homes in America 400,000 schools and child care centers so that every child in America every child in America drinks water instead of suffering permanent damage to their brain look, we're making sure every community of the United States have access For affordable high-speed Internet, no parent should have to drive through the McDonald's parking lot to help their or their children do their online farm work, which many thousands were doing across the country, and when we do these projects again, they criticize me for this if I don't make excuses for it we are going to buy the United States we are going to buy the United States friends and it is totally consistent with the rules of International Trade why the United States has been the law since 1933, but for too long The previous administration is Democrat and Republican, they have fought to achieve it.

There is no moreTalking about that tonight, I will announce new standards that require all construction materials used in federal infrastructure projects to be made in America, made in America. I'm serious. Wood, glass, drywall, fiber optic cable and you could look at American highways. The bridges. American highways are going to be made with American products too, friends, my economic plan is about investing in places and people that have been forgotten. Many of you, listen to me tonight. I know they feel it. Many of you felt that you had simply been forgotten. He did the academics. turmoil of the last four decades too many people have been left behind and treated as if they were invisible maybe it's you watching from home you remember the jobs that disappeared you remember them right?

People at home remember them, you wonder if the path still no longer exists for your children to get ahead without having to move away, well, that's what I understand, that's why we are building an economy in which no one is left behind. Jobs are coming back. Pride is coming back because of the decisions we made over the last few years. Know that this is my vision of the roadmap to rebuild America and make a real difference in your lives at home, for example, many of you stay in bed at night like my father did, staring at the ceiling wondering, Wouldn't you pass the names of God if your Your spouse has cancer or your child becomes fatally ill or something happens to him.

What's going to make money to pay those medical bills? Will you have to sell the house or try to obtain a second mortgage on it. I understand. I understand it with the inflation reduction law that I enacted. We are taking a strong interest in reducing healthcare costs so you can sleep better at night more safely. We pay more for prescription drugs than any nation in the world, let me say that again, we pay more for prescription drugs than any major nation in the world, for example, one in ten Americans has diabetes, many of you in this chamber do and then the audience, But every day, millions of people need insulin to control their diabetes and literally stay alive.

The instant has been around for over a hundred years. The guy who invented it didn't even patent it because he wanted it to be available to everyone. It cost the pharmaceutical companies approximately ten dollars per vial. for making those insulin bottles and everything you can get up to thirteen dollars, but big pharma has been unfairly charging people hundreds of dollars four hundred to five hundred dollars a month making record profits, not anymore, not anymore, so many things that we did are just 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 go into effect until January 1 of this year, we capped the cost of insulin at 35 per month for seniors with Medicare I'm sure you are getting the same calls I am.

Look, there are millions of other Americans who do not have or do not have Medicare, including 200,000 young people with type 1 diabetes who need unnecessary insulin to stay alive. This time I finished the job. Let's limit the instance cost for everyone to $35. Large foreign farmers will do very well. I promise you all. I promise you that you will do very well. This law saw that this law also has limits and won. It won't go into effect until 2025. Out-of-pocket drug costs for seniors with Medicare are a maximum of $2,000 a year. You don't have to pay more than two thousand dollars, no matter how much your medications cost, because you know.

Why does everyone know it? Many of you, like many members of my family, have cancer. They know that drugs can range from 10, 11, 14, 15,000 for cancer drugs. Now drug prices are rising faster than inflation. Drug companies will have to pay Medicare the difference. o I'm finally giving Medicare the power to negotiate drug prices, reducing the federal deficit by billions of dollars by hundreds of billions of dollars because these prescription drugs are drugs purchased by Medicare to maintain its commitment to the Older people, I guess. that instead of paying four or five hundred dollars a month you're paying 15 that's a huge 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 no I'm going to exaggerate, but certainly repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, like my coach, that's fine, that's fair, like my football coach used to say, good luck in your senior year, don't go wrong if you try something to increase the cost of producing jobs, I will veto it.

