Newscasts - Biden delivers annual State of the Union address 1

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08/03/2024 05:20

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Source: 'Reuters - Business videos'

Description: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers annual State of the Union
address to U.S. Congress.
Short Link: https://refini.tv/3T5ZXmN

Video Transcript:

>> The house has come to order. >> Mr. Speaker, the Vice President, and the
United States Senate. [inaudible 00:05:27] >> The joint session will come to
order. The chair appoints as members of the committee on the part of the House
to escort the President of the United States into the chamber. The gentleman
from Louisiana, Mr. Scalise, the gentleman from Minnesota, Mr. Emmer, the
gentle woman from New York Ms. Stefanik, the gentleman from North Carolina,
Mr. Hudson, the gentleman from Alabama, Mr. Palmer, the gentleman from Utah,
Mr. Moore, the gentlewoman from Michigan, Mrs. McClain. The House will be in
order. The house will be in order. The gentleman from Oklahoma, Mr. Cole,
gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Reschenthaler, gentleman from Kentucky, Mr.
Rogers, gentleman from New York, Mr. Jeffries, the gentle woman from
Massachusetts. Miss Clark, the gentleman from California. Mr. Aguilar, the
gentleman from California. Mr. Lieu, the gentlewoman from Washington Ms.
DelBene, the gentleman from Colorado, Mr. Neguse, the gentlewoman from
Illinois Ms. Underwood, the gentlewoman from Texas. Miss Escobar, the
gentlewoman from Massachusetts. Ms. Trahan, the gentleman from Michigan, Mr.
Kildee. >> The president of the Senate, at the direction of that body,
appoints the following senators as members of the committee on the part of the
Senate to escort the President of the United States into the House chamber.
The senator from New York, Mr. Schumer, the senator from Illinois, Mr. Durbin,
the senator from Washington, Mrs. Murray, the senator from Michigan, Miss
Stabenow, the senator from Minnesota, Miss Klobuchar, the senator from
Virginia, Mr. Warner, the senator from Wisconsin, Miss Baldwin, the senator
from Kentucky. Mr. McConnell, the senator from South Dakota, Mr. Thune the
senator from Wyoming, Mr. Barraso, the senator from West Virginia, Mrs.
Capito, and the senator from Iowa, Miss Ernst. >> The members of the escort
committee will exit the chamber through the lobby doors. >> Mr. Speaker, the
Dean of the Diplomatic Corps. Mr. Speaker.  BACKGROUND  The Chief Justice and
Associate Justices of the Supreme Court. >> Yeah.  APPLAUSE  >>  BACKGROUND 
 LAUGHTER  >>  BACKGROUND  >> Mr. Speaker, the President's Cabinet. >> Mr.
Speaker, the President of the United States. >> Good evening. If I were smart,
I'd go home now. Mr. Speaker, Madam Vice President, Members of Congress, my
fellow Americans. In January 1941, Franklin Roosevelt came to this chamber to
speak to the nation. And he said, "I address you in a moment, unprecedented in
the history of the Union." Hitler was on the march, War was raging in Europe.
President Roosevelt's purpose was to wake up Congress and alert the American
people that this was no ordinary time. Freedom and democracy were under
assault in the world. Tonight I come to this same chamber to address the
nation. Now it's we who face unprecedented moment in the history of the Union.
And yes, my purpose tonight is to wake up the Congress and alert the American
people that this is no ordinary moment either. Not since President Lincoln and
the Civil War, have freedom and democracy been under assault at home as they
are today? What makes our moment rare is that freedom and democracy are under
attack at both at home and overseas at the very same time. Overseas, Putin of
Russia is on the march, invading Ukraine, and sowing chaos throughout Europe
and beyond. If anybody in this room thinks Putin will stop at Ukraine, I
assure you he will not. But Ukraine can stop Putin. Ukraine can stop Putin if
we stand with Ukraine and provide the weapons that needs to defend itself,
that is all Ukraine is asking. They're not asking for American soldiers. In
fact, there are no American soldiers in war in Ukraine and I'm determined to
keep it that way. But now assistance to Ukraine is being blocked by those who
want to walk away from our world leadership. Wasn't long ago when a Republican
president named Ronald Reagan thundered, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall."
Now my predecessor, a former Republican president, tells Putin, "Do whatever
the hell you want." That's a quote. A former president actually said that
bowing down to a Russian leader, I think it's outrageous, it's dangerous, and
it's unacceptable. America is a founding member of NATO, the military alliance
of Democratic Nations created after World War II to prevent war and keep the
peace. And today we've made NATO stronger than ever. Welcomed Finland to the
alliance last year. Just this morning, Sweden officially joined and their
ministers here tonight, they're going to stand up. Welcome. And they know how
to fight. Mr. Prime Minister, Welcome to NATO, the strongest military alliance
the world has ever seen. I say this to Congress, we have to stand up to Putin.
