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JOHN BOEHNER: Members of Congress, I have the high privilege and distinct honor of presenting to you,

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the President of the United States. (Applause.)

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Thank you. (Continued applause.)

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Thank you so much. Thank you.

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Thank you very much.

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Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President,
members of Congress, fellow Americans:

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Fifty-one years ago, John F. Kennedy declared
to this chamber that “the Constitution makes

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us not rivals for power but partners for progress.”
(Applause.)

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“It is my task,” he said,“to report the State of the Union -- to improve it is the task of us all.”

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Tonight, thanks to the grit and determination
of the American people,

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there is much progress to report.

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After a decade of grinding war, our brave men and women in uniform are coming home. (Applause.)

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After years of grueling recession, our businesses have created over six million new jobs.

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We buy more American cars than we have in five years,

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and less foreign oil than we have in 20. (Applause.)

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Our housing market is healing, our stock market is rebounding,

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and consumers, patients, and homeowners enjoy stronger protections than ever before. (Applause.)

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So, together, we have cleared away the rubble
of crisis,

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and we can say with renewed confidence that the State of our Union is stronger. (Applause.)

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But we gather here knowing that there are
millions of Americans

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whose hard work and dedication have not yet been rewarded.

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Our economy is adding jobs -- but too many people still can’t find full-time employment.

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Corporate profits have skyrocketed to all-time highs

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-- but for more than a decade, wages and incomes
have barely budged.

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It is our generation’s task, then, to reignite
the true engine of America’s economic growth

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-- a rising, thriving middle class. (Applause.)

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It is -- (Applause)

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It is our unfinished task to restore the basic bargain that built this country --

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the idea that if you work hard and meet your responsibilities, you can get ahead,

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no matter where you come from, no matter what you look like, or who you love.

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It is our unfinished task to make sure that this government works on behalf of the many,

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and not just the few; that it encourages free enterprise, rewards individual initiative,

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and opens the doors of opportunity to every child across this great nation. (Applause.)

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The American people don’t expect government to solve every problem.

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They don’t expect those of us in this chamber to agree on every issue.

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But they do expect us to put the nation’s interests before party. (Applause.)

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They do expect us to forge reasonable compromise where we can.

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For they know that America moves forward only when we do so together,

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and that the responsibility of improving this union remains the task of us all.

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Our work must begin by making some basic decisions
about our budget --

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decisions that will have a huge impact on the strength of our recovery.

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Over the last few years, both parties have
worked together to reduce the deficit

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by more than $2.5 trillion -- mostly through spending
cuts,

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but also by raising tax rates on the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans.

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As a result, we are more than halfway towards the goal of $4 trillion in deficit reduction

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that economists say we need to stabilize our finances.

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Now we need to finish the job. And the question is, how?

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In 2011, Congress passed a law saying that if both parties couldn’t agree

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on a plan to reach our deficit goal,

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about a trillion dollars’ worth of budget cuts would automatically go into effect this year.

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These sudden, harsh, arbitrary cuts would jeopardize our military readiness.

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They’d devastate priorities like education, and energy, and medical research.

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They would certainly slow our recovery, and cost us hundreds of thousands of jobs.

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That’s why Democrats, Republicans, business leaders, and economists

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have already said that these cuts, known here in Washington as the sequester, are a really bad idea.

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Now, some in Congress have proposed preventing
only the defense cuts

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by making even bigger cuts to things like education and job training,

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Medicare and Social Security benefits.

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That idea is even worse. (Applause.)

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Yes, the biggest driver of our long-term debt

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is the rising cost of health care for an aging population.

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And those of us who care deeply about programs like Medicare must embrace the need for modest reforms

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-- otherwise, our retirement programs will crowd out the investments we need for our children,

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and jeopardize the promise of a secure retirement for future generations.

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But we can’t ask senior citizens and working families to shoulder the entire burden of deficit reduction

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while asking nothing more from the wealthiest and the most powerful. (Applause.)

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We won’t grow the middle class simply by shifting the cost of health care or college

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onto families that are already struggling,

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or by forcing communities to lay off more teachers and more cops and more firefighters.

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Most Americans -- Democrats, Republicans, and independents --

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understand that we can’t just cut our way to prosperity.

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They know that broad-based economic growth requires a balanced approach to deficit reduction,

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with spending cuts and revenue, and with everybody
doing their fair share.

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And that’s the approach I offer tonight.

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On Medicare, I’m prepared to enact reforms that will achieve the same amount of health care savings

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by the beginning of the next decade

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as the reforms proposed by the bipartisan Simpson-Bowles commission. (Applause.)

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Already, the Affordable Care Act is helping to slow the growth of health care costs. (Applause.)

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And the reforms I’m proposing go even further.

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We’ll reduce taxpayer subsidies to prescription drug companies

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and ask more from the wealthiest seniors. (Applause.)

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We’ll bring down costs by changing the way our government pays for Medicare,

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because our medical bills shouldn’t be based on the number of tests ordered or days spent in the hospital;

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they should be based on the quality of care that our seniors receive. (Applause.)

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And I am open to additional reforms from both parties,

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so long as they don’t violate the guarantee of a secure retirement.

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Our government shouldn’t make promises we cannot keep --

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but we must keepthe promises we’ve already made. (Applause.)

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To hit the rest of our deficit reduction target,

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we should do what leaders in both parties have already suggested,

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and save hundreds of billions of dollars by getting rid of tax loopholes and deductions

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for the well-off and the well-connected.

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After all, why would we choose to make deeper cuts to education and Medicare,

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just to protect special interest tax breaks?

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How is that fair?

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Why is it that deficit reduction is a big emergency justifying making cuts in Social Security benefits

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but not closing some loopholes?

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How does that promote growth? (Applause.)

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Now is our best chance for bipartisan, comprehensive tax reform

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that encourages job creation and helps bring down the deficit. (Applause.)

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We can get this done. (Applause.)

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The American people deserve a tax code that helps small businesses spend less time

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filling out complicated forms, and more time expanding and hiring --

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a tax code that ensures billionaires with high-powered accountants can’t work the system

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and pay a lower rate than their hardworking secretaries;

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a tax code that lowers incentives to move jobs overseas,

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and lowers tax rates for businesses and manufacturers

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that are creating jobs right here in the United States of America.

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That’s what tax reform can deliver. That’s what we can do together. (Applause.)

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I realize that tax reform and entitlement reform will not be easy.

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The politics will be hard for both sides.

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None of us will get 100 percent of what we want.

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But the alternative will cost us jobs, hurt our economy,

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visit hardship on millions of hardworking Americans.

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So let’s set party interests aside and work
to pass a budget that replaces reckless cuts

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with smart savings and wise investments in
our future.