I'm pleased to say that more Americans want health insurance now than ever in history, a record 16 million people are enrolled in the Affordable Care Act and thank you, thank you for the Live sign last year, which saved millions of Saving 800 a year on your premiums because of the way the law was written and the benefit expires in 2025. So my plea to some of you, at least in this hearing, let's finish the job and make these savings permanent. Expand Medicaid coverage. Look at the reduction in inflation. Act is also the largest investment ever made in climate change Laurie Laura, you created American jobs by moving the world toward a clean energy future.

I visited the devastating aftermath of record floods, droughts, storms and wildfires from Arizona, New Mexico, to Canada. More wood has been burned on the border, as I have observed from helicopters, than in the entire state of Missouri and we do not have global warming, it is not a problem, in addition to the emergency recovery from Puerto Rico to Florida and Idaho, we are rebuilding long-term. new power grids that are able to withstand major storms and not prevent those wildfires, roads and water systems that withstand the next big flood, clean energy to reduce pollution and create jobs and communities that are often left behind we will build 500,000 stations of electric vehicle charging installed nationwide by tens of thousands of IBEW workers and we are helping families save more than a thousand dollars a year with tax credits to purchase electric vehicles and energy-efficient appliances and energy-efficient appliances historic efforts of conservation to be responsible stewards of our earth let's face reality, climate creation does not care if you are in a red or blue state, it is an existential threat, we have an obligation, not to ourselves, but to our children or grandchildren , to face it.

I'm proud of how America is finally rising to the challenge, we're still going to need oil and gas for a while, but guess what we don't, what we do, but there's so much more to do, we have to finish the job, we pay for these investments. in our future by finally making the largest and richest corporations begin to pay their fair share. Let's start with the foreign capitalist. I'm a capitalist, but pay your fair share. I think many of you at home, many of you at home agree with me and many people who know the tax system.

It's not fair, it's not fair, look at the idea that in 2020 55 of America's largest corporations, the Fortune 500, made $40 billion in profits and paid zero in federal taxes, zero folks, it's just not fair , but now because of the law that I signed a billion dollars. Companies have to pay a minimum of 15. God loves them, 50 percent, that's less than what a nurse pays and I need to be very clear. I said it from the beginning. As long as I am president, no one will earn less than four hundred thousand dollars. will pay an extra penny in taxes no one a penny but let's finish the job there is more to do we have to reward work not only wealth approve my proposal for the minimum tax on billionaires you know there are a thousand billionaires in the United States, it has increased from about 600 in At the beginning of time, no billionaire should pay a lower tax rate than the schoolteacher or firefighter.

I mean, think about it, I mean, look, I know you're excited about it, but think about it, think about it. Have you noticed that Big Oil just reported? As profits posted profits last year, they made $200 billion in the midst of a global energy crisis. I think it's outrageous why they invested so little of those profits to increase national production and when I spoke to a couple and they told me that we are afraid. "We'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 going to need it in production if they had actually invested in production to keep gas prices down, instead they used the record profits to buy back their own shares, rewarding CEOs and shareholders Corporations should do the right thing That's why I propose that we quadruple the tax on corporate stock buybacks and encouraging long-term investments, they will still make considerable profits, finish the job and close the loophole to allow the very rich to avoid paying their taxes instead of reducing the number of orders for wealthy taxpayers I just signed a bill to reduce the deficit by $114 billion by cracking down on the tax sheets of the wealthy fiscally responsible speed over the past two years my administration has reduced the deficit by more than $1.7 trillion the largest deficit reduction in US history under the previous administration the US deficit rose four years in a row because of those record deficits, no president added more to the national debt in four years than my predecessor, almost 25 percent of all national debt that took more than 200 years to accumulate was added by a single administration, the last one that's the facts check it check it check it out how Congress responded to that debt they did the right thing they raised the debt ceiling three times without preconditions or crisis they paid American bills to avoid an economic disaster for the country so tonight I am asking Congress to do the same, let us commit here tonight that the full credit of the United States of America will never ever be questioned, for what many of my Republican friends want to hold the economy hostage.

