English - Watch President Obama Deliver the 2013 State of the Union Address

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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.

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

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

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high-tech schools, self-healing power grids.

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The CEO of Siemens America -- a company that brought hundreds of new jobs to North Carolina --

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

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And that’s the attitude of a lot of companies all around the world.

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And I know you want these job-creating projects in your district.

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

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So tonight, I propose a “Fix-It-First” program

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to put people to work as soon as possible on our most urgent repairs,

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like the nearly 70,000 structurally deficient bridges across the country. (Applause.)

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And to make sure taxpayers don’t shoulder the whole burden,

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I’m also proposing a Partnership to Rebuild America that attracts private capital

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to upgrade what our businesses need most:

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modern ports to move our goods, modern pipelines to withstand a storm,

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modern schools worthy of our children. (Applause.)

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Let’s prove that there’s no better place to do business than here in the United States of America,

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and let’s start right away. We can get this done.

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And part of our rebuilding effort must also involve our housing sector.

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The good news is our housing market is finally healing from the collapse of 2007.

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Home prices are rising at the fastest pace in six years.

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Home purchases are up nearly 50 percent, and construction is expanding again.

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But even with mortgage rates near a 50-year low,

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too many families with solid credit who want to buy a home are being rejected.

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Too many families who never missed a payment and want to refinance are being told no.

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That’s holding our entire economy back. We need to fix it.

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Right now, there’s a bill in this Congress

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that would give every responsible homeowner in America

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the chance to save $3,000 a year by refinancing at today’s rates.

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Democrats and Republicans have supported it before, so what are we waiting for?

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Take a vote, and send me that bill. (Applause.)

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Why would we be against that? (Applause.)

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Why would that be a partisan issue, helping folks refinance?

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Right now, overlapping regulations keep responsible young families from buying their first home.

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What’s holding us back? Let’s streamline the process, and help our economy grow.

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These initiatives in manufacturing, energy, infrastructure, housing --

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all these things will help entrepreneurs and small business owners expand and create new jobs.

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But none of it will matter unless we also equip our citizens with the skills and training

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to fill those jobs. (Applause.)

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And that has to start at the earliest possible age.

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You know, study after study shows that the sooner a child begins learning,

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the better he or she does down the road.

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But today, fewer than 3 in 10 four year-olds are enrolled in a high-quality preschool program.

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Most middle-class parents can’t afford a few hundred bucks a week for a private preschool.

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And for poor kids who need help the most,

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this lack of access to preschool education can shadow them for the rest of their lives.

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So tonight, I propose working with states to make high-quality preschool

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available to every single child in America. (Applause.)

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That's something we should be able to do. (Applause.)

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Every dollar we invest in high-quality early childhood education

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can save more than seven dollars later on --

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by boosting graduation rates, reducing teen pregnancy, even reducing violent crime.

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In states that make it a priority to educate our youngest children, like Georgia or Oklahoma,

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studies show students grow up more likely to read and do math at grade level,

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graduate high school, hold a job, form more stable families of their own.

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We know this works.

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So let’s do what works and make sure none of our children start the race of life already behind.

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Let’s give our kids that chance. (Applause.)

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Let’s also make sure that a high school diploma puts our kids on a path to a good job.

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Right now, countries like Germany focus on graduating their high school students

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with the equivalent of a technical degree from one of our community colleges.

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So those German kids, they're ready for a job when they graduate high school.

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They've been trained for the jobs that are there.

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Now at schools like P-Tech in Brooklyn,

1725712 28:46 - 28:51

a collaboration between New York Public Schools and City University of New York and IBM,

1731168 28:51 - 28:57

students will graduate with a high school diploma and an associate's degree in computers or engineering.

1738318 28:58 - 29:03

We need to give every American student opportunities
like this. (Applause.)