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And let’s do it without the brinksmanship that stresses consumers and scares off investors. (Applause.)

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The greatest nation on Earth (Applause.)

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The greatest nation on Earth cannot keep conducting its business

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by drifting from one manufactured crisis to the next. (Applause.)

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We can't do it. (Applause.)

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Let’s agree. Let's agree right here, right now to keep the people’s government open,

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and pay our bills on time,

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and always uphold the full faith and credit of the United States of America. (Applause.)

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The American people have worked too hard, for too long, rebuilding from one crisis

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to see their elected officials cause another. (Applause.)

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Now, most of us agree that a plan to reducethe deficit must be part of our agenda.

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But let’s be clear, deficit reduction alone is not an economic plan. (Applause.)

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A growing economy that creates good, middle-class jobs --

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that must be the North Star that guides our efforts (Applause.)

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Every day, we should ask ourselves three questions as a nation:

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How do we attract more jobs to our shores?

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How do we equip our people with the skills they need to get those jobs?

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And how do we make sure that hard work leads to a decent living?

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A year and a half ago, I put forward an American Jobs Act

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that independent economists said would create more than 1 million new jobs.

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And I thank the last Congress for passing some of that agenda.

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I urge this Congress to pass the rest. (Applause.)

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But tonight, I’ll lay out additional proposals that are fully paid for

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and fully consistent with the budget framework both parties agreed to just 18 months ago.

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Let me repeat -- nothing I’m proposing tonight should increase our deficit by a single dime.

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It is not a bigger government we need, but a smarter government

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that sets priorities and invests in broad-based growth. (Applause.)

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That's what we should be looking for. (Applause.)

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Our first priority is making America a magnet for new jobs and manufacturing.

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After shedding jobs for more than 10 years,

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our manufacturers have added about 500,000 jobs over the past three.

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Caterpillar is bringing jobs back from Japan. Ford is bringing jobs back from Mexico.

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And this year, Apple will start making Macs in America again. (Applause.)

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There are things we can do, right now, to accelerate this trend.

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Last year, we created our first manufacturing innovation institute in Youngstown, Ohio.

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A once-shuttered warehouse is now a state-of-the art lab where new workers are mastering the 3D printing

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that has the potential to revolutionize the way we make almost everything.

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There’s no reason this can’t happen in other towns.

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So tonight, I’m announcing the launch of three more of these manufacturing hubs,

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where businesses will partner with the Department of Defense and Energy

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to turn regions left behind by globalization into global centers of high-tech jobs.

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And I ask this Congress to help create a network of 15 of these hubs

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and guarantee that the next revolution in manufacturing is made right here in America.

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We can get that done. (Applause.)

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Now, if we want to make the best products, we also have to invest in the best ideas.

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Every dollar we invested to map the human genome returned $140 to our economy -- every dollar.

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Today, our scientists are mapping the human brain to unlock the answers to Alzheimer’s.

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They’re developing drugs to regenerate damaged organs;

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devising new material to make batteries 10 times more powerful.

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Now is not the time to gut these job-creating investments in science and innovation.

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Now is the time to reach a level of research and development

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not seen since the height of the Space Race.

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We need to make those investments. (Applause.)

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Today, no area holds more promise than our investments in American energy.

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After years of talking about it, we’re finally poised to control our own energy future.

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We produce more oil at home than we have in 15 years (Applause.)

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We have doubled the distance our cars will go on a gallon of gas,

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and the amount of renewable energy we generate from sources like wind and solar --

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with tens of thousands of good American jobs to show for it.

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We produce more natural gas than ever before -- and nearly everyone’s energy bill is lower because of it.

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And over the last four years, our emissions of the dangerous carbon pollution

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that threatens our planet have actually fallen.

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But for the sake of our children and our future, we must do more to combat climate change. (Applause.)

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Now, it’s true that no single event makes a trend.

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But the fact is the 12 hottest years on record have all come in the last 15.

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Heat waves, droughts, wildfires, floods -- all are now more frequent and more intense.

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We can choose to believe that Superstorm Sandy, and the most severe drought in decades,

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and the worst wildfires some states have ever seen were all just a freak coincidence.

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Or we can choose to believe in the overwhelming judgment of science --

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and act before it’s too late. (Applause.)

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Now, the good news is we can make meaningful progress on this issue

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while driving strong economic growth.

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I urge this Congress to get together, pursue a bipartisan, market-based solution to climate change,

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like the one John McCain and Joe Lieberman worked on together a few years ago.

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But if Congress won’t act soon to protect future generations, I will.

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I will direct my Cabinet to come up with executive actions we can take, now and in the future,

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to reduce pollution, prepare our communities for the consequences of climate change,

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and speed the transition to more sustainable sources of energy.

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Four years ago, other countries dominated the clean energy market

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and the jobs that came with it.

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And we’ve begun to change that.

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Last year, wind energy added nearly half of all new power capacity in America.

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So let’s generate even more.

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Solar energy gets cheaper by the year -- let’s drive down costs even further.

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As long as countries like China keep going all in on clean energy, so must we.

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Now, in the meantime, the natural gas boom
has led to cleaner power

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and greater energy independence. We need to encourage that.

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And that’s why my administration will keep cutting red tape

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and speeding up new oil and gas permits.
(Applause.)

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That’s got to be part of an all-of-the-above plan.

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But I also want to work with this Congress to encourage the research and technology

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that helps natural gas burn even cleaner and protects our air and our water.

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In fact, much of our new-found energy is drawn
from lands and waters that we,

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the public, own together.

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So tonight, I propose we use some of our oil and gas revenues to fund an Energy Security Trust

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that will drive new research and technology to shift our cars and trucks off oil for good.

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If a nonpartisan coalition of CEOs and retired generals and admirals can get behind this idea,

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then so can we.

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Let’s take their advice and free our families and businesses

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from the painful spikes in gas prices we’ve put up with for far too long.

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I’m also issuing a new goal for America:

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Let’s cut in half the energy wasted by our homes and businesses over the next 20 years. (Applause.)

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We'll work with the states to do it.

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Those states with the best ideas to create jobs and lower energy bills

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by constructing more efficient buildings will receive federal support to help make that happen.

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America’s energy sector is just one part of an aging infrastructure badly in need of repair.

223
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Ask any CEO where they’d rather locate and hire --

224
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a country with deteriorating roads and bridges, or one with high-speed rail and Internet;

225
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high-tech schools, self-healing power grids.

226
00:22:55,199 --> 00:23:00,057
The CEO of Siemens America -- a company that brought hundreds of new jobs to North Carolina --

227
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said that if we upgrade our infrastructure, they’ll bring even more jobs.