Send me a bipartisan national security bill. History is literally watching.
History is watching. If the United States walks away, it will put Ukraine at
risk. Europe is at risk. The free world will be at risk, emboldening others to
do what they wish to do us harm. My message to President Putin, who I've known
for a long time is simple. We will not walk away. We will not bow down. I will
not bow down. In a literal sense, history is watching. Just like history
watched three years ago on January 6, when insurrectionists stormed this very
Capitol and placed the dagger to the throat of American Democracy. Many of you
were here on that darkest of days. We all saw with our own eyes the
insurrectionists were not patriots. They'd come to stop the peaceful transfer
of power. Dover Stern, the will of the people. January 6 lies about the 2020
election and the plots that steal the election posed a great, gravest threat
to US democracy since the Civil War. But they failed. America's stood. America
has stood strong, and democracy prevail. We must be honest. The threat to
democracy must be defended. My predecessor and some of you here seek to bury
the truth about January 6. I will not do that. This is the moment to speak the
truth and to bury the lies. Here's the simple truth. You can't love your
country only when you win. As I've done, ever since being elected to office, I
ask all of you without regard to party, to join together and defend democracy.
Remember, your oath of office is defending us all threats, foreign and
domestic. Respect, free and fair elections, restore trust in our institutions,
and make clear political violence has absolutely no place in America, zero
place. It's not hyperbole to suggest history is watching, we're watching, your
children and grandchild will read about this day and what we do, history's
watching another assault on freedom. Joining us to light is Latorya Beasley, a
social worker from Birmingham, Alabama, 14 months ago, she and her husband
welcomed a baby girl thanks to the miracle of IVF. She scheduled treatments to
have that second child, but the Alabama Supreme Court shut down IVF treatments
across the state, unleashed by a Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v.
Wade, she was told her dream would have to wait. What her family had gone
through should never have happened, unless Congress acts, it could happen
again, so tonight let's stand up for families like hers, to my friends across
the aisle, don't keep this waiting any longer, guarantee the right IVF ,
guarantee it nationwide. Like most Americans, I believe Roe v. Wade got it
right. I thank Vice President Harris for being an incredible leader defending
reproductive freedom and so much more. My predecessor came to office,
determined to see Roe v. Wade overturned. He's the reason it was overturned,
and he brags about it. Look at the chaos that has resulted. Join us tonight is
Kate Cox, a wife and mother from Dallas, she's become pregnant again and had a
fetus of a fatal condition. Her Dr. told Kate that her own life and her
ability to have children in the future were at risk if she didn't act. Because
Texas law banned her ability to act, Kate and her husband had to leave the
state to get what she needed. What her family had gone through should have
never happened as well, but it's happening to too many others. There are state
laws banning the freedom to choose, criminalizing doctors, forcing survivors
of rape and incest to leave their states to get the treatment they need. Many
of you in this chamber and my predecessor are promising to pass a national ban
on reproductive freedom. My God, what freedom else would you take away? Look,
it's a decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court majority wrote the
following, and with all due respect, Justices, women are not without electoral
or political power, you're about to realize how much you [inaudible 01:05:04].
Clearly, those bragging about overturning the Roe v. Wade, have no clue about
the power of women. But they found out when reproductive freedom was on the
ballot, we won in 2022, in 2020, and we'll win again in 2024. If you, the
American people, send me a Congress that supports the right to choose, I
promise you, I'll restore Roe v. Wade as the law of the land again. Folks,
America cannot go back. I'm here tonight to show what I believe the way
forward because I know how far we come. Four years ago, next week before I
came to office, the country was hit by the worst pandemic and the worst
economic crisis in a century. Remember the fear record losses? Remember the
spikes in crime and the murder rate raging virus that took more than 1 million
American lives of loved ones, millions left behind, a mental health crisis of
isolation and loneliness. My predecessor failed the most basic presidential
duty that he owes to American people the duty to care, I think that's
unforgivable. I came to office determined to get us through one of the
toughest periods in the nation's history, we have. It doesn't make new, but
news in 1,000 cities and towns, the American people are writing the greatest
comeback story never told. So let's tell the story here, tell it here and now,
America's comeback is building the future of American possibilities. Building
an economy from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top down, investing
in all America, in all Americans to make sure everyone has a fair shot and we
leave no one behind. The pandemic no longer controls our lives, the vaccine
that saved us from COVID, are now being used to beat cancer. Turning setback
into comeback, that's what America does. Folks, my inherited economy is on the
brink. Now our economy is the envy of the world, 15 million new jobs in three
years, a record. Unemployment at 50-year lows. The record 16 million Americans
are starting small businesses and each one is a literal act of hope. With
historic job growth and small business growth for Black, and Hispanics, and
Asian Americans, 800,000 new manufacturing jobs in America and counties. Where
is it written we can't be the manufacturing capital of the world. We are, we
will. More people have health insurance today than ever before. The racial
wealth gap is as small as it's been in 20 years. Wages keep going up,
inflation keeps coming down. Inflation has dropped from 9%-3%, the lowest in
the world and tending lower. The landing is and will be soft. And now instead
of importing foreign products and exporting American jobs, we're exporting
American products and creating American jobs. Right here in America where they
belong. And it takes time, but the American people are beginning to feel it.
