President Obama's Fourth State of the Union Speech of January, 24, 2012
Source
Opening Remarks
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, distinguished
guests, and fellow Americans: Last month, I went to Andrews Air Force Base
and welcomed home some of our last troops to serve in Iraq. Together,
we offered a final, proud salute to the colors under which more than a
million of our fellow citizens fought -- and several thousand gave their
lives. We gather tonight knowing that this generation of heroes has made
the United States safer and more respected around the world. (Applause.)
For the first time in nine years, there are no Americans fighting in
Iraq. (Applause.) For the first time in two decades, Osama bin Laden
is not a threat to this country. (Applause.)
Most of al Qaeda's top lieutenants have been
defeated. The Taliban's momentum has been broken, and some troops in
Afghanistan have begun to come home.
These achievements are a testament to the courage, selflessness and teamwork of America's Armed Forces. At
a time when too many of our institutions have let us down, they exceed
all expectations. They're not consumed with personal ambition. They don't
obsess over their differences. They focus on the mission at hand. They
work together. Imagine what we could accomplish if we followed their
example. (Applause.)
The America Within Our Reach
Think about the America within our reach: A country that leads the world
in educating its people. An America that attracts a new generation of
high-tech manufacturing and high-paying jobs. A future where we're in
control of our own energy, and our security and prosperity aren't so tied
to unstable parts of the world. An economy built to last, where hard
work pays off, and responsibility is rewarded. We can do this. I know
we can, because we've done it before. At the end of World War II, when
another generation of heroes returned home from combat, they built the
strongest economy and middle class the world has ever known. (Applause.)
Economic Challenge and Recovery
My grandfather, a veteran of Patton's Army, got the chance to go to
college on the GI Bill. My grandmother, who worked on a bomber assembly
line, was part of a workforce that turned out the best products on
Earth. The two of them shared the optimism of a nation that had triumphed
over a depression and fascism. The defining issue of our time is how
to keep that promise alive. No challenge is more urgent. No debate is
more important. We can either settle for a country where a shrinking
number of people do really well while a growing number of Americans
barely get by, or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair
shot, and everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same
set of rules. (Applause.)
They understood they were part of something
larger; that they were contributing to a story of success that every
American had a chance to share -- the basic American promise that if
you worked hard, you could do well enough to raise a family, own a
home, send your kids to college, and put a little away for retirement.
What's at stake aren't Democratic values or Republican values, but
American values. And we have to reclaim them. Let's remember how we got
here. Long before the recession, jobs and manufacturing began leaving
our shores. Technology made businesses more efficient, but also made
some jobs obsolete. Folks at the top saw their incomes rise like never
before, but most hardworking Americans struggled with costs that were
growing, paychecks that weren't, and personal debt that kept piling up.
In 2008, the house of cards collapsed. We learned that mortgages had been
sold to people who couldn't afford or understand them. Banks had made
huge bets and bonuses with other people's money. Regulators had looked
the other way, or didn't have the authority to stop the bad behavior.
It was wrong. It was irresponsible. And it plunged our economy into a
crisis that put millions out of work, saddled us with more debt, and
left innocent, hardworking Americans holding the bag. In the six months
before I took office, we lost nearly 4 million jobs. And we lost another
4 million before our policies were in full effect. Those are the facts.
But so are these: In the last 22 months, businesses have created more
than 3 million jobs. (Applause.)
Last year, they created the most jobs
since 2005. American manufacturers are hiring again, creating jobs for
the first time since the late 1990s. Together, we've agreed to cut the
deficit by more than $2 trillion. And we've put in place new rules to
hold Wall Street accountable, so a crisis like this never happens again.
(Applause.)
The state of our Union is getting stronger. And we've
come too far to turn back now. As long as I'm President, I will work
with anyone in this chamber to build on this momentum. But I intend to
fight obstruction with action, and I will oppose any effort to return
to the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis in the
first place. (Applause.)
No, we will not go back to an economy weakened by outsourcing, bad debt,
and phony financial profits. Tonight, I want to speak about how we move
forward, and lay out a blueprint for an economy that's built to last --
an economy built on American manufacturing, American energy, skills for
American workers, and a renewal of American values.