1742565 29:03 - 29:09

And four years ago -- four years ago, we started Race to the Top --

1749344 29:09 - 29:15

a competition that convinced almost every state to develop smarter curricula and higher standards,

1755378 29:15 - 29:19

all for about 1 percent of what we spend on education each year.

1759796 29:20 - 29:24

Tonight, I’m announcing a new challenge to redesign America’s high schools

1764358 29:24 - 29:29

so they better equip graduates for the demands of a high-tech economy.

1768705 29:29 - 29:33

And we’ll reward schools that develop new partnerships with colleges and employers,

1773312 29:33 - 29:39

and create classes that focus on science, technology, engineering and math --

1779599 29:40 - 29:44

the skills today’s employers are looking for to fill the jobs that are there right now

1784057 29:44 - 29:46

and will be there in the future.

1787552 29:48 - 29:52

Now, even with better high schools, most young people will need some higher education.

1793372 29:53 - 29:57

It’s a simple fact the more education you’ve got,

1796801 29:57 - 30:01

the more likely you are to have a good job and work your way into the middle class.

1802114 30:02 - 30:07

But today, skyrocketing costs price too many young people out of a higher education,

1807488 30:07 - 30:10

or saddle them with unsustainable debt.

1811852 30:12 - 30:17

Through tax credits, grants and better loans, we’ve made college more affordable

1817049 30:17 - 30:20

for millions of students and families over the last few
years.

1820837 30:21 - 30:27

But taxpayers can’t keep on subsidizing higher and higher and higher costs for higher education.

1827945 30:28 - 30:40

Colleges must do their part to keep costs down, and it’s our job to make sure that they do. (Applause.)

1839957 30:40 - 30:44

So tonight, I ask Congress to change the Higher Education Act

1843779 30:44 - 30:48

so that affordability and value are included in determining

1847562 30:48 - 30:53

which colleges receive certain types of federal aid. (Applause.)

1852597 30:53 - 30:59

And -- and tomorrow, my administration will release a new “College Scorecard”

1858650 30:59 - 31:03

that parents and students can use to compare schools based on a simple criteria --

1863255 31:03 - 31:07

where you can get the most bang for your educational buck.

1868889 31:09 - 31:14

Now, to grow our middle class, our citizens have to have access to the education and training

1874435 31:14 - 31:17

that today’s jobs require.

1877211 31:17 - 31:23

But we also have to make sure that America remains a place where everyone who’s willing to work --

1882671 31:23 - 31:26

everybody who’s willing to work hard has the chance to get ahead.

1887548 31:28 - 31:34

Our economy is stronger when we harness the talents and ingenuity of striving, hopeful immigrants. (Applause.)

1895022 31:35 - 31:42

And right now, leaders from the business, labor, law enforcement, faith communities --

1902499 31:42 - 31:48

they all agree that the time has come to pass comprehensive immigration reform.

1907885 31:48 - 31:55

Now is the time to do it. Now is the time to get it done. (Applause.)

1914606 31:55 - 32:09

Now is the time to get it done. (Applause.)

1929002 32:09 - 32:12

Real reform means strong border security,

1932021 32:12 - 32:15

and we can build on the progress my administration has already made --

1935723 32:16 - 32:20

putting more boots on the Southern border than at any time in our history

1939949 32:20 - 32:25

and reducing illegal crossings to their lowest levels in 40 years.

1946028 32:26 - 32:31

Real reform means establishing a responsible pathway to earned citizenship --

1951062 32:31 - 32:36

a path that includes passing a background check, paying taxes and a meaningful penalty

1956122 32:36 - 32:47

learning English, and going to the back of the line behind the folks trying to come here legally. (Applause.)

1966738 32:47 - 32:53

And real reform means fixing the legal immigration system to cut waiting periods

1972559 32:53 - 32:56

and attract the highly-skilled entrepreneurs and engineers

1975999 32:56 - 33:11

that will help create jobs and grow our economy (Applause.)

1991185 33:11 - 33:15

In other words, we know what needs to be done.