I get it unless you agree with economic plans all of you at home should know what those plans are instead of making the rich pay their fair share some republicans some republicans want the end of Medicare and Social Security I'm not saying it's a majority let me give you a contact with my office I'll give you a copy I'll give you a copy of The proposal that means Congress doesn't vote right I'm glad to see you now I tell you I enjoy the conversion you know it means it means Congress doesn't keep the programs as they are, they would go away, other Republicans say I'm not saying it's a majority of you, I don't even think it's significant, but it's being proposed by individuals, I'm not naming them politely, but it's being proposed by some of you, look people foreign, the ideas that we are not going to be, are not going to lead us to threats of defaulting on the debt if we do not respond, friends, so apparently we all agree.

Social Security Medicare is off the books now, okay, we have unanimity, Social Security Medicare or Lifeline for millions of seniors. Americans have to pay them from the first paycheck they started, so tonight let's all agree and apparently stand up for each other. seniors stand up and show them that we will not cut Social Security, we will not cut Medicare, those benefits belong to the American people, they earned them and if someone tries to cut Social Security, which apparently no one is going to do, and If anyone tries to cut Medicare, I'll stop them I'll veto them I'm both I'm not going to let them take it away from me today or tomorrow or ever but apparently it's not going to be a problem next month when I offer my tax plan.

I asked my Republican friends to present their plan as well. I'm serious, let's sit together and discuss our mutual plans together. Let's do it. I can tell you that the plan I'm going to show will reduce the deficit by another two trillion. dollars and I will not cut one iota from Medicare or my own security; In fact, we're going to extend the Medicare trust fund by at least two decades because that's going to be the next argument: How can we keep it solvent? We won't raise taxes on anyone making less than $400,000, but we will pay it the way we talk about, making sure large, wealthy corporations pay their fair share.

Look, look, here's the deal. Not only are they taking advantage of thetributary Code. Taking advantage of you, the American consumer, here is my message to all of you, I support you, we are already preventing Americans from receiving surprise medical bills, stopping billion dollar per month surprise bills so far to protect the savings of the entire life of older people by taking strong measures in nursing. Fraudulent households jeopardize patient safety Unnecessary prescription medications Millions of Americans can now save thousands of dollars because they can finally get an over-the-counter hearing aid without a prescription. Look, capitalism without competition is not capitalism, your extortion is exploitation last year.

I cracked down with the help of many of you against foreign shipping companies that made you pay higher prices for every good that came into the country. I signed a bipartisan bill that cut shipping costs by 90 percent helping American farmers, business owners and consumers get the job done. bipartisan legislation to strengthen and enforce trust and prohibit and prevent large online platforms from giving their own products an unfair advantage. Foreigners also take on junk fares, those hidden surcharges that many companies use to make you pay more, for example, we are making airlines show you the full ticket price in advance to refund your money if your flight is canceled or delayed.

We've reduced exorbitant bank overdrafts by saving consumers more than $1 billion a year by reducing credit card late fees by 75 percent, from thirty dollars to eight dollars. Look, junk fees may not be important to the very rich, but they are important to most people in households like the one I grew up in, like many of you, they add up to hundreds of dollars a month, they make it difficult for you to pay your bills and pay for that family trip I know how unfair it feels when a company overcharges you and gets away with it. We have no longer drafted a bill to stop it.

It's called the Junk Fee Prevention Act. We are going to ban surprise resort fees on hotels. Putting those fees on your bill can cost up to 90. a night at hotels that aren't even resorts, we have the idea that cable Internet and cell phone companies can charge you 200 or more if you decide to change providers, give me a break . can stop service charges on tickets to concerts and sporting events and make companies disclose all charges up front and prohibit airlines from charging a family $50 round trip just to be able to sit together. The bag charges are pretty bad.

The airlines cannot treat your child. Like a piece of baggage, Americans are being scammed, so pass the Jump Street Prevention Act so companies will stop ripping us off for too long. Workers have been being rigid, but we are no longer succeeding, we are beginning to restore the dignity of work to Example I I should have known, but I didn't know until two years ago. 30 million workers have to sign non-compete agreements for the jobs they accept. 30 million, so a hamburger restaurant cashier can't cross town and take the same job. at another burger place and make a few dollars more the chest changed but I just changed it because we exposed it, that was part of the agreement.