American Manufacturing
Now, this blueprint begins with American Manufactoring.
On the day I took office, our auto industry was on the verge of
collapse. Some even said we should let it die. With a million jobs
at stake, I refused to let that happen. In exchange for help, we
demanded responsibility. We got workers and automakers to settle their
differences. We got the industry to retool and restructure. Today, General
Motors is back on top as the world's number-one automaker. (Applause.)
Chrysler has grown faster in the U.S. than any major car company. Ford is
investing billions in U.S. plants and factories. And together, the entire
industry added nearly 160,000 jobs. We bet on American workers. We
bet on American ingenuity. And tonight, the American auto industry
is back. (Applause.) What's happening in Detroit can happen in other
industries. It can happen in Cleveland and Pittsburgh and Raleigh. We
can't bring every job back that's left our shore. But right now, it's
getting more expensive to do business in places like China. Meanwhile,
America is more productive. A few weeks ago, the CEO of Master Lock
told me that it now makes business sense for him to bring jobs back
home. (Applause.) Today, for the first time in 15 years, Master Lock's
unionized plant in Milwaukee is running at full capacity. (Applause.)
So we have a huge opportunity, at this moment, to bring manufacturing
back. But we have to seize it. Tonight, my message to business leaders
is simple: Ask yourselves what you can do to bring jobs back to your
country, and your country will do everything we can to help you succeed.
(Applause.)
Corporate Tax Reform
We should start with our tax code. Right now, companies get tax breaks
for moving jobs and profits overseas. Meanwhile, companies that choose
to stay in America get hit with one of the highest tax rates in the
world. It makes no sense, and everyone knows it. So let's change it.
First, if you're a business that wants to outsource jobs, you shouldn't
get a tax deduction for doing it. (Applause.) That money should be
used to cover moving expenses for companies like Master Lock that decide
to bring jobs home. (Applause.) Second, no American company should be
able to avoid paying its fair share of taxes by moving jobs and profits
overseas. (Applause.) From now on, every multinational company should
have to pay a basic minimum tax. And every penny should go towards
lowering taxes for companies that choose to stay here and hire here
in America. (Applause.) Third, if you're an American manufacturer,
you should get a bigger tax cut. If you're a high-tech manufacturer,
we should double the tax deduction you get for making your products
here. And if you want to relocate in a community that was hit hard
when a factory left town, you should get help financing a new plant,
equipment, or training for new workers. (Applause.) So my message is
simple. It is time to stop rewarding businesses that ship jobs overseas,
and start rewarding companies that create jobs right here in America. Send
me these tax reforms, and I will sign them right away. (Applause.)
Fairness in Foreign Trade
We're also making it easier for American businesses to sell products all
over the world. Two years ago, I set a goal of doubling U.S. exports
over five years. With the bipartisan trade agreements we signed into
law, we're on track to meet that goal ahead of schedule. (Applause.)
And soon, there will be millions of new customers for American goods
in Panama, Colombia, and South Korea. Soon, there will be new cars on
the streets of Seoul imported from Detroit, and Toledo, and Chicago.
(Applause.) I will go anywhere in the world to open new markets for
American products. And I will not stand by when our competitors don't
play by the rules. We've brought trade cases against China at nearly
twice the rate as the last administration -- and it's made a difference.
(Applause.) Over a thousand Americans are working today because we
stopped a surge in Chinese tires. But we need to do more. It's not right
when another country lets our movies, music, and software be pirated. It's
not fair when foreign manufacturers have a leg up on ours only because
they're heavily subsidized. Tonight, I'm announcing the creation of a
Trade Enforcement Unit that will be charged with investigating unfair
trading practices in countries like China. (Applause.) There will be
more inspections to prevent counterfeit or unsafe goods from crossing
our borders. And this Congress should make sure that no foreign company
has an advantage over American manufacturing when it comes to accessing
financing or new markets like Russia. Our workers are the most productive
on Earth, and if the playing field is level, I promise you -- America
will always win. (Applause.)