1996111 33:16 - 33:22

And as we speak, bipartisan groups in both chambers are working diligently to draft a bill,

2001867 33:22 - 33:25

and I applaud their efforts. So let’s get this done.

2005376 33:25 - 33:31

Send me a comprehensive immigration reform bill in the next few months, and I will sign it right away.

2010901 33:31 - 33:46

And America will be better for it. Let's get it done. Let's get it done. (Applause.)

2025793 33:46 - 33:47

But we can’t stop there.

2028672 33:49 - 33:53

We know our economy is stronger when our wives, our mothers, our daughters

2033233 33:53 - 33:57

can live their lives free from discrimination in the workplace,

2037194 33:57 - 34:00

and free from the fear of domestic violence.

2040712 34:01 - 34:03

Today, the Senate passed the Violence Against Women Act

2043216 34:03 - 34:06

that Joe Biden originally wrote almost 20 years ago.

2046364 34:06 - 34:13

And I now urge the House to do the same. (Applause.)

2052852 34:13 - 34:23

Good job, Joe. (Applause.)

2062761 34:23 - 34:29

And I ask this Congress to declare that women should earn a living equal to their efforts,

2069412 34:29 - 34:45

and finally pass the Paycheck Fairness Act this year. (Applause.)

2085025 34:45 - 34:51

We know our economy is stronger when we reward an honest day’s work with honest wages.

2092099 34:52 - 34:59

But today, a full-time worker making the minimum wage earns $14,500 a year.

2100571 35:01 - 35:07

Even with the tax relief we put in place, a family with two
kids that earns the minimum wage

2106832 35:07 - 35:10

still lives below the poverty line.

2110791 35:11 - 35:16

That’s wrong. That’s why, since the last time this Congress raised the minimum wage,

2116185 35:16 - 35:19

19 states have chosen to bump theirs even higher.

2120332 35:20 - 35:24

Tonight, let’s declare that in the wealthiest nation on Earth,

2124089 35:24 - 35:28

no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty,

2128315 35:28 - 35:36

and raise the federal minimum wage to $9.00 an hour. (Applause.)

2135651 35:36 - 35:44

We should be able to get that done. (Applause.)

2144241 35:44 - 35:48

This single step would raise the incomes of millions of working families.

2149599 35:50 - 35:55

It could mean the difference between groceries or the food bank; rent or eviction;

2155166 35:55 - 35:58

scraping by or finally getting ahead.

2158924 35:59 - 36:03

For businesses across the country, it would mean customers with more money in their pockets.

2164600 36:05 - 36:08

And a whole lot of folks out there would probably need less help from government.

2168982 36:09 - 36:13

In fact, working folks shouldn’t have to wait year after year

2172878 36:13 - 36:16

for the minimum wage to go up while CEO pay has never been higher.

2176462 36:16 - 36:21

So here’s an idea that Governor Romney and I actually agreed on last year --

2181859 36:22 - 36:24

let’s tie the minimum wage to the cost of living,

2184089 36:24 - 36:38

so that it finally becomes a wage you can live on. (Applause.)

2198410 36:38 - 36:42

Tonight, let’s also recognize that there are communities in this country

2202068 36:42 - 36:46

where no matter how hard you work, it is virtually impossible to get ahead.

2206819 36:47 - 36:50

Factory towns decimated from years of plants packing up.

2211211 36:51 - 36:59

Inescapable pockets of poverty, urban and rural, where young adults are still fighting for their first job.

2219934 37:00 - 37:05

America is not a place where the chance of birth or circumstance should decide our destiny.

2225561 37:06 - 37:09

And that’s why we need to build new ladders of opportunity into the middle class

2229952 37:10 - 37:11

for all who are willing to climb them.

2232066 37:12 - 37:15

Let’s offer incentives to companies that hire Americans

2234788 37:15 - 37:17

who’ve got what it takes to fill that job opening,

2236872 37:17 - 37:20

but have been out of work so long that no one will give them a chance anymore.