228
00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:07,358
And that’s the attitude of a lot of companies all around the world.

229
00:23:08,127 --> 00:23:10,792
And I know you want these job-creating projects in your district.

230
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I’ve seen all those ribbon-cuttings. (Laughter.)

231
00:23:18,360 --> 00:23:25,067
So tonight, I propose a “Fix-It-First” program

232
00:23:25,067 --> 00:23:28,859
to put people to work as soon as possible on our most urgent repairs,

233
00:23:28,859 --> 00:23:48,201
like the nearly 70,000 structurally deficient bridges across the country. (Applause.)

234
00:23:48,231 --> 00:23:50,738
And to make sure taxpayers don’t shoulder the whole burden,

235
00:23:51,184 --> 00:23:56,096
I’m also proposing a Partnership to Rebuild America that attracts private capital

236
00:23:56,096 --> 00:23:58,755
to upgrade what our businesses need most:

237
00:23:59,601 --> 00:24:04,178
modern ports to move our goods, modern pipelines to withstand a storm,

238
00:24:04,947 --> 00:24:08,643
modern schools worthy of our children. (Applause.)

239
00:24:08,643 --> 00:24:13,831
Let’s prove that there’s no better place to do business than here in the United States of America,

240
00:24:13,831 --> 00:24:16,069
and let’s start right away. We can get this done.

241
00:24:17,700 --> 00:24:21,731
And part of our rebuilding effort must also involve our housing sector.

242
00:24:23,500 --> 00:24:27,671
The good news is our housing market is finally healing from the collapse of 2007.

243
00:24:28,932 --> 00:24:32,763
Home prices are rising at the fastest pace in six years.

244
00:24:32,763 --> 00:24:38,430
Home purchases are up nearly 50 percent, and construction is expanding again.

245
00:24:39,876 --> 00:24:43,294
But even with mortgage rates near a 50-year low,

246
00:24:43,985 --> 00:24:48,774
too many families with solid credit who want to buy a home are being rejected.

247
00:24:49,789 --> 00:24:56,251
Too many families who never missed a payment and want to refinance are being told no.

248
00:24:57,389 --> 00:25:00,884
That’s holding our entire economy back. We need to fix it.

249
00:25:01,791 --> 00:25:04,022
Right now, there’s a bill in this Congress

250
00:25:04,022 --> 00:25:07,359
that would give every responsible homeowner in America

251
00:25:07,359 --> 00:25:12,716
the chance to save $3,000 a year by refinancing at today’s rates.

252
00:25:14,131 --> 00:25:18,904
Democrats and Republicans have supported it before, so what are we waiting for?

253
00:25:19,719 --> 00:25:28,554
Take a vote, and send me that bill. (Applause.)

254
00:25:28,554 --> 00:25:36,302
Why would we be against that? (Applause.)

255
00:25:36,302 --> 00:25:40,248
Why would that be a partisan issue, helping folks refinance?

256
00:25:41,448 --> 00:25:46,868
Right now, overlapping regulations keep responsible young families from buying their first home.

257
00:25:47,652 --> 00:25:51,664
What’s holding us back? Let’s streamline the process, and help our economy grow.

258
00:25:54,029 --> 00:25:59,519
These initiatives in manufacturing, energy, infrastructure, housing --

259
00:26:00,395 --> 00:26:05,538
all these things will help entrepreneurs and small business owners expand and create new jobs.

260
00:26:06,829 --> 00:26:12,167
But none of it will matter unless we also equip our citizens with the skills and training

261
00:26:12,424 --> 00:26:19,981
to fill those jobs. (Applause.)

262
00:26:19,981 --> 00:26:23,251
And that has to start at the earliest possible age.

263
00:26:25,144 --> 00:26:30,645
You know, study after study shows that the sooner a child begins learning,

264
00:26:31,214 --> 00:26:33,392
the better he or she does down the road.

265
00:26:34,485 --> 00:26:40,402
But today, fewer than 3 in 10 four year-olds are enrolled in a high-quality preschool program.

266
00:26:41,848 --> 00:26:45,755
Most middle-class parents can’t afford a few hundred bucks a week for a private preschool.

267
00:26:46,462 --> 00:26:49,552
And for poor kids who need help the most,

268
00:26:50,043 --> 00:26:54,561
this lack of access to preschool education can shadow them for the rest of their lives.

269
00:26:56,006 --> 00:27:01,450
So tonight, I propose working with states to make high-quality preschool

270
00:27:01,450 --> 00:27:07,886
available to every single child in America. (Applause.)

271
00:27:07,886 --> 00:27:23,716
That's something we should be able to do. (Applause.)

272
00:27:23,716 --> 00:27:27,556
Every dollar we invest in high-quality early childhood education

273
00:27:27,556 --> 00:27:30,245
can save more than seven dollars later on --

274
00:27:30,245 --> 00:27:37,418
by boosting graduation rates, reducing teen pregnancy, even reducing violent crime.

275
00:27:38,741 --> 00:27:44,938
In states that make it a priority to educate our youngest children, like Georgia or Oklahoma,

276
00:27:45,799 --> 00:27:50,915
studies show students grow up more likely to read and do math at grade level,

277
00:27:51,499 --> 00:27:57,040
graduate high school, hold a job, form more stable families of their own.

278
00:27:58,163 --> 00:27:59,855
We know this works.

279
00:28:00,409 --> 00:28:05,517
So let’s do what works and make sure none of our children start the race of life already behind.

280
00:28:05,517 --> 00:28:19,745
Let’s give our kids that chance. (Applause.)

281
00:28:19,745 --> 00:28:25,061
Let’s also make sure that a high school diploma puts our kids on a path to a good job.

282
00:28:26,645 --> 00:28:30,420
Right now, countries like Germany focus on graduating their high school students

283
00:28:30,420 --> 00:28:34,746
with the equivalent of a technical degree from one of our community colleges.

284
00:28:35,284 --> 00:28:38,708
So those German kids, they're ready for a job when they graduate high school.

285
00:28:39,477 --> 00:28:41,561
They've been trained for the jobs that are there.

286
00:28:42,946 --> 00:28:45,343
Now at schools like P-Tech in Brooklyn,

287
00:28:45,712 --> 00:28:50,768
a collaboration between New York Public Schools and City University of New York and IBM,

288
00:28:51,168 --> 00:28:57,103
students will graduate with a high school diploma and an associate's degree in computers or engineering.

289
00:28:58,318 --> 00:29:02,565
We need to give every American student opportunities
like this. (Applause.)

290
00:29:02,565 --> 00:29:08,898
And four years ago -- four years ago, we started Race to the Top --

291
00:29:09,344 --> 00:29:15,378
a competition that convinced almost every state to develop smarter curricula and higher standards,

292
00:29:15,378 --> 00:29:18,688
all for about 1 percent of what we spend on education each year.