Training Skilled Workers
I also hear from many business leaders who want to hire in the United
States but can't find workers with the right skills. Growing industries
in science and technology have twice as many openings as we have workers
who can do the job. Think about that -- openings at a time when millions
of Americans are looking for work. It's inexcusable. And we know how to
fix it. Jackie Bray is a single mom from North Carolina who was laid off
from her job as a mechanic. Then Siemens opened a gas turbine factory
in Charlotte, and formed a partnership with Central Piedmont Community
College. The company helped the college design courses in laser and
robotics training. It paid Jackie's tuition, then hired her to help
operate their plant. I want every American looking for work to have
the same opportunity as Jackie did. Join me in a national commitment
to train 2 million Americans with skills that will lead directly to a
job. (Applause.) My administration has already lined up more companies
that want to help. Model partnerships between businesses like Siemens and
community colleges in places like Charlotte, and Orlando, and Louisville
are up and running. Now you need to give more community colleges the
resources they need to become community career centers -- places that
teach people skills that businesses are looking for right now, from data
management to high-tech manufacturing. And I want to cut through the
maze of confusing training programs, so that from now on, people like
Jackie have one program, one website, and one place to go for all the
information and help that they need. It is time to turn our unemployment
system into a reemployment system that puts people to work. (Applause.)
Education
These reforms will help people get jobs that are open today. But to
prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, our commitment to skills and education
has to start earlier. For less than 1 percent of what our nation spends
on education each year, we've convinced nearly every state in the country
to raise their standards for teaching and learning -- the first time
that's happened in a generation. But challenges remain. And we know
how to solve them. At a time when other countries are doubling down
on education, tight budgets have forced states to lay off thousands of
teachers. We know a good teacher can increase the lifetime income of
a classroom by over $250,000. A great teacher can offer an escape from
poverty to the child who dreams beyond his circumstance. Every person
in this chamber can point to a teacher who changed the trajectory of
their lives. Most teachers work tirelessly, with modest pay, sometimes
digging into their own pocket for school supplies -- just to make a
difference. Teachers matter. So instead of bashing them, or defending
the status quo, let's offer schools a deal. Give them the resources to
keep good teachers on the job, and reward the best ones. (Applause.)
And in return, grant schools flexibility: to teach with creativity and
passion; to stop teaching to the test; and to replace teachers who just
aren't helping kids learn. That's a bargain worth making. (Applause.)
We also know that when students don't walk away from their education,
more of them walk the stage to get their diploma. When students are not
allowed to drop out, they do better. So tonight, I am proposing that
every state -- every state -- requires that all students stay in high
school until they graduate or turn 18. (Applause.)
Affordable Higher Education
When kids do graduate, the most daunting challenge can be the cost of
college. At a time when Americans owe more in tuition debt than credit
card debt, this Congress needs to stop the interest rates on student
loans from doubling in July. (Applause.) Extend the tuition tax credit
we started that saves millions of middle-class families thousands of
dollars, and give more young people the chance to earn their way through
college by doubling the number of work-study jobs in the next five years.
(Applause.) Of course, it's not enough for us to increase student
aid. We can't just keep subsidizing skyrocketing tuition; we'll run out
of money. States also need to do their part, by making higher education a
higher priority in their budgets. And colleges and universities have to do
their part by working to keep costs down. Recently, I spoke with a group
of college presidents who've done just that. Some schools redesign courses
to help students finish more quickly. Some use better technology. The
point is, it's possible. So let me put colleges and universities on
notice: If you can't stop tuition from going up, the funding you get
from taxpayers will go down. (Applause.) Higher education can't be
a luxury -- it is an economic imperative that every family in America
should be able to afford. Let's also remember that hundreds of thousands
of talented, hardworking students in this country face another challenge:
the fact that they aren't yet American citizens. Many were brought here
as small children, are American through and through, yet they live
every day with the threat of deportation. Others came more recently,
to study business and science and engineering, but as soon as they get
their degree, we send them home to invent new products and create new jobs
somewhere else. That doesn't make sense. I believe as strongly as ever
that we should take on illegal immigration. That's why my administration
has put more boots on the border than ever before. That's why there are
fewer illegal crossings than when I took office. The opponents of action
are out of excuses. We should be working on comprehensive immigration
reform right now. (Applause.) But if election-year politics keeps
Congress from acting on a comprehensive plan, let's at least agree to
stop expelling responsible young people who want to staff our labs, start
new businesses, defend this country. Send me a law that gives them the
chance to earn their citizenship. I will sign it right away. (Applause.)