2241246 37:21 - 37:25

Let’s put people back to work rebuilding vacant homes in run-down neighborhoods.

2246345 37:26 - 37:32

And this year, my administration will begin to partner with 20 of the hardest-hit towns in America

2251923 37:32 - 37:34

to get these communities back on their feet.

2254088 37:34 - 37:41

We’ll work with local leaders to target resources at public safety, and education, and housing.

2261592 37:42 - 37:44

We’ll give new tax credits to businesses that hire and invest.

2265075 37:45 - 37:47

And we’ll work to strengthen families

2267468 37:47 - 37:52

by removing the financial deterrents to marriage for low-income couples,

2271790 37:52 - 37:54

and do more to encourage fatherhood --

2274435 37:54 - 37:57

because what makes you a man isn’t the ability to conceive a child;

2277130 37:57 - 37:59

it’s having the courage to raise one.

2279793 38:00 - 38:17

And we want to encourage that. We want to help that. (Applause.)

2296828 38:17 - 38:23

Stronger families. Stronger communities. A stronger America.

2304591 38:25 - 38:32

It is this kind of prosperity -- broad, shared, built on a thriving middle class --

2312350 38:32 - 38:35

that has always been the source of our progress at home.

2316689 38:37 - 38:40

It’s also the foundation of our power and influence throughout the world.

2321908 38:42 - 38:49

Tonight, we stand united in saluting the troop and civilians who sacrifice every day to protect us.

2329631 38:50 - 38:56

Because of them, we can say with confidence that America will complete its mission in Afghanistan

2335940 38:56 - 39:17

and achieve our objective of defeating the core of al Qaeda. (Applause.)

2357187 39:17 - 39:22

Already, we have brought home 33,000 of our brave servicemen and women.

2362970 39:23 - 39:29

This spring, our forces will move into a support role, while Afghan security forces take the lead.

2369999 39:30 - 39:33

Tonight, I can announce that over the next year,

2373103 39:33 - 39:38

another 34,000 American troops will come home from Afghanistan.

2377501 39:38 - 40:01

This drawdown will continue and by the end of next year, our war in Afghanistan will be over. (Applause.)

2400588 40:01 - 40:07

Beyond 2014, America’s commitment to a unified and sovereign Afghanistan will endure,

2407608 40:08 - 40:10

but the nature of our commitment will change.

2411016 40:11 - 40:16

We're negotiating an agreement with the Afghan government that focuses on two missions --

2415751 40:16 - 40:20

training and equipping Afghan forces so that the country does not again slip into chaos,

2420382 40:20 - 40:27

and counterterrorism efforts that allow us to pursue the remnants of al Qaeda and their affiliates.

2428728 40:29 - 40:41

Today, the organization that attacked us on 9/11 is a shadow of its former self. (Applause.)

2440948 40:41 - 40:45

It's true, different al Qaeda affiliates and extremist groups have emerged --

2444604 40:45 - 40:47

from the Arabian Peninsula to Africa.

2448437 40:48 - 40:51

The threat these groups pose is evolving.

2452399 40:52 - 40:54

But to meet this threat,

2453651 40:54 - 40:59

we don’t need to send tens of thousands of our sons and daughters abroad or occupy other nations.

2460071 41:00 - 41:06

Instead, we'll need to help countries like Yemen, and Libya, and Somalia provide for their own security,

2466385 41:06 - 41:10

and help allies who take the fight to terrorists, as we have in Mali.

2470785 41:11 - 41:17

And where necessary, through a range of capabilities, we will continue to take direct action

2477463 41:17 - 41:25

against those terrorists who pose the gravest threat to Americans. (Applause.)

2485218 41:25 - 41:34

Now, as we do, we must enlist our values in
the fight.

2495996 41:36 - 41:42

That's why my administration has worked tirelessly to forge a durable legal and policy framework

2502390 41:42 - 41:44

to guide our counterterrorism efforts.