293
00:29:19,796 --> 00:29:24,358
Tonight, I’m announcing a new challenge to redesign America’s high schools

294
00:29:24,358 --> 00:29:28,705
so they better equip graduates for the demands of a high-tech economy.

295
00:29:28,705 --> 00:29:32,682
And we’ll reward schools that develop new partnerships with colleges and employers,

296
00:29:33,312 --> 00:29:39,061
and create classes that focus on science, technology, engineering and math --

297
00:29:39,599 --> 00:29:44,057
the skills today’s employers are looking for to fill the jobs that are there right now

298
00:29:44,057 --> 00:29:45,645
and will be there in the future.

299
00:29:47,552 --> 00:29:52,480
Now, even with better high schools, most young people will need some higher education.

300
00:29:53,372 --> 00:29:56,801
It’s a simple fact the more education you’ve got,

301
00:29:56,801 --> 00:30:01,222
the more likely you are to have a good job and work your way into the middle class.

302
00:30:02,114 --> 00:30:07,027
But today, skyrocketing costs price too many young people out of a higher education,

303
00:30:07,488 --> 00:30:10,206
or saddle them with unsustainable debt.

304
00:30:11,852 --> 00:30:17,049
Through tax credits, grants and better loans, we’ve made college more affordable

305
00:30:17,049 --> 00:30:20,161
for millions of students and families over the last few
years.

306
00:30:20,837 --> 00:30:27,237
But taxpayers can’t keep on subsidizing higher and higher and higher costs for higher education.

307
00:30:27,945 --> 00:30:39,957
Colleges must do their part to keep costs down, and it’s our job to make sure that they do. (Applause.)

308
00:30:39,957 --> 00:30:43,779
So tonight, I ask Congress to change the Higher Education Act

309
00:30:43,779 --> 00:30:47,562
so that affordability and value are included in determining

310
00:30:47,562 --> 00:30:52,597
which colleges receive certain types of federal aid. (Applause.)

311
00:30:52,597 --> 00:30:58,650
And -- and tomorrow, my administration will release a new “College Scorecard”

312
00:30:58,650 --> 00:31:03,255
that parents and students can use to compare schools based on a simple criteria --

313
00:31:03,255 --> 00:31:07,059
where you can get the most bang for your educational buck.

314
00:31:08,889 --> 00:31:14,435
Now, to grow our middle class, our citizens have to have access to the education and training

315
00:31:14,435 --> 00:31:16,549
that today’s jobs require.

316
00:31:17,211 --> 00:31:22,671
But we also have to make sure that America remains a place where everyone who’s willing to work --

317
00:31:22,671 --> 00:31:26,041
everybody who’s willing to work hard has the chance to get ahead.

318
00:31:27,548 --> 00:31:34,330
Our economy is stronger when we harness the talents and ingenuity of striving, hopeful immigrants. (Applause.)

319
00:31:35,022 --> 00:31:42,499
And right now, leaders from the business, labor, law enforcement, faith communities --

320
00:31:42,499 --> 00:31:47,885
they all agree that the time has come to pass comprehensive immigration reform.

321
00:31:47,885 --> 00:31:54,606
Now is the time to do it. Now is the time to get it done. (Applause.)

322
00:31:54,606 --> 00:32:09,002
Now is the time to get it done. (Applause.)

323
00:32:09,002 --> 00:32:12,021
Real reform means strong border security,

324
00:32:12,021 --> 00:32:15,307
and we can build on the progress my administration has already made --

325
00:32:15,723 --> 00:32:19,596
putting more boots on the Southern border than at any time in our history

326
00:32:19,949 --> 00:32:24,644
and reducing illegal crossings to their lowest levels in 40 years.

327
00:32:26,028 --> 00:32:31,062
Real reform means establishing a responsible pathway to earned citizenship --

328
00:32:31,062 --> 00:32:36,122
a path that includes passing a background check, paying taxes and a meaningful penalty

329
00:32:36,122 --> 00:32:46,738
learning English, and going to the back of the line behind the folks trying to come here legally. (Applause.)

330
00:32:46,738 --> 00:32:52,559
And real reform means fixing the legal immigration system to cut waiting periods

331
00:32:52,559 --> 00:32:55,999
and attract the highly-skilled entrepreneurs and engineers

332
00:32:55,999 --> 00:33:11,185
that will help create jobs and grow our economy (Applause.)

333
00:33:11,185 --> 00:33:15,343
In other words, we know what needs to be done.

334
00:33:16,111 --> 00:33:21,867
And as we speak, bipartisan groups in both chambers are working diligently to draft a bill,

335
00:33:21,867 --> 00:33:24,945
and I applaud their efforts. So let’s get this done.

336
00:33:25,376 --> 00:33:30,901
Send me a comprehensive immigration reform bill in the next few months, and I will sign it right away.

337
00:33:30,901 --> 00:33:45,793
And America will be better for it. Let's get it done. Let's get it done. (Applause.)

338
00:33:45,793 --> 00:33:47,288
But we can’t stop there.

339
00:33:48,672 --> 00:33:53,233
We know our economy is stronger when our wives, our mothers, our daughters

340
00:33:53,233 --> 00:33:56,732
can live their lives free from discrimination in the workplace,

341
00:33:57,194 --> 00:33:59,928
and free from the fear of domestic violence.

342
00:34:00,712 --> 00:34:03,216
Today, the Senate passed the Violence Against Women Act

343
00:34:03,216 --> 00:34:06,364
that Joe Biden originally wrote almost 20 years ago.

344
00:34:06,364 --> 00:34:12,852
And I now urge the House to do the same. (Applause.)

345
00:34:12,852 --> 00:34:22,761
Good job, Joe. (Applause.)

346
00:34:22,761 --> 00:34:29,412
And I ask this Congress to declare that women should earn a living equal to their efforts,

347
00:34:29,412 --> 00:34:45,025
and finally pass the Paycheck Fairness Act this year. (Applause.)

348
00:34:45,025 --> 00:34:50,684
We know our economy is stronger when we reward an honest day’s work with honest wages.

349
00:34:52,099 --> 00:34:58,664
But today, a full-time worker making the minimum wage earns $14,500 a year.

350
00:35:00,571 --> 00:35:06,832
Even with the tax relief we put in place, a family with two
kids that earns the minimum wage

351
00:35:06,832 --> 00:35:09,621
still lives below the poverty line.

352
00:35:10,791 --> 00:35:16,185
That’s wrong. That’s why, since the last time this Congress raised the minimum wage,

353
00:35:16,185 --> 00:35:18,886
19 states have chosen to bump theirs even higher.