Supporting Innovation
You see, an economy built to last is one where we encourage the talent
and ingenuity of every person in this country. That means women should
earn equal pay for equal work. (Applause.) It means we should support
everyone who's willing to work, and every risk-taker and entrepreneur
who aspires to become the next Steve Jobs. After all, innovation
is what America has always been about. Most new jobs are created in
start-ups and small businesses. So let's pass an agenda that helps them
succeed. Tear down regulations that prevent aspiring entrepreneurs from
getting the financing to grow. (Applause.) Expand tax relief to small
businesses that are raising wages and creating good jobs. Both parties
agree on these ideas. So put them in a bill, and get it on my desk this
year. (Applause.) Innovation also demands basic research. Today, the
discoveries taking place in our federally financed labs and universities
could lead to new treatments that kill cancer cells but leave healthy
ones untouched. New lightweight vests for cops and soldiers that can
stop any bullet. Don't gut these investments in our budget. Don't let
other countries win the race for the future. Support the same kind of
research and innovation that led to the computer chip and the Internet;
to new American jobs and new American industries.
Oil and Natural Gas
An administration official declined to explain exactly what this
potentially huge expansion of offshore activity meant, except to say that
the Interior Department would be announcing new lease sales in the coming
weeks. Those sales will not include areas the administration has already
ruled off-limits, including most areas off Florida and along the Atlantic
Coast, the official said, so it is not clear how the president reaches
his target. And nowhere is the promise of innovation greater than in
American-made energy. Over the last three years, we've opened millions
of new acres for oil and gas exploration, and tonight, I'm directing my
administration to open more than 75 percent of our potential offshore oil
and gas resources. (Applause.) Right now -- right now -- American oil
production is the highest that it's been in eight years. That's right --
eight years. Not only that -- last year, we relied less on foreign oil
than in any of the past 16 years. (Applause.) But with only 2 percent
of the world's oil reserves, oil isn't enough. This country needs an
all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source
of American energy. (Applause.) A strategy that's cleaner, cheaper, and
full of new jobs. We have a supply of natural gas that can last America
nearly 100 years. (Applause.) And my administration will take every
possible action to safely develop this energy. Experts believe this
will support more than 600,000 jobs by the end of the decade. And I'm
requiring all companies that drill for gas on public lands to disclose
the chemicals they use. (Applause.) Because America will develop
this resource without putting the health and safety of our citizens at
risk. The development of natural gas will create jobs and power trucks
and factories that are cleaner and cheaper, proving that we don't have
to choose between our environment and our economy. (Applause.) And by
the way, it was public research dollars, over the course of 30 years,
that helped develop the technologies to extract all this natural gas
out of shale rock -- reminding us that government support is critical
in helping businesses get new energy ideas off the ground. (Applause.)
Clean Energy
Now, what's true for natural gas is just as true for clean energy. In
three years, our partnership with the private sector has already
positioned America to be the world's leading manufacturer of high-tech
batteries. Because of federal investments, renewable energy use has nearly
doubled, and thousands of Americans have jobs because of it. When Bryan
Ritterby was laid off from his job making furniture, he said he worried
that at 55, no one would give him a second chance. But he found work at
Energetx, a wind turbine manufacturer in Michigan. Before the recession,
the factory only made luxury yachts. Today, it's hiring workers like
Bryan, who said, "I'm proud to be working in the industry of the future."