2505787 41:46 - 41:50

Throughout, we have kept Congress fully informed of our efforts.

2510755 41:51 - 41:53

And I recognize that in our democracy,

2513337 41:53 - 41:57

no one should just take my word for it that we’re doing things the right way.

2517712 41:58 - 42:01

So in the months ahead, I will continue to engage Congress to ensure

2521319 42:01 - 42:07

not only that our targeting, detention and prosecution of terrorists remains consistent

2526680 42:07 - 42:13

with our laws and system of checks and balances, but that our efforts are even more transparent

2532759 42:13 - 42:17

to the American people and to the world. (Applause.)

2536737 42:17 - 42:23

Of course, our challenges don’t end with al Qaeda.

2544004 42:24 - 42:29

America will continue to lead the effort to prevent the spread of the world’s most dangerous weapons.

2550548 42:31 - 42:35

The regime in North Korea must know they will only achieve security and prosperity

2554902 42:35 - 42:37

by meeting their international obligations.

2558293 42:38 - 42:42

Provocations of the sort we saw last night will only further isolate them,

2562419 42:42 - 42:46

as we stand by our allies, strengthen our own missile defense

2566176 42:46 - 42:50

and lead the world in taking firm action in response to these threats.

2570666 42:51 - 42:56

Likewise, the leaders of Iran must recognize that now is the time for a diplomatic solution,

2575572 42:56 - 43:01

because a coalition stands united in demanding that they meet their obligations,

2580639 43:01 - 43:20

and we will do what is necessary to prevent them from getting a nuclear weapon. (Applause.)

2600304 43:20 - 43:26

At the same time, we’ll engage Russia to seek further reductions in our nuclear arsenals,

2606462 43:26 - 43:30

and continue leading the global effort to secure nuclear materials

2610321 43:30 - 43:35

that could fall into the wrong hands -- because our ability to influence others

2615247 43:35 - 43:39

depends on our willingness to lead and meet our obligations.

2621260 43:41 - 43:47

America must also face the rapidly growing threat from cyber-attacks. (Applause.)

2626585 43:47 - 43:53

Now, we know hackers steal people’s identities and infiltrate private emails.

2634397 43:54 - 43:58

We know foreign countries and companies swipe our corporate secrets.

2639424 43:59 - 44:03

Now our enemies are also seeking the ability to sabotage our power grid,

2643937 44:04 - 44:08

our financial institutions, our air traffic control systems.

2649276 44:09 - 44:14

We cannot look back years from now and wonder why we did nothing

2653542 44:14 - 44:17

in the face of real threats to our security and our economy.

2657878 44:18 - 44:21

And that’s why, earlier today, I signed a new executive order

2660924 44:21 - 44:25

that will strengthen our cyber defenses by increasing information sharing,

2665073 44:25 - 44:35

and developing standards to protect our national security, our jobs, and our privacy. (Applause.)

2675442 44:35 - 44:43

But now -- now Congress must act as well, by passing legislation to give our government

2682535 44:43 - 44:47

a greater capacity to secure our networks and deter attacks.

2687356 44:47 - 44:58

This is something we should be able to get done on a bipartisan basis. (Applause.)

2698297 44:58 - 45:00

Now, even as we protect our people,

2700752 45:01 - 45:05

we should remember that today’s world presents not just dangers, not just threats,

2705794 45:06 - 45:07

it presents opportunities.

2707971 45:08 - 45:11

To boost American exports, support American jobs

2712101 45:12 - 45:15

and level the playing field in the growing markets of Asia,

2715657 45:16 - 45:19

we intend to complete negotiations on a Trans-Pacific Partnership.

2719678 45:20 - 45:22

And tonight, I’m announcing that we will launch talks

2721898 45:22 - 45:27

on a comprehensive Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the European Union --

2727135 45:27 - 45:31

because trade that is fair and free across the Atlantic

2730549 45:31 - 45:41

supports millions of good-paying American jobs. (Applause.)