354
00:35:20,332 --> 00:35:24,089
Tonight, let’s declare that in the wealthiest nation on Earth,

355
00:35:24,089 --> 00:35:28,315
no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty,

356
00:35:28,315 --> 00:35:35,651
and raise the federal minimum wage to $9.00 an hour. (Applause.)

357
00:35:35,651 --> 00:35:44,241
We should be able to get that done. (Applause.)

358
00:35:44,241 --> 00:35:48,384
This single step would raise the incomes of millions of working families.

359
00:35:49,599 --> 00:35:54,520
It could mean the difference between groceries or the food bank; rent or eviction;

360
00:35:55,166 --> 00:35:57,632
scraping by or finally getting ahead.

361
00:35:58,924 --> 00:36:02,800
For businesses across the country, it would mean customers with more money in their pockets.

362
00:36:04,600 --> 00:36:07,875
And a whole lot of folks out there would probably need less help from government.

363
00:36:08,982 --> 00:36:12,878
In fact, working folks shouldn’t have to wait year after year

364
00:36:12,878 --> 00:36:16,462
for the minimum wage to go up while CEO pay has never been higher.

365
00:36:16,462 --> 00:36:20,997
So here’s an idea that Governor Romney and I actually agreed on last year --

366
00:36:21,859 --> 00:36:24,089
let’s tie the minimum wage to the cost of living,

367
00:36:24,089 --> 00:36:38,410
so that it finally becomes a wage you can live on. (Applause.)

368
00:36:38,410 --> 00:36:42,068
Tonight, let’s also recognize that there are communities in this country

369
00:36:42,068 --> 00:36:46,081
where no matter how hard you work, it is virtually impossible to get ahead.

370
00:36:46,819 --> 00:36:50,319
Factory towns decimated from years of plants packing up.

371
00:36:51,211 --> 00:36:58,565
Inescapable pockets of poverty, urban and rural, where young adults are still fighting for their first job.

372
00:36:59,934 --> 00:37:04,654
America is not a place where the chance of birth or circumstance should decide our destiny.

373
00:37:05,561 --> 00:37:09,100
And that’s why we need to build new ladders of opportunity into the middle class

374
00:37:09,952 --> 00:37:10,805
for all who are willing to climb them.

375
00:37:12,066 --> 00:37:14,788
Let’s offer incentives to companies that hire Americans

376
00:37:14,788 --> 00:37:16,872
who’ve got what it takes to fill that job opening,

377
00:37:16,872 --> 00:37:20,416
but have been out of work so long that no one will give them a chance anymore.

378
00:37:21,246 --> 00:37:25,222
Let’s put people back to work rebuilding vacant homes in run-down neighborhoods.

379
00:37:26,345 --> 00:37:31,892
And this year, my administration will begin to partner with 20 of the hardest-hit towns in America

380
00:37:31,923 --> 00:37:34,088
to get these communities back on their feet.

381
00:37:34,088 --> 00:37:40,762
We’ll work with local leaders to target resources at public safety, and education, and housing.

382
00:37:41,592 --> 00:37:44,291
We’ll give new tax credits to businesses that hire and invest.

383
00:37:45,075 --> 00:37:47,468
And we’ll work to strengthen families

384
00:37:47,468 --> 00:37:51,790
by removing the financial deterrents to marriage for low-income couples,

385
00:37:51,790 --> 00:37:53,620
and do more to encourage fatherhood --

386
00:37:54,435 --> 00:37:57,130
because what makes you a man isn’t the ability to conceive a child;

387
00:37:57,130 --> 00:37:59,132
it’s having the courage to raise one.

388
00:37:59,793 --> 00:38:16,828
And we want to encourage that. We want to help that. (Applause.)

389
00:38:16,828 --> 00:38:23,084
Stronger families. Stronger communities. A stronger America.

390
00:38:24,591 --> 00:38:31,766
It is this kind of prosperity -- broad, shared, built on a thriving middle class --

391
00:38:32,350 --> 00:38:35,351
that has always been the source of our progress at home.

392
00:38:36,689 --> 00:38:40,262
It’s also the foundation of our power and influence throughout the world.

393
00:38:41,908 --> 00:38:48,785
Tonight, we stand united in saluting the troop and civilians who sacrifice every day to protect us.

394
00:38:49,631 --> 00:38:55,940
Because of them, we can say with confidence that America will complete its mission in Afghanistan

395
00:38:55,940 --> 00:39:17,187
and achieve our objective of defeating the core of al Qaeda. (Applause.)

396
00:39:17,187 --> 00:39:22,078
Already, we have brought home 33,000 of our brave servicemen and women.

397
00:39:22,970 --> 00:39:29,046
This spring, our forces will move into a support role, while Afghan security forces take the lead.

398
00:39:29,999 --> 00:39:33,103
Tonight, I can announce that over the next year,

399
00:39:33,103 --> 00:39:37,501
another 34,000 American troops will come home from Afghanistan.

400
00:39:37,501 --> 00:40:00,588
This drawdown will continue and by the end of next year, our war in Afghanistan will be over. (Applause.)

401
00:40:00,588 --> 00:40:06,824
Beyond 2014, America’s commitment to a unified and sovereign Afghanistan will endure,

402
00:40:07,608 --> 00:40:09,724
but the nature of our commitment will change.

403
00:40:11,016 --> 00:40:15,735
We're negotiating an agreement with the Afghan government that focuses on two missions --

404
00:40:15,751 --> 00:40:20,382
training and equipping Afghan forces so that the country does not again slip into chaos,

405
00:40:20,382 --> 00:40:26,559
and counterterrorism efforts that allow us to pursue the remnants of al Qaeda and their affiliates.

406
00:40:28,728 --> 00:40:40,948
Today, the organization that attacked us on 9/11 is a shadow of its former self. (Applause.)

407
00:40:40,948 --> 00:40:44,604
It's true, different al Qaeda affiliates and extremist groups have emerged --

408
00:40:44,604 --> 00:40:47,084
from the Arabian Peninsula to Africa.

409
00:40:48,437 --> 00:40:51,199
The threat these groups pose is evolving.

410
00:40:52,399 --> 00:40:53,651
But to meet this threat,

411
00:40:53,651 --> 00:40:59,487
we don’t need to send tens of thousands of our sons and daughters abroad or occupy other nations.

412
00:41:00,071 --> 00:41:05,785
Instead, we'll need to help countries like Yemen, and Libya, and Somalia provide for their own security,

413
00:41:06,385 --> 00:41:09,970
and help allies who take the fight to terrorists, as we have in Mali.