Our experience with shale gas, our experience with natural gas, shows
us that the payoffs on these public investments don't always come right
away. Some technologies don't pan out; some companies fail. But I will
not walk away from the promise of clean energy. I will not walk away from
workers like Bryan. (Applause.) I will not cede the wind or solar or
battery industry to China or Germany because we refuse to make the same
commitment here. We've subsidized oil companies for a century. That's
long enough. (Applause.) It's time to end the taxpayer giveaways to
an industry that rarely has been more profitable, and double-down on a
clean energy industry that never has been more promising. Pass clean
energy tax credits. Create these jobs. (Applause.) We can also spur
energy innovation with new incentives. The differences in this chamber
may be too deep right now to pass a comprehensive plan to fight climate
change. But there's no reason why Congress shouldn't at least set a
clean energy standard that creates a market for innovation. So far, you
haven't acted. Well, tonight, I will. I'm directing my administration
to allow the development of clean energy on enough public land to
power 3 million homes. And I'm proud to announce that the Department
of Defense, working with us, the world's largest consumer of energy,
will make one of the largest commitments to clean energy in history --
with the Navy purchasing enough capacity to power a quarter of a million
homes a year. (Applause.) Of course, the easiest way to save money is
to waste less energy. So here's a proposal: Help manufacturers eliminate
energy waste in their factories and give businesses incentives to upgrade
their buildings. Their energy bills will be $100 billion lower over the
next decade, and America will have less pollution, more manufacturing,
more jobs for construction workers who need them. Send me a bill that
creates these jobs. (Applause.)
Infrastructure Projects
Building this new energy future should be just one part of a broader
agenda to repair America's infrastructure. So much of America needs to
be rebuilt. We've got crumbling roads and bridges; a power grid that
wastes too much energy; an incomplete high-speed broadband network
that prevents a small business owner in rural America from selling
her products all over the world. During the Great Depression, America
built the Hoover Dam and the Golden Gate Bridge. After World War II, we
connected our states with a system of highways. Democratic and Republican
administrations invested in great projects that benefited everybody, from
the workers who built them to the businesses that still use them today.
In the next few weeks, I will sign an executive order clearing away
the red tape that slows down too many construction projects. But you
need to fund these projects. Take the money we're no longer spending at
war, use half of it to pay down our debt, and use the rest to do some
nation-building right here at home. (Applause.)
Housing Market and Mortgages
There's never been a better time to build, especially since the
construction industry was one of the hardest hit when the housing bubble
burst. Of course, construction workers weren't the only ones who were
hurt. So were millions of innocent Americans who've seen their home
values decline. And while government can't fix the problem on its own,
responsible homeowners shouldn't have to sit and wait for the housing
market to hit bottom to get some relief. And that's why I'm sending this
Congress a plan that gives every responsible homeowner the chance to save
about $3,000 a year on their mortgage, by refinancing at historically
low rates. (Applause.) No more red tape. No more runaround from the
banks. A small fee on the largest financial institutions will ensure
that it won't add to the deficit and will give those banks that were
rescued by taxpayers a chance to repay a deficit of trust. (Applause.)
Let's never forget: Millions of Americans who work hard and play by
the rules every day deserve a government and a financial system that
do the same. It's time to apply the same rules from top to bottom. No
bailouts, no handouts, and no copouts. An America built to last insists
on responsibility from everybody. We've all paid the price for lenders
who sold mortgages to people who couldn't afford them, and buyers who
knew they couldn't afford them. That's why we need smart regulations to
prevent irresponsible behavior. (Applause.)
Corporate and Financial Regulation
Rules to prevent financial fraud or toxic dumping or faulty medical
devices -- these don't destroy the free market. They make the free market
work better. There's no question that some regulations are outdated,
unnecessary, or too costly. In fact, I've approved fewer regulations in
the first three years of my presidency than my Republican predecessor
did in his. (Applause.) I've ordered every federal agency to eliminate
rules that don't make sense. We've already announced over 500 reforms,
and just a fraction of them will save business and citizens more than
$10 billion over the next five years. We got rid of one rule from 40
years ago that could have forced some dairy farmers to spend $10,000
a year proving that they could contain a spill -- because milk was
somehow classified as an oil. With a rule like that, I guess it was
worth crying over spilled milk. (Laughter and applause.) Now, I'm
confident a farmer can contain a milk spill without a federal agency
looking over his shoulder. (Applause.) Absolutely. But I will not back
down from making sure an oil company can contain the kind of oil spill
we saw in the Gulf two years ago. (Applause.) I will not back down
from protecting our kids from mercury poisoning, or making sure that our
food is safe and our water is clean. I will not go back to the days when
health insurance companies had unchecked power to cancel your policy,
deny your coverage, or charge women differently than men. (Applause.)