2740601 45:41 - 45:47

We also know that progress in the most impoverished parts of our world enriches us all --

2748484 45:48 - 45:55

not only because it creates new markets, more stable order in certain regions of the world,

2755395 45:55 - 45:57

but also because it’s the right thing to do.

2758702 45:59 - 46:02

You know, in many places, people live on little more than a dollar a day.

2763621 46:04 - 46:08

So the United States will join with our allies to eradicate such extreme poverty

2768165 46:08 - 46:12

in the next two decades by connecting more people to the global economy;

2772181 46:12 - 46:18

by empowering women; by giving our young and brightest minds new opportunities to serve,

2778428 46:18 - 46:22

and helping communities to feed, empower, and educate themselves;

2782724 46:23 - 46:26

by saving the world’schildren from preventable deaths;

2786541 46:27 - 46:40

and by realizing the promise of an AIDS-free generation, which is within our reach. (Applause.)

2799764 46:40 - 46:51

You see, America must remain a beacon to all who seek freedom during this period of historic change.

2812639 46:53 - 46:58

I saw the power of hope last year in Rangoon, in Burma, when Aung San Suu Kyi

2817925 46:58 - 47:02

welcomed an American President into the home where she had been imprisoned for years;

2823594 47:04 - 47:07

when thousands of Burmese lined the streets, waving American flags,

2827167 47:07 - 47:09

including a man who said:

2829157 47:09 - 47:15

“There is justice and law in the United States. I want our country to be like that.”

2837640 47:18 - 47:22

In defense of freedom, we’ll remain the anchor of strong alliances

2841629 47:22 - 47:25

from the Americas to Africa; from Europe to Asia.

2846586 47:27 - 47:31

In the Middle East,we will stand with citizens as they demand their universal rights,

2851458 47:31 - 47:42

and support stable transitions to democracy. (Applause.)

2861899 47:42 - 47:44

We know the process will be messy,

2866200 47:46 - 47:50

and we cannot presume to dictate the course of change in countries like Egypt,

2870454 47:50 - 47:56

but we can -- and will -- insist on respect for the fundamental rights of all people.

2877493 47:57 - 48:01

We’ll keep the pressure on a Syrian regime that has murdered its own people,

2881128 48:01 - 48:06

and support opposition leaders that respect the rights of every Syrian.

2886393 48:06 - 48:28

And we will stand steadfast with Israel in pursuit of security and a lasting peace. (Applause.)

2908625 48:29 - 48:32

These are the messages I'll deliver when I travel to the Middle East next month.

2914175 48:34 - 48:38

And all this work depends on the courage and sacrifice

2918792 48:39 - 48:42

of those who serve in dangerous places at great personal risk –-

2923730 48:44 - 48:51

our diplomats, our intelligence officers, and the men and women of the United States Armed Forces.

2932400 48:52 - 48:55

As long as I’m Commander-in-Chief, we will do whatever we must

2935490 48:55 - 48:58

to protect those who serve their country abroad,

2937917 48:58 - 49:16

and we will maintain the best military the world has ever known. (Applause.)

2956384 49:16 - 49:21

We'll invest in new capabilities, even as we reduce waste and wartime spending.

2962158 49:22 - 49:26

We will ensure equal treatment for all service members,

2965592 49:26 - 49:40

and equal benefits for their families -- gay and straight. (Applause.)

2979632 49:40 - 49:45

We will draw upon the courage and skills of our sisters and daughters and moms,

2984967 49:45 - 49:49

because women have proven under fire that they are ready for combat.

2989990 49:50 - 49:54

We will keep faith with our veterans, investing in world-class care,

2994075 49:54 - 50:12

including mental healthcare, for our wounded warriors -- (applause)

3011545 50:12 - 50:17

supporting our military families; giving our veterans the benefits and education

3016599 50:17 - 50:19

and job opportunities that they have earned.