414
00:41:10,785 --> 00:41:17,463
And where necessary, through a range of capabilities, we will continue to take direct action

415
00:41:17,463 --> 00:41:25,202
against those terrorists who pose the gravest threat to Americans. (Applause.)

416
00:41:25,218 --> 00:41:34,412
Now, as we do, we must enlist our values in
the fight.

417
00:41:35,996 --> 00:41:42,080
That's why my administration has worked tirelessly to forge a durable legal and policy framework

418
00:41:42,390 --> 00:41:44,110
to guide our counterterrorism efforts.

419
00:41:45,787 --> 00:41:49,725
Throughout, we have kept Congress fully informed of our efforts.

420
00:41:50,755 --> 00:41:53,337
And I recognize that in our democracy,

421
00:41:53,337 --> 00:41:56,805
no one should just take my word for it that we’re doing things the right way.

422
00:41:57,712 --> 00:42:01,319
So in the months ahead, I will continue to engage Congress to ensure

423
00:42:01,319 --> 00:42:06,680
not only that our targeting, detention and prosecution of terrorists remains consistent

424
00:42:06,680 --> 00:42:12,759
with our laws and system of checks and balances, but that our efforts are even more transparent

425
00:42:12,759 --> 00:42:16,737
to the American people and to the world. (Applause.)

426
00:42:16,737 --> 00:42:22,804
Of course, our challenges don’t end with al Qaeda.

427
00:42:24,004 --> 00:42:29,119
America will continue to lead the effort to prevent the spread of the world’s most dangerous weapons.

428
00:42:30,548 --> 00:42:34,902
The regime in North Korea must know they will only achieve security and prosperity

429
00:42:34,902 --> 00:42:37,293
by meeting their international obligations.

430
00:42:38,293 --> 00:42:41,927
Provocations of the sort we saw last night will only further isolate them,

431
00:42:42,419 --> 00:42:45,761
as we stand by our allies, strengthen our own missile defense

432
00:42:46,176 --> 00:42:49,651
and lead the world in taking firm action in response to these threats.

433
00:42:50,666 --> 00:42:55,572
Likewise, the leaders of Iran must recognize that now is the time for a diplomatic solution,

434
00:42:55,572 --> 00:43:00,639
because a coalition stands united in demanding that they meet their obligations,

435
00:43:00,639 --> 00:43:20,304
and we will do what is necessary to prevent them from getting a nuclear weapon. (Applause.)

436
00:43:20,304 --> 00:43:26,462
At the same time, we’ll engage Russia to seek further reductions in our nuclear arsenals,

437
00:43:26,462 --> 00:43:30,321
and continue leading the global effort to secure nuclear materials

438
00:43:30,321 --> 00:43:34,831
that could fall into the wrong hands -- because our ability to influence others

439
00:43:35,247 --> 00:43:38,969
depends on our willingness to lead and meet our obligations.

440
00:43:41,260 --> 00:43:46,585
America must also face the rapidly growing threat from cyber-attacks. (Applause.)

441
00:43:46,585 --> 00:43:53,259
Now, we know hackers steal people’s identities and infiltrate private emails.

442
00:43:54,397 --> 00:43:58,332
We know foreign countries and companies swipe our corporate secrets.

443
00:43:59,424 --> 00:44:03,337
Now our enemies are also seeking the ability to sabotage our power grid,

444
00:44:03,937 --> 00:44:08,276
our financial institutions, our air traffic control systems.

445
00:44:09,276 --> 00:44:13,542
We cannot look back years from now and wonder why we did nothing

446
00:44:13,542 --> 00:44:17,109
in the face of real threats to our security and our economy.

447
00:44:17,878 --> 00:44:20,924
And that’s why, earlier today, I signed a new executive order

448
00:44:20,924 --> 00:44:25,073
that will strengthen our cyber defenses by increasing information sharing,

449
00:44:25,073 --> 00:44:35,442
and developing standards to protect our national security, our jobs, and our privacy. (Applause.)

450
00:44:35,442 --> 00:44:42,535
But now -- now Congress must act as well, by passing legislation to give our government

451
00:44:42,535 --> 00:44:46,910
a greater capacity to secure our networks and deter attacks.

452
00:44:47,356 --> 00:44:58,297
This is something we should be able to get done on a bipartisan basis. (Applause.)

453
00:44:58,297 --> 00:45:00,337
Now, even as we protect our people,

454
00:45:00,752 --> 00:45:04,917
we should remember that today’s world presents not just dangers, not just threats,

455
00:45:05,794 --> 00:45:07,124
it presents opportunities.

456
00:45:07,971 --> 00:45:11,377
To boost American exports, support American jobs

457
00:45:12,101 --> 00:45:15,181
and level the playing field in the growing markets of Asia,

458
00:45:15,657 --> 00:45:18,954
we intend to complete negotiations on a Trans-Pacific Partnership.

459
00:45:19,678 --> 00:45:21,898
And tonight, I’m announcing that we will launch talks

460
00:45:21,898 --> 00:45:26,719
on a comprehensive Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the European Union --

461
00:45:27,135 --> 00:45:30,549
because trade that is fair and free across the Atlantic

462
00:45:30,549 --> 00:45:40,601
supports millions of good-paying American jobs. (Applause.)

463
00:45:40,601 --> 00:45:46,961
We also know that progress in the most impoverished parts of our world enriches us all --

464
00:45:48,484 --> 00:45:55,395
not only because it creates new markets, more stable order in certain regions of the world,

465
00:45:55,395 --> 00:45:56,964
but also because it’s the right thing to do.

466
00:45:58,702 --> 00:46:01,898
You know, in many places, people live on little more than a dollar a day.

467
00:46:03,621 --> 00:46:08,165
So the United States will join with our allies to eradicate such extreme poverty

468
00:46:08,165 --> 00:46:12,166
in the next two decades by connecting more people to the global economy;

469
00:46:12,181 --> 00:46:17,767
by empowering women; by giving our young and brightest minds new opportunities to serve,

470
00:46:18,428 --> 00:46:21,924
and helping communities to feed, empower, and educate themselves;

471
00:46:22,724 --> 00:46:26,002
by saving the world’schildren from preventable deaths;

472
00:46:26,541 --> 00:46:39,764
and by realizing the promise of an AIDS-free generation, which is within our reach. (Applause.)

473
00:46:39,764 --> 00:46:51,101
You see, America must remain a beacon to all who seek freedom during this period of historic change.

474
00:46:52,639 --> 00:46:57,925
I saw the power of hope last year in Rangoon, in Burma, when Aung San Suu Kyi

475
00:46:57,925 --> 00:47:02,318
welcomed an American President into the home where she had been imprisoned for years;

476
00:47:03,594 --> 00:47:07,167
when thousands of Burmese lined the streets, waving American flags,

477
00:47:07,167 --> 00:47:09,157
including a man who said:

478
00:47:09,157 --> 00:47:15,240
“There is justice and law in the United States. I want our country to be like that.”