Consumer studies show consumer confidence's are soaring. Buy America has been
the law of the land since the 1930s. Past administrations, including my
predecessor, including some democrats as well in the past failed to buy
America. Not anymore. On my watch federal projects that you fund like helping
build American roads, bridges, and highways will be made with American
products and built by American workers. Good paying American jobs. And thanks
to our Chips and Science Act, the United States is investing more in research
and development than ever before. During the pandemic, a shortage of
semiconductors, chips that drove up the price of everything from cell phones
to automobiles. And by the way, we invented those chips right here in America.
Well instead of having to import them, instead of private companies are now
investing billions of dollars to build new chip factories here in America.
Creating tens of thousands of jobs. Many of those jobs paying $100,000 a year
and don't require a college degree. In fact, my policies have attracted $650
billion in private sector investment, in clean energy, advanced manufacturing,
creating tens of thousands of jobs here in America. And thanks to our
bipartisan infrastructure law, 46,000 new projects have announced all across
your communities. And by the way, I notice some of you strongly voted against
it, or they're cheering on that money coming out. I like it. I'm with you. If
any of you don't want that money in your district, just let me know. Modernize
our roads and bridges, ports and airports, public transit systems. Removing
poisonous lead pipes so every child can drink clean water without risk of
brain damage. Providing affordable high speed internet for every American no
matter where you live, urban, suburban, or rural communities in red states and
blue states. Record investments in tribal communities because of my investment
in the family farms. Because I invested in families farms led by my sector of
agriculture knows more about this than anybody I know. We're better able to
stay in the family for those farms and their children or grandchildren won't
have to leave home to make a living. It's transformative. The great comeback
story is Belvidere, Illinois. Home to an auto plant for nearly 60 years.
Before I came to office, the plant was on its way to shutting down. Thousands
of workers feared for their livelihoods. Hope was fading. Then I was elected
to office, and we raised the Belvidere repeatedly with auto companies, knowing
unions would make all the difference. The UAW worked like hell to keep the
plant open, and get these jobs back and together we succeeded. Instead of auto
factories shutting down, auto factories reopen in the new state of the art
battery factories being built, the power of those cars there at the same. The
folks in Belvidere, I say instead of your town being left behind, your
community is moving forward again. Because instead of watching auto jobs of
the future go overseas, 4,000 union jobs with higher wages are building the
future in Belvidere, right here in America. There tonight is UAW President
Shawn Fain, a great friend, and a great labor leader. Shawn where are you?
Stand up. And Dawn Sims, a third generation worker, UAW worker at Belvidere.
Shawn I was proud to be the first president to stand in the picket line and
today Dawn has a good job in her hometown providing stability for her family
and pride and dignity as well. Showing once again, Wall Street didn't build
America. They're not bad guys. They didn't build it though. The middle class
built the country and unions built the middle class. I say to the American
people, when America gets knocked down, we get back up. We keep going. That's
America. That's you the American people. It's because of you America's coming
back. It's because of you our future is brighter. It's because of you that
tonight we can proudly say the state of our unit is strong and getting
stronger. Tonight, I want to talk about the future of possibilities that we
can build together. A future where the days of trickle down economics are
over, and the wealthy and the biggest corporations no longer get to allow the
tax breaks. And by the way, I understand corporations, I come from a state
that has more corporations invested than every one of your states in the
United States combined. And I represented for 36 years. I'm not anti
corporation but I grew up in a home where trickle down economics didn't put
much on my dad's kitchen table. That's why I'm determined to turn things
around so middle class does well. When they do well, the poor have a way up
and the wealthy still do very well. We all do well, and there's more to do to
make sure you're feeling the benefits of all we're doing. Americans pay more
for prescription drugs than anywhere in the world. It's wrong and I'm ending
it. For the law that I proposed and signed not one of you Republican buddies
voted for it. We finally beat Big Pharma. Instead of paying $400 a month or
there about for insulin. With diabetes, it only cost 10 bucks to make. They
only get paid 35 a month now and still make healthy profits. What to do next?