Guys, look for it, but not anymore. We are banning these agreements so that companies have to compete for workers and pay them what they are worth, and I must tell you that this will surely continue. I get a response from my friends on my left with my right. I am so sick and tired of companies breaking the law by preventing workers from organizing. How did the law pass because companies had the right, workers have the right to form a

union

, let's guarantee everything. 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 will allow millions more people to go and stay at work and restore the full child tax credit that gave them. tens of millions of parents in some breeding quarters and cut child poverty in half to the lowest level in history and, by the way, when we do all of these things we increase productivity, we increase economic growth, so let's finish the job and Let's get more families access to affordable quality. housing let's give seniors who want to stay in their homes the care they need so let's give more space for millions of family caregivers to care for their loved ones beyond my plan for us to give seniors and people with disabilities the home care and services they need We need and support 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 universal for 12 years. in the last century we made the best educated and best paid nation we became the best educated and best paid nation in the world the rest were trapped, are trapped Jill, my wife, who teaches full time, has an expression, I hope I do well, boy, any nation that educates us is going to outcompete us and in Asia our education can now compete with us friends, we all know that 12 years of education is not enough to win the economic competition of the 21st century, you want to have the strength better educated labor force, let's finish the job.

By providing access to preschool for three- and four-year-olds, studies show that children who attend preschool are nearly 50 percent more likely to finish high school and earn a two- or four-year degree, regardless of their age. origin. School teachers an increase we are making progress by reducing student debt increasing Pell grants to work in middle class families let's get the job done connects students with career opportunities that begin in high school provides access to two years of Community College the best training career in America In addition to being a path to a four-year degree, let's offer all Americans a path to a good career, whether they go to college or not, in the midst of the Kova crisis, when schools were closed and we were closing everything.

Recognize how far we have come in the fight against the pandemic itself while the virus has not disappeared thanks to the resilience of the American people and the ingenuity of medicine. We have broken the control over us. Covered deaths have been reduced by 90 percent. We have saved. millions of lives and we open our country we open our country again and soon we will end the public health emergency, but that is called a public health emergency, but we will remember that the cost and the pain will never go away more than a million. Americans lost their lives to cover up a million families grieving children and orphans Empty chairs at 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 that the Congress needs it to fund these efforts and keep America safe, and as we emerge stronger from this crisis, we must also redouble the effort to prosecute criminals who stole relief money meant to keep workers flowing into small businesses. before I came to office, do you remember during that campaign?

The big problem was about the inspectors general who would protect taxpayer money and they were sidelined, they were fired. Many people said we don't need them and fraud became rampant last year. I told them the Watchdogs have since returned. Since then we have recovered billions of dollars. taxpayer dollars now let's triple the anti-fraud strike force going after these criminals, double the statute of limitations on these crimes, and crack down on identity fraud by criminal syndicates that steal billions of dollars, thousands of billion dollars from the American people and the data shows that for every dollar we put into the fight against fraud the tax rate recovers at least 10 times more matters matters looks the coverage left its scars as the rise in violent crime in 2020. the first year of the pandemic we have an obligation to ensure that all people are safe Public safety depends on public trust, as we all know too often that trust is violated.

Join us tonight. Tyree Nichols' parents are welcome. I had to bury Tyree last week, as many of you know personally. There are no words to describe the pain. or brief loss of a child, but imagine if you lost your child at the hands of the law, imagine having to worry if your son or daughter came home after walking down the street, playing in the park or simply driving a car that most we have here. I never had to have the conversation, the conversation that brown and black parents have had to have with their children. Bo Hunter Ashley, my children.

I never had to have a conversation with them. I never had to tell them that if a police officer stops you, turn inside out. the lights come on immediately don't look for your license keep your hands on the wheel imagine having to worry like this every time your son gets in a car this is what Tyree's mother shared with me when I spoke to her when I asked her how she find the courage to move forward and speak of God's faith, he said his son was a beautiful soul and something good will come out of this, imagine how much courage and effort it takes depends on us, on all of us, we all want the same neighborhoods free from violence law enforcement law enforcement has earned the trust of the community just as every police officer, when he puts on that badge in the morning, has the right to be able to go home at night, just like everyone else, Our children have the right to return home safe and sound.