479
00:47:17,640 --> 00:47:21,629
In defense of freedom, we’ll remain the anchor of strong alliances

480
00:47:21,629 --> 00:47:25,232
from the Americas to Africa; from Europe to Asia.

481
00:47:26,586 --> 00:47:31,458
In the Middle East,we will stand with citizens as they demand their universal rights,

482
00:47:31,458 --> 00:47:41,899
and support stable transitions to democracy. (Applause.)

483
00:47:41,899 --> 00:47:43,631
We know the process will be messy,

484
00:47:46,200 --> 00:47:50,454
and we cannot presume to dictate the course of change in countries like Egypt,

485
00:47:50,454 --> 00:47:56,447
but we can -- and will -- insist on respect for the fundamental rights of all people.

486
00:47:57,493 --> 00:48:01,128
We’ll keep the pressure on a Syrian regime that has murdered its own people,

487
00:48:01,128 --> 00:48:05,578
and support opposition leaders that respect the rights of every Syrian.

488
00:48:06,393 --> 00:48:27,933
And we will stand steadfast with Israel in pursuit of security and a lasting peace. (Applause.)

489
00:48:28,625 --> 00:48:31,991
These are the messages I'll deliver when I travel to the Middle East next month.

490
00:48:34,175 --> 00:48:38,238
And all this work depends on the courage and sacrifice

491
00:48:38,792 --> 00:48:42,499
of those who serve in dangerous places at great personal risk –-

492
00:48:43,730 --> 00:48:50,985
our diplomats, our intelligence officers, and the men and women of the United States Armed Forces.

493
00:48:52,400 --> 00:48:55,490
As long as I’m Commander-in-Chief, we will do whatever we must

494
00:48:55,490 --> 00:48:57,917
to protect those who serve their country abroad,

495
00:48:57,917 --> 00:49:16,384
and we will maintain the best military the world has ever known. (Applause.)

496
00:49:16,384 --> 00:49:21,297
We'll invest in new capabilities, even as we reduce waste and wartime spending.

497
00:49:22,158 --> 00:49:25,592
We will ensure equal treatment for all service members,

498
00:49:25,592 --> 00:49:39,632
and equal benefits for their families -- gay and straight. (Applause.)

499
00:49:39,632 --> 00:49:44,951
We will draw upon the courage and skills of our sisters and daughters and moms,

500
00:49:44,967 --> 00:49:48,806
because women have proven under fire that they are ready for combat.

501
00:49:49,990 --> 00:49:54,075
We will keep faith with our veterans, investing in world-class care,

502
00:49:54,075 --> 00:50:11,545
including mental healthcare, for our wounded warriors -- (applause)

503
00:50:11,545 --> 00:50:16,599
supporting our military families; giving our veterans the benefits and education

504
00:50:16,599 --> 00:50:19,082
and job opportunities that they have earned.

505
00:50:19,082 --> 00:50:23,765
And I want to thank my wife, Michelle, and Dr. Jill Biden for their continued dedication

506
00:50:23,765 --> 00:50:26,373
to serving our military families as well as they have served us.

507
00:50:27,665 --> 00:50:43,345
Thank you, honey. Thank you, Jill. (Applause.)

508
00:50:44,237 --> 00:50:49,119
Defending our freedom, though, is not just the job of our military alone.

509
00:50:50,626 --> 00:50:55,526
We must all do our part to make sure our God-given rights are protected here at home.

510
00:50:57,480 --> 00:51:01,541
That includes one of the most fundamental right of a democracy:

511
00:51:02,588 --> 00:51:14,413
the right to vote. (Applause.)

512
00:51:14,413 --> 00:51:23,713
When any American, no matter where they live or what their party,

513
00:51:24,436 --> 00:51:31,814
are denied that right because they can’t afford to wait for five or six or seven hours

514
00:51:31,814 --> 00:51:39,269
just to cast their ballot, we are betraying our ideals. (Applause.)

515
00:51:39,269 --> 00:51:47,134
So tonight, I’m announcing a nonpartisan commission

516
00:51:47,134 --> 00:51:50,223
to improve the voting experience in America.

517
00:51:50,223 --> 00:51:52,300
And it definitely needs improvement.

518
00:51:53,992 --> 00:51:56,592
I’m asking two long-time experts in the field --

519
00:51:56,592 --> 00:52:01,136
who, by the way, recently served as the top attorneys for my campaign

520
00:52:01,136 --> 00:52:04,189
and for Governor Romney’s campaign -- to lead it.

521
00:52:04,189 --> 00:52:07,002
We can fix this, and we will.

522
00:52:07,002 --> 00:52:23,399
The American people demand it, and so does our democracy. (Applause.)

523
00:52:24,968 --> 00:52:29,481
Of course, what I’ve said tonight matters little

524
00:52:30,865 --> 00:52:36,638
if we don’t come together to protect our most precious resource: our children.

525
00:52:38,792 --> 00:52:41,851
It has been two months since Newtown.

526
00:52:43,528 --> 00:52:48,003
I know this is not the first time this country has debated how to reduce gun violence.

527
00:52:49,956 --> 00:52:51,415
But this time is different.

528
00:52:53,907 --> 00:52:56,915
Overwhelming majorities of Americans

529
00:52:56,961 --> 00:52:59,721
-- Americans who believe in the Second Amendment --

530
00:52:59,721 --> 00:53:03,609
have come together around common-sense reform, like background checks

531
00:53:03,610 --> 00:53:07,328
that will make it harder for criminals to get their hands on a gun. (Applause.)

532
00:53:08,220 --> 00:53:17,064
Senators - senators of both parties are working together on tough new laws

533
00:53:17,064 --> 00:53:20,671
to prevent anyone from buying guns for resale to criminals.

534
00:53:21,748 --> 00:53:25,259
Police chiefs are asking our help to get weapons of war

535
00:53:25,259 --> 00:53:28,411
and massive ammunition magazines off our streets,

536
00:53:28,426 --> 00:53:33,538
because these police chiefs, they’re tired of seeing their guys and gals being outgunned.

537
00:53:36,291 --> 00:53:55,559
Each of these proposals deserves a vote in Congress. (Applause.)

538
00:53:55,559 --> 00:53:58,708
Now, if you want to vote no, that’s your choice.

539
00:54:00,523 --> 00:54:02,454
But these proposals deserve a vote.