I want to cap the cost of insulin, $35 a month for every American who needs
it. Everyone. For years, people have talked about it but finally we got it
done and gave Medicare the power to negotiate lower prices on prescription
drugs just like the VA is able to do for veterans. That's not just saving
seniors money, it's saving taxpayers money. We cut the federal deficit by $160
billion because Medicare will no longer have to pay those exorbitant prices to
Big Pharma. This year Medicare is negotiating lower prices for some of the
costliest drugs on the market that treat everything from heart disease to
arthritis. It's now time to go further and give Medicare the power to
negotiate lower prices for 500 different drugs over the next decade. We're
making a lot of money guys, and they'll still be extremely profitable. We'll
not only save lives, it will save taxpayers another $200 billion. Starting
next year, the same lower caps total prescription drug costs for seniors on
Medicare at $2,000 a year. Even for expensive cancer drugs that cost $10,000,
$12,000, $15,000. I want to cap prescription drug costs at $2,000 a year for
everyone. Folks, I'm going to get in trouble for saying that, but if you want
to get an Air Force 1 and fly to Toronto, Berlin, Moscow. Excuse me. Well,
even Moscow, probably and bring your prescription with you and I promise you
I'll get it for you for 40% the cost you're paying now. Same company, same
drug, same place. Folks, The Affordable Care Act, the old Obamacare is still a
very big deal. Over 100 million of you can no longer be denied health
insurance because of pre-existing condition. For my predecessor and many in
this chamber want to take the prescription drug away by repealing Affordable
Care Act. I'm not going to let that happen. We stopped you 50 times before we
will stop you again. In fact, I'm not only protecting it, I'm expanding it.
The enacted tax credits of $800 per person per year, reduce healthcare costs
for millions of working families. That tax credit expires next year. I want to
make that savings permanent. To state, the obvious, women are more than half
of our population, but research on women's health has always been underfunded.
That's why we're launching the first ever White House Initiative on Women's
Health Research led by Jill, doing an incredible job as first lady. To pass my
plan for $12 billion a transfer of women's health research and benefit
millions of lives all across America. I know the cost of housing is so
important to you. Inflation keeps coming down, mortgage rates will come down
as well and the FED acknowledges that. But I'm not waiting. I want to provide
an annual tax credit that will give Americans $400 a month for the next two
years as mortgage rates come down to put toward their mortgages when they buy
their first home or trade-up for a little more space just for two years. And
my administration is also eliminating title insurance on federally backed
mortgages. When you refinance your home, you can save $1,000 or more as a
consequence. For millions of renters, we're cracking down on big landlords who
break antitrust laws by price fixing and driving up rents. We've cut red tape
so builders can get federally financing, which is already helping build a
record 1.7 million new housing units nationwide. Now pass and build and
renovate two million affordable homes and bring those rents down. To remain
the strongest economy in the world, we need to have the best education system
in the world. And I suspect all of you want to give a child, every child, a
good start by providing access to preschool for 3 and 4 years old. I think I
pointed out last year that children coming from broken homes where there's no
books and not read to and not spoken to very often, start school in
kindergarten or first grade having heard a million fewer words spoken. Well,
studies show that children that go to preschool, are nearly 50% more likely to
finish high school, go on to earn a 2-4-year degree, no matter what their
background is. I met a year and a half ago with the leaders of the business
roundtable. They were angry. I think they were discussing why I wanted to
spend money on education. I pointed out to them as Vice President, I met with
over 182 of those folks, don't hold me to the exact number. And I asked them
what they need most, the CEOs, and you've had the same experience on both
sides of the aisle, they say a better-educated workforce. So I looked at them
and I said I come from Delaware. DuPont used to be the eighth largest
corporation in the world and every new enterprise they bought, they educated
the workforce to that enterprise. But none of you do that anymore. Why are you
angry with me providing you the opportunity for the best-educated workforce in
the world? They all looked to me and said, I think you're right. I want to
expand high-quality tutoring and summer learning to see that every child
learns to read by third grade. I'm also connecting local businesses and high
schools so students get hands-on experience on a path to good paying job,
whether or not they go to college. And I want to make sure that college is
more affordable. Let's continue increasing the Pell Grants to working in
middle-class families and increase record investments in HBCUs and
minority-serving institutions, including Hispanic institutions. When I was
told I couldn't universally just change the way in which we dealt with student
loans, I fixed two student loan programs that already existed to reduce the
burden of student debt for nearly 4 million Americans, including nurses,
firefighters and others in public service, like Keenan Jones, a public
educator from Minnesota, who's here with us tonight. Keenan, where are you?