Equal protection under the law is an agreement we have between us in the United States. We know that police officers risk their lives every night and day and we know that in many cases we ask them to do too much to be social counselors. workers, psychologists responding to drug overdoses, mental health crises, and much more, in a sense, we are asking too much of them. I know that most police officers and their families are good, decent and honorable people, the vast majority do take a risk and risk their lives every time they put that shield up, but what happened to Tyree in Memphis happens all too often. .

We have to do better. Provide authorities with the real training they need. Hold them to higher standards. Help them succeed in keeping us safe. We also need more first responders and professionals to

address

the growing problem. mental health substance abuse problems more resources reducing violent crime and gun crime more community intervention programs more investment in housing education and job training can all help prevent violence in the first place when law enforcement officers police or police departments violate the public trust in being held accountable with the support of victims' families, civil rights groups and law enforcement, I signed an executive order for all federal officers.

Ban chokeholds, restrict no-hitting, ensure other key elements of the George Floyd Act, let's commit to making Tyler's mother's words a reality. something good must come from this something good and all of us all of us friends it is difficult but it is simple all of us in the chain in this chamber we have to rise to this moment we cannot turn our backs let's do what we know in our hearts what what we have to do let's come together to finish the work of police reform let's do something let's do something that was The plea of ​​the parents who lost their children in Uvalde I met with each of them let's do something about gun violence thank God thank God US passed the most sweeping gun safety law in three decades, including things like most responsible gun owners already support enhanced background checks for 18-21 red flag laws that keep guns out of reach of people who are a danger to themselves. and others, but we know our work is not done, join us tonight.

Brandon says a hero 26 year old Brandon put his college dreams on hold to beat his mother's side when she was dying of cancer and Brandon Brandon now works in dance. studio started by his grandparents two weeks ago no Lunar New Year celebrations you heard the studio door close you saw a man standing there pointing a semi-automatic pistol at him he thought he was going to diebut he thought about the people inside and that The moment he found the courage to act and took a semi-automatic pistol from the gunman who had already killed 11 people in another Dance Studio 11.

He saved lives, it's time we did The same with the gang's assault weapons, now we ban them once and for all. I love the fight to get it done in 1994. I mean, in 10 years that ban was law, mass shootings went down after we let it expire during the Republican administration, mass shootings tripled, let's finish the job and ban these assault weapons and let's unite too for immigration makes 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 few months we launched a new border plan the past Monthly illegal migration from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela has been reduced to 97 as a result, but the problems at the US border will not be solved until Congress acts, if we do not pass my reform comprehensive immigration, at least we approve my plan to provide the equipment and officers to secure the border and a path to citizenship for dreamers those with temporary status Agricultural workers essential workers here in the people's house it is our duty to protect all rights and freedoms of the people 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 comfort, the vice president and I are doing everything we can to access exactly the care of reproductive health and safeguarding patient safety, but more than a dozen states are already implementing extreme abortion bans, make no mistake.

In this regard, if Congress approves a national ban, it will veto the Venture LPG LGBTQ quality law Americans, especially transgender youth, can live with safety and dignity our strength our strength is not only the example of our power but the power of our example let us remember the world watching I spoke in this chamber a year ago, just days after Vladimir Putin unleashed his brutal attack on Ukraine, a murderous attack that evokes images of death and destruction that Europe suffered in World War II. Putin's invasion has been a test for all time, a test for the United States, a test for we will defend the most basic principles we will defend sovereignty we will defend the right of the people to live free from tyranny we will defend democracy because that defense matters to us because it keeps the peace and prevents open season and it would be aggressive and threaten our prosperity a year later we know the answer yes we would do it and we did it we did it together we did what America always does at our best we lead NATO united we built a coalition global we opposed Putin's aggression we supported The Ukrainian people must deny that once again the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States is with us.