And I will not go back to the days when Wall Street was allowed to play
by its own set of rules. The new rules we passed restore what should be
any financial system's core purpose: Getting funding to entrepreneurs
with the best ideas, and getting loans to responsible families who want
to buy a home, or start a business, or send their kids to college. So if
you are a big bank or financial institution, you're no longer allowed to
make risky bets with your customers' deposits. You're required to write
out a "living will" that details exactly how you'll pay the bills if
you fail -- because the rest of us are not bailing you out ever again.
(Applause.) And if you're a mortgage lender or a payday lender or a
credit card company, the days of signing people up for products they
can't afford with confusing forms and deceptive practices -- those days
are over. Today, American consumers finally have a watchdog in Richard
Cordray with one job: To look out for them. (Applause.)
We'll also establish a Financial Crimes Unit of highly trained
investigators to crack down on large-scale fraud and protect people's
investments. Some financial firms violate major anti-fraud laws because
there's no real penalty for being a repeat offender. That's bad for
consumers, and it's bad for the vast majority of bankers and financial
service professionals who do the right thing. So pass legislation
that makes the penalties for fraud count. And tonight, I'm asking my
Attorney General to create a special unit of federal prosecutors and
leading state attorney general to expand our investigations into the
abusive lending and packaging of risky mortgages that led to the housing
crisis. (Applause.) This new unit will hold accountable those who broke
the law, speed assistance to homeowners, and help turn the page on an
era of recklessness that hurt so many Americans.
Taxes and "The Buffett Rule"
Now, a return to the American values of fair play and shared
responsibility will help protect our people and our economy. But it
should also guide us as we look to pay down our debt and invest in our
future. Right now, our most immediate priority is stopping a tax hike
on 160 million working Americans while the recovery is still fragile.
(Applause.)
People cannot afford losing $40 out of each paycheck this year. There are
plenty of ways to get this done. So let's agree right here, right now: No
side issues. No drama. Pass the payroll tax cut without delay. Let's get
it done. (Applause.) When it comes to the deficit, we've already agreed
to more than $2 trillion in cuts and savings. But we need to do more,
and that means making choices. Right now, we're poised to spend nearly
$1 trillion more on what was supposed to be a temporary tax break for
the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans. Right now, because of loopholes
and shelters in the tax code, a quarter of all millionaires pay lower
tax rates than millions of middle-class households. Right now, Warren
Buffett pays a lower tax rate than his secretary. Do we want to keep
these tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans? Or do we want to keep our
investments in everything else -- like education and medical research;
a strong military and care for our veterans? Because if we're serious
about paying down our debt, we can't do both. The American people know
what the right choice is. So do I. As I told the Speaker this summer,
I'm prepared to make more reforms that rein in the long-term costs of
Medicare and Medicaid, and strengthen Social Security, so long as those
programs remain a guarantee of security for seniors. But in return,
we need to change our tax code so that people like me, and an awful
lot of members of Congress, pay our fair share of taxes. (Applause.)
Tax reform should follow the Buffett Rule. If you make more than $1
million a year, you should not pay less than 30 percent in taxes. And my
Republican friend Tom Coburn is right: Washington should stop subsidizing
millionaires. In fact, if you're earning a million dollars a year, you
shouldn't get special tax subsidies or deductions. On the other hand,
if you make under $250,000 a year, like 98 percent of American families,
your taxes shouldn't go up. (Applause.) You're the ones struggling with
rising costs and stagnant wages. You're the ones who need relief. Now,
you can call this class warfare all you want. But asking a billionaire
to pay at least as much as his secretary in taxes? Most Americans would
call that common sense. We don't begrudge financial success in this
country. We admire it. When Americans talk about folks like me paying
my fair share of taxes, it's not because they envy the rich. It's
because they understand that when I get a tax break I don't need and
the country can't afford, it either adds to the deficit, or somebody
else has to make up the difference -- like a senior on a fixed income,
or a student trying to get through school, or a family trying to make
ends meet. That's not right. Americans know that's not right. They know
that this generation's success is only possible because past generations
felt a responsibility to each other, and to the future of their country,
and they know our way of life will only endure if we feel that same sense
of shared responsibility. That's how we'll reduce our deficit. That's
an America built to last. (Applause.)