Keenan thank you. He's educated hundreds of students so they can go to
college. Now he's able to help after debt forgiveness get his own daughter to
college. Now folks look, such relief is good for the economy because folks are
now able to buy a home, start a business, start a family while we're at it, I
want to give the public school teachers a raise. By the way, the first couple
years we cut the deficit. Now let me speak to the question of fundamental
fairness for all Americans. I've been delivering real results in fiscally
responsible ways. We've already cut the federal deficit over a trillion
dollars. I signed the bipartisan deal to cut another trillion dollars in the
next decade. It's my goal to cut the federal deficit another three trillion by
making big corporations that are very wealthy, finally beginning to pay their
fair share. Look, I'm a capitalist. If you want to make or can make a million
or millions of bucks, that's great. Just pay your fair share in taxes. A fair
tax code is how we invest things that make this country great healthcare,
education, defense and so much more. But here's the deal. The last
administration enacted a two trillion dollar tax cut overwhelmingly benefit
the topping 1% the very wealthy and the biggest corporation and exploded the
federal deficit. They added more to the national debt than any presidential
term in American history. Check the numbers. Folks at home, does anybody think
the tax code is fair? >> NO. >> Do you think the wealthy and big corporations
need another two trillion dollar tax break? >> No. >> I sure don't. I'm going
to keep fighting like hell to make it fair. Under my plan, nobody earning less
than $400,000 will pay additional penny in federal taxes. Nobody and not one
penny and they haven't yet. In fact, the child tax credit I passed during the
pandemic cut taxes for millions of working families and cut child poverty in
half. Restore that child tax credit. No child should go hungry in this
country. The way to make the tax code fair is to make big corporations, the
very wealthy begin to pay their fair share. Remember in 2020, 55 of the
biggest companies in America made 40 billion dollars and paid zero in federal
income tax. Zero, not anymore. Thanks to the law I wrote, we signed, big
companies have to pay a minimum 15% but that's still less than working people
paying federal taxes. It's time to raise corporate minimum tax to at least
21%. So every big corporation finally begins to pay their fair share. I also
want to end tax breaks for big pharmer, big oil, private checks, massive
executive pay. About a million dollars could be deducted. They can pay him 20
million if they want but they deduct a million. End it now. You know there are
1000 billionaires in America. You know what the average federal tax is for
those billionaires? >> No. >> No? They're making great sacrifices, 8.2%.
That's far less than the vast majority of Americans pay. No billionaire should
pay a lower federal tax rate than a teacher or a sanitation worker or a nurse.
I propose a minimum tax for billionaires at 25%, just 25%. You know what that
would raise? That would raise $500 billion over the next 10 years. And imagine
what that could do for America. Imagine a future with affordable childcare.
Millions of families they need to go to work to help grow the economy. Imagine
a future with paid leave, because no one should have to choose between working
and taking care of their sick family members. Imagine a future of home care
and elder care and people living with disabilities so they can stay in their
homes and family caregivers can finally get the pay they deserve. Tonight,
let's all agree once again to stand up for seniors. Many of my friends on the
other side of, I want to put Social Security on the chopping block. If anyone
here tries to cut Social Security, Medicare, or raise the retirement age, I
will stop you. The working people who built this country pay more into Social
Security than millionaires and billionaires do. It's not fair. We have two
ways to go, republicans can cut Social Security and give more tax breaks to
the wealthy. That's the proposal. Oh no, you guys don't want another $2
trillion tax cut. I thought that's what your plan was. Well, that's good to
hear. You're not going to cut another $2 trillion for the super wealth, that's
good to hear. I'll protect and strengthen social security and make the wealthy
pay their fair share. Look, too many corporations raise prices to pad their
profits, charging more and more, for less and less. That's why we're cracking
down on corporations engaged in price gouging and deceptive pricing, from food
to healthcare to housing. In fact, the snack companies think you won't notice
if they change the size of the bag and put a hell of a lot fewer, same size
bag, put fewer chips in it. No, I'm not joking, it's called shrink pricing.
Pass Bobby Casey's bill and stop this. I really mean it. You probably all saw
that commercial on Snickers bars, you get charged the same amount and you got
about, I don't know, 10% fewer Snickers in it. Look, I'm also getting rid of
junk fees, those hidden fees at the end of your bill that are there without
your knowledge. My administration announced we're cutting credit card late
fees from $32 to $8. Banks and credit card companies are allowed to charge
what would cost them to instigate the collection, and that's more a hell of a
lot like $8 than $30 some. They don't like it, credit card companies don't
like it, but I'm saving American families $20 billion a year with all the junk
fees that I'm eliminating. Folks at home, that's why the banks are so mad,
it's $20 billion in profit. I'm not stopping there. My administration's
proposed rules to make cable, travel, utilities, and online ticket sellers
tell you the total price upfront, so there are no surprises. It matters and so
does this. In November, my team began serious negotiations with a bipartisan
group of Senators. The result was a bipartisan bill with the toughest set of
border security reforms we've ever seen. You don't think so. You don't like
that bill? That conservatives got together and said it was a good bill. I'll
be darned, that's amazing. That bipartisan bill would hire 1,500 more security
agents and officers, 100 more immigration judges help tackle the backload of 2
million cases, 4,300 more asylum officers, and new policies so they can
resolve cases in six months instead of six years now. What are you against?