She represents not only our nation, but also the courage of its people. The ambassador is our ambassador. She's here. United, we are united, our support for her country when she shows herself like this. We can all take a look at it, thank you because we will be with you as long as necessary. Our nation is working for more freedom, more dignity, more peace, not just in Europe but everywhere before I took office, the story was about how the People's Republic of China was increasing its power and the United States was failing to We no longer make it clear to the world and I had my personal conversation, which has been many with President XI, that we seek competition, not conflict, but I will not apologize for that.

We are investing and to strengthen America. Investing in American innovation and industries will define the future in which China aims to dominate. Invest in our alliances and work with our allies to protect advanced technologies from being used against us. Modernize our military to safeguard. stability and determination to deter aggression today we are in the strongest position in decades to compete with China or anywhere else in the world anywhere else in the world and I am committed, I am committed to working with China where we can advance American interests and benefit to 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 look, let's be clear at what point in the competition should bring us all together.

We face serious challenges around the world. but in the last two years democracies have gotten stronger not weaker, autocracy has gotten weaker not stronger, name me a world leader who traded places with Xi Jinping, name me one, name me one. The United States is bringing the world together to confront those challenges, from climate to global health and from food insecurity to terrorism and territorial aggression, allies are increasing spending and doing more, bridges are forming between partners in the Pacific and Atlantic and those who bet against the United States are learning how wrong they are, it has never been a good bet to bet against the United States never go when I came to office I was more certain that the assumed bipartisanship was impossible, but I never believed it , that's why a year ago I offered a Unity agenda to the nation while I was here, together we have made real progress, we passed the law and made it easier for doctors to prescribe effective treatments for opioid addiction, we passed the safety law of weapons, we made historic investments in mental health, we launched the harp H campaign to advance the fight against cancer, Alzheimer's and diabetes, etc.

Much more, we passed the Heath Robinson Compact Act named after recent Iraq War veterans' story of exposure to children with toxic burns that I shared here last year. a father named Doug from Newton New Hampshire wrote to Jill, my wife and me too, about his brave daughter Courtney, contagious laugh, sister's best friend, sister's best friend, shared the story very familiar to millions of Americans and many of you. in the hearing Courtney discovered pills in high school, became addicted and eventually died from a fentanyl overdose. She was only 20 years old. described the last eight years without her.

Doug said there is no worse pain if his family turned the pain into a purpose by working to end it. stigma and changing laws told us you want to start a journey towards American recovery dug it with you fentanyl is killing over 70,000 Americans a year you have it so let's launch a huge surge to stop fentanyl production in the sale and trafficking with more drug detection machines cargo inspection stopping pills and powders at the border work with Currys like FedEx to inspect more drug packages strong penalties to combat trafficking secondly, let's do more mental health, especially for our children when millions of young people are struggling with the trauma of bullying violence, we are them, greater access to mental health care in their schools, we must finally hold social media companies accountable for experimenting or managing children for profit , there is time to pass bipartisan registration to prevent Big Tech from collecting personal data about our children. and teens online are advertising to their children and imposing stricter limits on the personal data that companies collect throughout this third.

This third must do more to fulfill this nation's truly sacred obligation to equip those we send to Harm's Way and care for them and their families. when they return home job training job placement for veterans and their spouses when they return to civilian life helping veterans pay rent because no one should be homeless in America, especially someone who served the country Dennis mducken Dennis McDonough is here from the VA we had our first real argument when I asked him to take the job. I'm glad he did it. We were losing up to 25 veterans a day to suicide.

Now we are losing 17 to the silent scourge of suicide. 17 veterans a day commit suicide. More than all the people who die in wars, the VA is doing everything they can, including expanding proven veteran mental health screening programs to help other veterans understand what they're going through, give them the help they need, we have to do more and last year Jill and I reactivated the cancer project that I was able to start with President Obama asked me to lead our Administration on this issue. Our goal is to reduce cancer mortality rates by at least 50 over the next 25 years. death sentences for treatable illnesses provide more support to patients and their families.