3019082 50:19 - 50:24

And I want to thank my wife, Michelle, and Dr. Jill Biden for their continued dedication

3023765 50:24 - 50:26

to serving our military families as well as they have served us.

3027665 50:28 - 50:43

Thank you, honey. Thank you, Jill. (Applause.)

3044237 50:44 - 50:49

Defending our freedom, though, is not just the job of our military alone.

3050626 50:51 - 50:56

We must all do our part to make sure our God-given rights are protected here at home.

3057480 50:57 - 51:02

That includes one of the most fundamental right of a democracy:

3062588 51:03 - 51:14

the right to vote. (Applause.)

3074413 51:14 - 51:24

When any American, no matter where they live or what their party,

3084436 51:24 - 51:32

are denied that right because they can’t afford to wait for five or six or seven hours

3091814 51:32 - 51:39

just to cast their ballot, we are betraying our ideals. (Applause.)

3099269 51:39 - 51:47

So tonight, I’m announcing a nonpartisan commission

3107134 51:47 - 51:50

to improve the voting experience in America.

3110223 51:50 - 51:52

And it definitely needs improvement.

3113992 51:54 - 51:57

I’m asking two long-time experts in the field --

3116592 51:57 - 52:01

who, by the way, recently served as the top attorneys for my campaign

3121136 52:01 - 52:04

and for Governor Romney’s campaign -- to lead it.

3124189 52:04 - 52:07

We can fix this, and we will.

3127002 52:07 - 52:23

The American people demand it, and so does our democracy. (Applause.)

3144968 52:25 - 52:29

Of course, what I’ve said tonight matters little

3150865 52:31 - 52:37

if we don’t come together to protect our most precious resource: our children.

3158792 52:39 - 52:42

It has been two months since Newtown.

3163528 52:44 - 52:48

I know this is not the first time this country has debated how to reduce gun violence.

3169956 52:50 - 52:51

But this time is different.

3173907 52:54 - 52:57

Overwhelming majorities of Americans

3176961 52:57 - 53:00

-- Americans who believe in the Second Amendment --

3179721 53:00 - 53:04

have come together around common-sense reform, like background checks

3183610 53:04 - 53:07

that will make it harder for criminals to get their hands on a gun. (Applause.)

3188220 53:08 - 53:17

Senators - senators of both parties are working together on tough new laws

3197064 53:17 - 53:21

to prevent anyone from buying guns for resale to criminals.

3201748 53:22 - 53:25

Police chiefs are asking our help to get weapons of war

3205259 53:25 - 53:28

and massive ammunition magazines off our streets,

3208426 53:28 - 53:34

because these police chiefs, they’re tired of seeing their guys and gals being outgunned.

3216291 53:36 - 53:56

Each of these proposals deserves a vote in Congress. (Applause.)

3235559 53:56 - 53:59

Now, if you want to vote no, that’s your choice.

3240523 54:01 - 54:02

But these proposals deserve a vote.

3244176 54:04 - 54:06

Because in the two months since Newtown,

3246738 54:07 - 54:12

more than a thousand birthdays, graduations, anniversaries

3251971 54:12 - 54:19

have been stolen from our lives by a bullet from a gun -- more than a thousand.

3260953 54:21 - 54:26

One of those we lost was a young girl named Hadiya Pendleton.

3267920 54:28 - 54:30

She was 15 years old.

3270912 54:31 - 54:37

She loved Fig Newtons and lip gloss. She was a
majorette.

3278089 54:38 - 54:42

She was so good to her friends they all thought they were her best friend.

3284120 54:44 - 54:49

Just three weeks ago, she was here, in Washington, with her classmates,

3289710 54:50 - 54:52

performing for her country at my inauguration.

3293703 54:54 - 54:59

And a week later, she was shot and killed in a Chicago park after school,

3299849 55:00 - 55:02

just a mile away from my house.