Money in Politics
Now, I recognize that people watching tonight have differing views about
taxes and debt, energy and health care. But no matter what party they
belong to, I bet most Americans are thinking the same thing right about
now: Nothing will get done in Washington this year, or next year, or maybe
even the year after that, because Washington is broken. Can you blame
them for feeling a little cynical? The greatest blow to our confidence
in our economy last year didn't come from events beyond our control. It
came from a debate in Washington over whether the United States would
pay its bills or not. Who benefited from that fiasco? I've talked tonight
about the deficit of trust between Main Street and Wall Street. But the
divide between this city and the rest of the country is at least as bad
-- and it seems to get worse every year. Some of this has to do with
the corrosive influence of money in politics. So together, let's take
some steps to fix that. Send me a bill that bans insider trading by
members of Congress; I will sign it tomorrow. (Applause.) Let's limit
any elected official from owning stocks in industries they impact. Let's
make sure people who bundle campaign contributions for Congress can't
lobby Congress, and vice versa -- an idea that has bipartisan support,
at least outside of Washington.
Bipartisanship
Some of what's broken has to do with the way Congress does its business
these days. A simple majority is no longer enough to get anything -- even
routine business -- passed through the Senate. (Applause.) Neither party
has been blameless in these tactics. Now both parties should put an end
to it. (Applause.) For starters, I ask the Senate to pass a simple rule
that all judicial and public service nominations receive a simple up or
down vote within 90 days. (Applause.) The executive branch also needs to
change. Too often, it's inefficient, outdated and remote. (Applause.)
That's why I've asked this Congress to grant me the authority to
consolidate the federal bureaucracy, so that our government is leaner,
quicker, and more responsive to the needs of the American people.
(Applause.) Finally, none of this can happen unless we also lower
the temperature in this town. We need to end the notion that the two
parties must be locked in a perpetual campaign of mutual destruction;
that politics is about clinging to rigid ideologies instead of building
consensus around common-sense ideas. I'm a Democrat. But I believe what
Republican Abraham Lincoln believed: That government should do for people
only what they cannot do better by themselves, and no more. (Applause.)
That's why my education reform offers more competition, and more control
for schools and states. That's why we're getting rid of regulations
that don't work. That's why our health care law relies on a reformed
private market, not a government program. On the other hand, even my
Republican friends who complain the most about government spending
have supported federally financed roads, and clean energy projects,
and federal offices for the folks back home. The point is, we should
all want a smarter, more effective government. And while we may not be
able to bridge our biggest philosophical differences this year, we can
make real progress. With or without this Congress, I will keep taking
actions that help the economy grow. But I can do a whole lot more with
your help. Because when we act together, there's nothing the United
States of America can't achieve. (Applause.)
The Middle East
From this position of strength, we've begun to wind down the war in
Afghanistan. Ten thousand of our troops have come home. Twenty-three
thousand more will leave by the end of this summer. This transition to
Afghan lead will continue, and we will build an enduring partnership
with Afghanistan, so that it is never again a source of attacks against
America. (Applause.) As the tide of war recedes, a wave of change has
washed across the Middle East and North Africa, from Tunis to Cairo;
from Sana'a to Tripoli. A year ago, Qaddafi was one of the world's
longest-serving dictators -- a murderer with American blood on his
hands. Today, he is gone. And in Syria, I have no doubt that the Assad
regime will soon discover that the forces of change cannot be reversed,
and that human dignity cannot be denied. (Applause.) How this incredible
transformation will end remains uncertain. But we have a huge stake in
the outcome. And while it's ultimately up to the people of the region to
decide their fate, we will advocate for those values that have served our
own country so well. We will stand against violence and intimidation. We
will stand for the rights and dignity of all human beings -- men and
women; Christians, Muslims and Jews. We will support policies that lead
to strong and stable democracies and open markets, because tyranny is no
match for liberty. And we will safeguard America's own security against
those who threaten our citizens, our friends, and our interests.
Iran
Look at Iran. Through the power of our diplomacy, a world that was once
divided about how to deal with Iran's nuclear program now stands as one.