One hundred more high-tech drug detection machines to significantly increase
the ability to screen and stop vehicles smuggling fentanyl into America that's
killing thousands of children. This bill would save lives and bring order to
the border. It would also give me and any new president, new emergency
authority to temporarily shut down the border when the number of migrants at
the border is overwhelming. The Border Patrol Union has endorsed this bill.
You're saying low, look at the facts. I know you know how to read. I believe
that given the opportunity for a majority in the House and Senate would
endorse the bill as well, a majority right now. But unfortunately, politics
has derailed this bill so far. I'm told my predecessor called members of
Congress and the Senate to demand they block the bill. He feels it would be a
political win for me and a political loser for him. It's not about him, it's
not about me. I'd be a winner, not really. >> [inaudible 01:37:45]. >> Lincoln
Riley, an innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal, that's right, but
how many of thousands of people being killed by illegals? To her parents I
say, my heart goes out to you, having lost children myself, I understand, but
look, if we change the dynamic at the border, people pay these smugglers 8,000
bucks to get across the border because they know if they get by and let into
the country, it's 6-8 years before they have a hearing. And it's worth taking
the chance with the $8,000. But, if it's only six weeks, the idea is it's
highly unlikely that people will pay that money and gum all that way, knowing
that they'll be able to be kicked out quickly. Folks, I will respectfully
suggest my Republican friends owe it to the American people, get this bill
done, we need to act now. And if my predecessor is watching, instead of paying
politics and pressuring members of Congress to block the bill, join me in
telling the Congress to pass it. We can do it together. But that's apparently,
here's what he will not do. I will not demonize immigrants saying they are
poisoning the blood of our country. I will not separate families. I will not
ban people because of their faith. Unlike my predecessor, on my first day in
office, I introduced a comprehensive bill to fix our immigration system. Take
a look at it, it has all these and more. Secure the border, provide a pathway
to citizens for dreamers, and so much more. But unlike my predecessor, I know
who we are as Americans. And we're the only nation in the world with a heart
and soul that draws from old and new. Home to Native Americans, and ancestors
have been here for thousands of years. Home to people from every place on
Earth. They came freely, some came in chains, some came when famine struck,
like my ancestral family in Ireland, some to flee persecution, to chase dreams
that are impossible anywhere but here in America. That's America, and we all
come from somewhere, but we're all Americans. Look folks, we have a simple
choice. We can fight about fixing the border or we can fix it. I'm ready to
fix it. Send me the border bill now. A transformational moment in history
happened 59 years ago today in Selma, Alabama. Hundreds of foot soldiers for
justice marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, named after the Grand Dragon
of the Ku Klux Klan, to claim their fundamental right to vote. They were
beaten, they were bloody, and left for dead. Our late friend and former
colleague, John Lewis, was on that march. We miss him. Joining us tonight, our
other marchers, both in the Gower and on the floor, including Bettie Mae
Fikes, known as the voice of Selma, the daughter of gospel singers and
preachers. She sang songs of prayer and protest on that bloody Sunday, to help
shake the nation's conscience. Five months later, the Voting Rights Act passed
and was signed into law. Thank you. But 59 years later, there are forces
taking us back in time. Voter suppression, election subversion, unlimited dark
money, extreme gerrymandering. John Lewis is a great friend to many of us
here. But if you truly want to honor him, and all the heroes that marched with
him, then it's time to do more than talk. Pass the freedom to Vote Act, the
John Lewis Voting Right Act. And stop denying another core value of America,
our diversity across American life. Banning books, it's wrong. Instead of
erasing history , let's make history. I want to protect fundamental rights,
pass the Equality Act, and my message to transgender Americans, I have your
back. Pass the PRO Act for worker's rights, raise the federal minimum wage,
because every worker has a right to a decent living more than seven bucks an
hour. We're also making history by confronting the climate crisis, not denying
it. I don't think any of you think there's no longer a climate crisis. At
least I hope you don't. I'm taking the most significant action ever on climate
in the history of the world. I'm cutting our carbon emissions in half by 2030,
creating tens of thousands of clean energy jobs like the IBEW workers
building, and installing 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations.