3304143 55:04 - 55:08

Hadiya’s parents, Nate and Cleo, are in this chamber tonight,

3308175 55:08 - 55:14

along with more than two dozen Americans whose lives have been torn apart by gun violence.

3315736 55:16 - 55:31

They deserve a vote. They deserve a vote. (Applause.)

3330759 55:31 - 55:41

They deserve a vote. (Applause.)

3340720 55:41 - 55:46

Gabby Giffords deserves a vote. (Applause.)

3345631 55:46 - 55:50

The families of Newtown deserve a vote. (Applause.)

3350297 55:50 - 55:55

The families of Aurora deserve a vote. (Applause.)

3354591 55:55 - 55:58

The families of Oak Creek and Tucson and Blacksburg,

3358361 55:58 - 56:02

and the countless other communities ripped open by gun violence –-

3362270 56:02 - 56:12

they deserve a simple vote. (Applause.)

3372250 56:12 - 56:15

They deserve - they deserve a simple vote.

3378561 56:19 - 56:24

Our actions will not prevent every senseless act of violence in this country.

3385412 56:25 - 56:32

In fact, no laws, no initiatives, no administrativeacts will perfectly solve

3391510 56:32 - 56:34

all the challenges I’ve outlined tonight.

3395430 56:35 - 56:38

But we were never sent here to be perfect.

3400000 56:40 - 56:46

We were sent here to make what difference we can, to secure this nation,

3406293 56:46 - 56:53

expand opportunity, uphold our ideals through the hard, often frustrating,

3412647 56:53 - 56:56

but absolutely necessary work of self-government.

3419615 57:00 - 57:03

We were sent here to look out for our fellow Americans

3422800 57:03 - 57:07

the same way they look out for one another, every single day,

3427958 57:08 - 57:11

usually without fanfare, all across this country.

3433067 57:13 - 57:15

We should follow their example.

3436314 57:16 - 57:21

We should follow the example of a New York City nurse named Menchu Sanchez.

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When Hurricane Sandy plunged her hospital into darkness,

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she wasn’t thinking about how her own home was faring.

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Her mind was on the 20 precious newborns in her care

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and the rescue plan she devised that kept them all safe.

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We should follow the example of a North Miami woman named Desiline Victor.

3467164 57:47 - 57:49

When Desiline arrived at her polling place,

3469047 57:49 - 57:52

she was told the wait to vote might be six hours.

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And as time ticked by, her concern was not with her tired body or aching feet,

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but whether folks like her would get to have their say.

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And hour after hour, a throng of people stayed in line to support her --

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because Desiline is 102 years old.

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And they erupted in cheers when she finally put on a sticker that read, “I voted.” (Applause.)

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We should follow the example of a police officer named Brian Murphy.

3533941 58:54 - 58:58

When a gunman opened fire on a Sikh temple in Wisconsin

3540033 59:00 - 59:04

Brian was the first to arrive, and he did not consider his own safety.

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He fought back until help arrived and ordered his fellow officers to protect

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the safety of the Americans worshipping inside,

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even as he lay bleeding from 12 bullet wounds.

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And when asked how he did that, Brian said, “That’s just the way we’re made.”

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That’s just the way we’re made.

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We may do different jobs and wear different uniforms,

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and hold different views than the person beside
us.

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But as Americans, we all share the same proud title -- we are citizens.

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It’s a word that doesn’t just describe our nationality or legal status.

3594338 59:54 - 60:00

It describes the way we’re made. It describes what we believe.

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It captures the enduring idea that this country only works

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when we accept certain obligations to one another and to future generations,

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that our rights are wrapped up in the rights of others;

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and that well into our third century as a nation, it remains the task of us all,

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as citizens of these United States,

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to be the authors of the next great chapter of our American story.

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Thank you. God bless you.

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And God bless these United States of America. (Applause.)

English subtitles

← Watch President Obama Deliver the 2013 State of the Union Address

English subtitles

← Watch President Obama Deliver the 2013 State of the Union Address

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