540
00:54:04,176 --> 00:54:06,092
Because in the two months since Newtown,

541
00:54:06,738 --> 00:54:11,971
more than a thousand birthdays, graduations, anniversaries

542
00:54:11,971 --> 00:54:19,461
have been stolen from our lives by a bullet from a gun -- more than a thousand.

543
00:54:20,953 --> 00:54:26,182
One of those we lost was a young girl named Hadiya Pendleton.

544
00:54:27,920 --> 00:54:30,051
She was 15 years old.

545
00:54:30,912 --> 00:54:36,658
She loved Fig Newtons and lip gloss. She was a
majorette.

546
00:54:38,089 --> 00:54:42,198
She was so good to her friends they all thought they were her best friend.

547
00:54:44,120 --> 00:54:48,802
Just three weeks ago, she was here, in Washington, with her classmates,

548
00:54:49,710 --> 00:54:52,241
performing for her country at my inauguration.

549
00:54:53,703 --> 00:54:58,911
And a week later, she was shot and killed in a Chicago park after school,

550
00:54:59,849 --> 00:55:01,528
just a mile away from my house.

551
00:55:04,143 --> 00:55:08,175
Hadiya’s parents, Nate and Cleo, are in this chamber tonight,

552
00:55:08,175 --> 00:55:13,875
along with more than two dozen Americans whose lives have been torn apart by gun violence.

553
00:55:15,736 --> 00:55:30,759
They deserve a vote. They deserve a vote. (Applause.)

554
00:55:30,759 --> 00:55:40,720
They deserve a vote. (Applause.)

555
00:55:40,720 --> 00:55:45,631
Gabby Giffords deserves a vote. (Applause.)

556
00:55:45,631 --> 00:55:50,297
The families of Newtown deserve a vote. (Applause.)

557
00:55:50,297 --> 00:55:54,591
The families of Aurora deserve a vote. (Applause.)

558
00:55:54,591 --> 00:55:58,360
The families of Oak Creek and Tucson and Blacksburg,

559
00:55:58,361 --> 00:56:02,270
and the countless other communities ripped open by gun violence –-

560
00:56:02,270 --> 00:56:12,250
they deserve a simple vote. (Applause.)

561
00:56:12,250 --> 00:56:15,254
They deserve - they deserve a simple vote.

562
00:56:18,561 --> 00:56:23,797
Our actions will not prevent every senseless act of violence in this country.

563
00:56:25,412 --> 00:56:31,510
In fact, no laws, no initiatives, no administrativeacts will perfectly solve

564
00:56:31,510 --> 00:56:33,721
all the challenges I’ve outlined tonight.

565
00:56:35,430 --> 00:56:37,677
But we were never sent here to be perfect.

566
00:56:40,000 --> 00:56:45,801
We were sent here to make what difference we can, to secure this nation,

567
00:56:46,293 --> 00:56:52,647
expand opportunity, uphold our ideals through the hard, often frustrating,

568
00:56:52,647 --> 00:56:56,017
but absolutely necessary work of self-government.

569
00:56:59,615 --> 00:57:02,800
We were sent here to look out for our fellow Americans

570
00:57:02,800 --> 00:57:07,189
the same way they look out for one another, every single day,

571
00:57:07,958 --> 00:57:11,160
usually without fanfare, all across this country.

572
00:57:13,067 --> 00:57:14,576
We should follow their example.

573
00:57:16,314 --> 00:57:20,812
We should follow the example of a New York City nurse named Menchu Sanchez.

574
00:57:22,288 --> 00:57:24,998
When Hurricane Sandy plunged her hospital into darkness,

575
00:57:26,060 --> 00:57:29,417
she wasn’t thinking about how her own home was faring.

576
00:57:30,555 --> 00:57:34,300
Her mind was on the 20 precious newborns in her care

577
00:57:34,300 --> 00:57:37,855
and the rescue plan she devised that kept them all safe.

578
00:57:40,162 --> 00:57:45,518
We should follow the example of a North Miami woman named Desiline Victor.

579
00:57:47,164 --> 00:57:49,047
When Desiline arrived at her polling place,

580
00:57:49,047 --> 00:57:52,000
she was told the wait to vote might be six hours.

581
00:57:52,800 --> 00:57:57,768
And as time ticked by, her concern was not with her tired body or aching feet,

582
00:57:57,768 --> 00:58:00,985
but whether folks like her would get to have their say.

583
00:58:02,123 --> 00:58:06,246
And hour after hour, a throng of people stayed in line to support her --

584
00:58:07,292 --> 00:58:09,366
because Desiline is 102 years old.

585
00:58:10,228 --> 00:58:48,858
And they erupted in cheers when she finally put on a sticker that read, “I voted.” (Applause.)

586
00:58:48,858 --> 00:58:52,095
We should follow the example of a police officer named Brian Murphy.

587
00:58:53,941 --> 00:58:58,187
When a gunman opened fire on a Sikh temple in Wisconsin

588
00:59:00,033 --> 00:59:03,690
Brian was the first to arrive, and he did not consider his own safety.

589
00:59:05,013 --> 00:59:10,101
He fought back until help arrived and ordered his fellow officers to protect

590
00:59:10,101 --> 00:59:13,536
the safety of the Americans worshipping inside,

591
00:59:14,136 --> 00:59:17,534
even as he lay bleeding from 12 bullet wounds.

592
00:59:19,226 --> 00:59:24,239
And when asked how he did that, Brian said, “That’s just the way we’re made.”

593
00:59:26,715 --> 00:59:28,362
That’s just the way we’re made.

594
00:59:30,654 --> 00:59:34,525
We may do different jobs and wear different uniforms,

595
00:59:35,079 --> 00:59:38,567
and hold different views than the person beside
us.

596
00:59:39,967 --> 00:59:46,682
But as Americans, we all share the same proud title -- we are citizens.

597
00:59:48,375 --> 00:59:52,507
It’s a word that doesn’t just describe our nationality or legal status.

598
00:59:54,338 --> 00:59:59,842
It describes the way we’re made. It describes what we believe.

599
01:00:00,857 --> 01:00:04,825
It captures the enduring idea that this country only works

600
01:00:04,840 --> 01:00:09,515
when we accept certain obligations to one another and to future generations,

601
01:00:10,638 --> 01:00:13,266
that our rights are wrapped up in the rights of others;

602
01:00:14,081 --> 01:00:19,818
and that well into our third century as a nation, it remains the task of us all,

603
01:00:20,479 --> 01:00:23,125
as citizens of these United States,

604
01:00:23,786 --> 01:00:27,456
to be the authors of the next great chapter of our American story.

605
01:00:28,244 --> 01:00:29,813
Thank you. God bless you.

606
01:00:29,859 --> 01:00:38,724
And God bless these United States of America. (Applause.)