Conserving 30% of America's lands and waters by 2030. I'm taking action on
environmental justice fence line communities smothered by the legacy of
pollution. And patterned after the Peace Corps and America Corps, I launch the
Climate Corps to put 20,000 young people to work in the forefront of our clean
energy future. I'll triple that number in a decade. You state the obvious, all
Americans deserve the freedom to be safe, and America is safer today than when
I took office. Year before I took office murder rates went up 30% they went
up. The biggest increase in history, it was then through my American Rescue
Plan, which every American voted against, I'm mad at. We made the largest
investment in public safety ever. Last year, the murder rate saw the sharpest
decrease in history. Violent crime fell to one of its lowest levels of more
than 50 years. But we have more to do. We have to help cities invest in more
community police officers, more mental health workers, more community violence
intervention. Give communities the tool to crack down on gun crime, retail
crime, and carjackings. Keep building trust as I've been doing by taking
executive action on police reform, and calling for it to be the law of the
land. Directing my cabinet to review the federal classification of marijuana,
and expunging thousands of convictions for the mere possession, because no one
should be jailed for simply using or having on their record. Take on crimes of
domestic violence. I'm ramping up the federal enforcement of the Violence
Against Women Act that I proudly wrote when I was a senator. So we can finally
end the scourge against women in America. There are other kinds of violence I
want to stop. With us tonight is Jazmin, whose nine year old sister Jackie was
murdered with 21 classmates and teachers in elementary school in Uvalde,
Texas. Very soon after that happened, Jill and I went to Uvalde for a couple
of days. We spent hours and hours with each of the families. We heard their
message, so everyone in this room, in this chamber, could hear the same
message, the constant refrain. And I was there for hours meeting with every
family. They said, "Do something." Well, I did do something by establishing
the first ever Office of Gun Violence Prevention in the White House that the
Vice President is leading and charge. Thank you for joining. Meanwhile, my
predecessor told the NRA he's proud. He did nothing on guns when he was
president. After another shooting in Iowa, recently, he said when asked what
to do about, he said, "Just get over it." There's his quote, just get over it.
I say, stop it. I'm proud we beat the NRA when I signed the most significant
gun safety law in nearly 30 years because of this Congress. We now must beat
the NRA again. I'm demanding a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity
magazine. Pass universal background checks. None of this, I taught the Second
Amendment for 12 years. None of this violates the Second Amendment or vilifies
responsible gun owners. As we manage challenges at home we're also managing
crisis abroad, including in the Middle East. I know the last five months have
been gut-wrenching for so many people, for the Israeli people, for the
Palestinian people, and so many here in America. This crisis began on October
7th with a massacre by a terrorist group called HAMAS, as you all know. One
thousand two hundred innocent people, women and girls, men and boys,
slaughtered after enduring sexual violence. The deadliest day for the Jewish
people since the Holocaust and 250 hostages taken. Here, in this chamber,
tonight, our families whose loved ones are still being held by HAMAS. I pledge
to all the families that we will not rest until we bring every one of your
loved ones home. We will also work around the clock to bring home Evan and
Paul, Americans being unjustly detained by the Russians and others around the
world. Israel has the right to go after HAMAS. HAMAS ended this conflict by
releasing hostages. Laying down arms could end it by releasing the hostages,
laying down arms, and surrendering those responsible for October 7th. But
Israel has a added burden because HAMAS hides and operates among the civilian
population like cowards, under hospitals, daycare centers, and all the like.
Israel also has a fundamental responsibility though, to protect innocent
civilians in Gaza. This war has taken a greater toll on innocent civilians
than all previous wars in Gaza combined. More than 30,000 Palestinians have
been killed, most of whom are not HAMAS. Thousands and thousands of innocent
women and children, girls and boys also orphaned. Nearly two million war
Palestinians under bombardment or displacement. Homes destroyed, neighbors in
rubbles, cities in ruin, families out of food, water, medicine. It's
heartbreaking. I've been working nonstop to establish an immediate cease fire
that will last for six weeks to get all the prisoners released, all the
hostages released. To get the hostages home and ease the intolerable and
humanitarian crisis and build toward an enduring and more, something more
enduring. The United States have been leading international efforts to get
more humanitarian assistance to Gaza. Tonight, I'm directing the US military
to lead an emergency mission to establish a temporary pier in the
Mediterranean on the Coast of Gaza that can receive large shipments carrying
food, water, medicine, and temporary shelters. No US boots will be on the
ground. A temporary pier will enable a massive increase in the amount of
humanitarian assistance getting into Gaza everyday. And Israel must do its
part. Israel must allow more aid in the Gaza to ensure humanitarian workers
aren't caught in the cross fire. And they're announcing they're going to have
a crossing in Northern Gaza. For the leadership of Israel, I say this,
humanitarian assistance cannot be a secondary consideration, or a bargaining
chip. Protecting and saving innocent lives has to be a priority. As we look to
the future, the only real solution to the situation is a two-state solution
over time. And I say this, as a lifelong supporter of Israel, my entire
career, no one has a stronger record with Israel than I do. I challenge any of
you here. I'm the only American president to visit Israel in wartime. But
there is no other path that guarantees Israel's security and democracy.
There's no other path that guarantees that Palestinian can live with peace and
dignity. And there's no other path that guarantees peace between Israel and
all of its neighbors, including Saudi Arabia, with whom I'm talking. Creating
stability in the Middle East also means containing the threat posed by Iran.
That's why I built a coalition of more than a dozen countries to defend
international shipping and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. I've ordered
strikes to degrade the Houthi capability and defend US forces in the region.