It's personal for many of us, so many of us in this audience who joined us or Morris and Candice, an Irishman and a daughter of immigrants from Panama, who met and fell in love in New York. York City and we were married in the same Chapel Jill and I were 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, she was only a year old when she was diagnosed with rare kidney disease cancer after 26 blood transfusions 11 rounds of radiation eight rounds of major chemotherapy one kidney removed gives him a five percent survival rate he wrote how in his darkest moments he thought that if she leaves, I can't stay, many Of you have been through that too kids, I understand that like many of you, you read Jill's book that describes our family's cancer journey and how we tried to steal moments of joy wherever we could with Bo for them, that flash of joy was her baby's half smile.

They meant everything, they never gave up hope, little Ava never gave up hope, she's turning four next month, they just found out Abe is beating the odds, he's on his way to being cured of cancer and she's watching from the White House this night while he is not asleep. now so that the lives we can save for Las Mentiras We can say in the lives we have lost, that this is a truly American moment that unites the country in the world and shows that we can still do great things 20 years ago under the leadership. of President Bush and countless advocates and advocates, launched a bipartisan effort through pepfar to transform the global fight against HIV AIDS has been a great success who thought big thought big moved I believe we can do the same with cancer let's end it with cancer as we know it pure some cancers once and for all friends there is a reason why we have been able to do all these things our democracy itself is the most fundamental of all with democracy everything is possible without it nothing is the last years our democracy has been threatened and attacked, put at risk, put to the test in this very room on January 6 and then, just a few months ago, a big unhinged lie, a sale and unleashed political violence in the home of the then president of the House of Representatives using The same language that the insurrectionists used as they stalked these halls and chanted on January 6 here tonight in this chamber is a man who bears the scars of that brutal attack, but is as tough, strong and resilient as he They are my friend Paul Pelosi Paul.

Stanley Foreign EVERYONE must speak There is no place for political violence in America we must protect the right to vote not suppress the fundamental right honor the results of our elections not subvert the will of the people we must defend the rule of law and restore We trust in our institutions of democracy and we must give hate and extremism in any form. There is no safe harbor to see, it should not be a partisan issue, it is an American issue. Every generation, Americans have faced a moment when they have not been called upon to protect our democracy.

We are ready for it and this is our moment, my fellow countrymen, we meet tonight at a turning point, one of those moments when only a few generations ever faced the direction we are taking now that will decide the course of this nation. in the coming decades. We are not spectators of History, we are not powerless against the forces that confront us, it is in our power, We the People are facing the test of our time, we must be the nation we have always been at our best, optimistic and hopeful. -seek a nation that embraces light over darkness, hope over fear, unity, stability over chaos, we have to see each other not as enemies but as fellow Americans, we are good people, the only nation in the world built on one idea, the only one other nations are. defined by geography and ethnicity, but we are the only nation based on the idea that everyoneWe, each one of us, have created equals in the image of God, a nation that stands as a beacon of the world, a nation and a new era of possibilities for which I have come to fulfill my constitutional obligation to report on the state of the

union

and here is my report because the soul of this nation is strong because the backbone of this nation is strong because the people of this nation are strong the state of the union is strong.

I'm not new to this place. I'm here tonight having served as long as any of you have served here, but I've never been more optimistic about our future about America's future, just to remember who we are. we are the United States of America and there is nothing beyond our ability if we do it together God bless you all may God protect our truth thank you too strong Mr President um patience thank you again okay thank you very much questions okay sir I have to talk to you about Cuba, okay, I'm serious, good job, by the way, misunderstanding this place, Mr.

President, that was incredible, thank you. I remember sitting there as president for eternity. I swear to God because of the story, but sitting there we have I met with the president every day and he said Joe, you said Joe, I want you to fix the turtle myself, thank you, I told the story, uh, I read the most conservative foreign dresses Why not, thank you? By the way, we need 54 of those vehicles. I have 15 minutes Sorry, my God, foreigner, thank you again everyone, let's try again, how are you? They did us good, thank you. Today we are going to take our photo.

We have a photograph of the first day. That's my housemate. you are what you talked about about the epidemics and the foreigner thank you foreigner foreigner