The regime is more isolated than ever before; its leaders are faced with
crippling sanctions, and as long as they shirk their responsibilities,
this pressure will not relent. Let there be no doubt: America is
determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and I will
take no options off the table to achieve that goal. (Applause.) But a
peaceful resolution of this issue is still possible, and far better,
and if Iran changes course and meets its obligations, it can rejoin the
community of nations.
Global Influence
The renewal of American leadership can be felt across the globe. Our
oldest alliances in Europe and Asia are stronger than ever. Our ties to
the Americas are deeper. Our ironclad commitment -- and I mean ironclad
-- to Israel's security has meant the closest military cooperation
between our two countries in history. (Applause.) We've made it clear
that America is a Pacific power, and a new beginning in Burma has lit a
new hope. From the coalitions we've built to secure nuclear materials,
to the missions we've led against hunger and disease; from the blows
we've dealt to our enemies, to the enduring power of our moral example,
America is back. Anyone who tells you otherwise, anyone who tells you that
America is in decline or that our influence has waned, doesn't know what
they're talking about. (Applause.) That's not the message we get from
leaders around the world who are eager to work with us. That's not how
people feel from Tokyo to Berlin, from Cape Town to Rio, where opinions
of America are higher than they've been in years. Yes, the world is
changing. No, we can't control every event. But America remains the one
indispensable nation in world affairs -- and as long as I'm President,
I intend to keep it that way. (Applause.)
Military Spending
That's why, working with our military leaders, I've proposed a new
defense strategy that ensures we maintain the finest military in the
world, while saving nearly half a trillion dollars in our budget. To
stay one step ahead of our adversaries, I've already sent this Congress
legislation that will secure our country from the growing dangers of
cyber-threats. (Applause.) Above all, our freedom endures because of the
men and women in uniform who defend it. (Applause.) As they come home,
we must serve them as well as they've served us. That includes giving them
the care and the benefits they have earned -- which is why we've increased
annual VA spending every year I've been President. (Applause.) And it
means enlisting our veterans in the work of rebuilding our nation. With
the bipartisan support of this Congress, we're providing new tax credits
to companies that hire vets. Michelle and Jill Biden have worked with
American businesses to secure a pledge of 135,000 jobs for veterans
and their families. And tonight, I'm proposing a Veterans Jobs Corps
that will help our communities hire veterans as cops and firefighters,
so that America is as strong as those who defend her. (Applause.)
Closing Remarks; Appeal to Unity
Which brings me back to where I began. Those of us who've been sent here
to serve can learn a thing or two from the service of our troops. When
you put on that uniform, it doesn't matter if you're black or white;
Asian, Latino, Native American; conservative, liberal; rich, poor; gay,
straight. When you're marching into battle, you look out for the person
next to you, or the mission fails. When you're in the thick of the fight,
you rise or fall as one unit, serving one nation, leaving no one behind.
One of my proudest possessions is the flag that the SEAL Team took with
them on the mission to get bin Laden. On it are each of their names.
Some may be Democrats. Some may be Republicans. But that doesn't matter.
Just like it didn't matter that day in the Situation Room, when I sat
next to Bob Gates -- a man who was George Bush's defense secretary --
and Hillary Clinton -- a woman who ran against me for president. All that
mattered that day was the mission. No one thought about politics. No one
thought about themselves. One of the young men involved in the raid later
told me that he didn't deserve credit for the mission. It only succeeded,
he said, because every single member of that unit did their job -- the
pilot who landed the helicopter that spun out of control; the translator
who kept others from entering the compound; the troops who separated
the women and children from the fight; the SEALs who charged up the
stairs. More than that, the mission only succeeded because every member
of that unit trusted each other -- because you can't charge up those
stairs, into darkness and danger, unless you know that there's somebody
behind you, watching your back. So it is with America. Each time I look
at that flag, I'm reminded that our destiny is stitched together like
those 50 stars and those 13 stripes. No one built this country on their
own. This nation is great because we built it together. This nation is
great because we worked as a team. This nation is great because we get
each other's backs. And if we hold fast to that truth, in this moment
of trial, there is no challenge too great; no mission too hard. As long
as we are joined in common purpose, as long as we maintain our common
resolve, our journey moves forward, and our future is hopeful, and the
state of our Union will always be strong. Thank you, God bless you,
and God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)