As Commander in Chief, I will not hesitate to direct further measures to
protect our people and our military personnel. For years, I've heard many of
my Republican and Democratic friends say that China is on the rise and America
is falling behind. They've got it backwards. I've been saying it for over four
years, even when I wasn't President. America is rising. We have the best
economy in the world and since I've come to office, RGTP is up, our trade
deficit of China is down to the lowest point in over a decade. And we're
standing up against China's unfair economic practices. We're standing up for
peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits. I've revitalized our
partnership and alliance in the Pacific, India, Australia, Japan, South Korea,
the Pacific Islands. I've made sure that the most advanced American
technologies can't be used in China, not allowing to trade them there.
Frankly, for all tough talk on China, it never occurred to my predecessor to
do any of that. I want competition with China, not conflict, and we're in a
stronger position to win the conflict of the 21st century against China than
anyone else for that matter, than any time as well. Here at home, I've signed
over 400 bipartisan bills. There's more to pass my unity agenda, strengthen
penalties on fentanyl trafficking. You don't want to do that? Pass bipartisan
privacy that says to protect our children online, harness the promise of AI to
protect us from peril, ban AI voice impersonations and more, and keep our
truly sacred obligation to train and equip those we send into harm's way and
care for them and their families when they come home and when they don't.
That's why the song support and help of Dennis and the VA, I signed the PACT
Act. One of the most significant laws ever, helping millions of veterans
exposed to toxins who now are battling more than 100 different cancers. Many
of them don't come home, but we owe them and their families support. We owe it
to ourselves to keep supporting our new health research agency called RPh. And
remind us that we can do big things like end cancer as we know it, and we
will. Let me close with this. I know you don't want to hear any more Lindsay,
but I got to say a few more things. I know it may not look like it, but I've
been around a while. When you get to be my age, certain things become clearer
than ever. I know the American story. Again and again I've seen the contest
between competing forces in the battle for the soul of our nation. Between
those who want to pull America back to the past and those who want to move
America to the future. My lifetime has taught me to embrace freedom and
democracy, a future based on core values that did defined America; honesty,
decency, dignity, equality, to respect everyone, to give everyone a fair shot,
to give hate no safe harbor. Now other people my age see it differently. The
American story of resentment, revenge, and retribution, that's not me. I was
born amid World War II, when America stood for the freedom of the world. I
grew up in Scranton, Pennsylvania and Claymont, Delaware, among working class
people who built this country. I watched in horror as two of my heroes, like
many of you did, Dr. King and Bobby Kennedy were assassinated, and their
legacies inspired me to pursue a career in service. I left a law firm, became
a public defender because my city of Wilmington was the only city in America
occupied by the national guard after Dr. King was assassinated, because of the
riots. And I became a county councilman almost by accident. I got elected in
the United States senate when I had no intention of running at age 29. Then
vice president of a first black president. Now a president of the first women
vice president. In my career, I've been told I was too young, by the way,
they're going to let me on the senate elevators to vote sometimes. Not a joke.
And I've been told I'm too old. Whether young or old, I've always known what
endures. I've known our North star. The very idea of America, is that, we're
all created equal. It deserves to be treated equally throughout our lives.
We've never fully lived up to that idea, but we've never walked away from it
either, and I won't walk away from it now. I'm optimistic. I really am. I'm
optimistic, Nancy. My fellow Americans, the issue facing our nation isn't how
old we are, it's how old are our ideas? Hey, anger, revenge, retribution are
the oldest of ideas. But you can't lead America with ancient ideas, but only
take us back. You lead America, the land of possibilities, you need a vision
for the future, and what can and should be done. Tonight you've heard mine. I
see a future where defending democracy, you don't diminish it. I see a future
where restore the right to choose and protect our freedoms, not take them
away. I see a future for the middle class as finally has a fair shot, and the
wealthy have to pay their fair share in taxes. I see a future for we save the
planet from the crime and crisis, and our country from gun violence. Above
all, I see a future for all Americans. I see a country for all Americans. And
I will always be president for all Americans because I believe in America, I
believe in you, the American people. You're the reason we've never been more
optimistic about our future than I am now. So let's build the future together.
Let's remember who we are. We are the United States of America, and there's
nothing, nothing beyond our capacity when we act together. God bless you all
and may God protect our troops. Thank you. >> The chair declares the joint
session of two houses is now dissolved. The house has to come to order. For
what purpose does the gentleman from Louisiana seek recognition? >> Mr.
Speaker, I move that the message of the president be referred to the Committee
of the Whole on the State of the Union and ordered printed. >> Without
objection. Does the gentleman from Louisiana have a motion? >> Mr. Speaker, I
move that the house do now adjourn. >> Question is on the motion to adjourn.
Those in favor say aye. >> Aye. >> Those opposed no. The ayes have it, the
motion is agreed to. Accordingly, the house stands adjourned till 9:00 AM
tomorrow