- 2015
State
of
the
Union « White House Transcript
President Barack Obama
State of the Union Address
U.S. Capitol
Washington, DC
Jan. 20, 2015
9:10 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of
Congress, my fellow Americans:
We are 15 years into this new century. Fifteen years that dawned
with
terror touching our shores; that unfolded with a new generation
fighting two long and costly wars; that saw a vicious recession spread
across our nation and the world. It has been, and still is, a
hard
time for many.
But tonight, we turn the page. Tonight, after a breakthrough year
for
America, our economy is growing and creating jobs at the fastest pace
since 1999. (Applause.) Our unemployment rate is now lower
than it
was before the financial crisis. More of our kids are graduating
than
ever before. More of our people are insured than ever
before.
(Applause.) And we are as free from the grip of foreign oil as
we’ve
been in almost 30 years. (Applause.)
Tonight, for the first time since 9/11, our combat mission in
Afghanistan is over. (Applause.) Six years ago, nearly
180,000
American troops served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, fewer than
15,000 remain. And we salute the courage and sacrifice of every
man
and woman in this 9/11 Generation who has served to keep us safe.
(Applause.) We are humbled and grateful for your service.
America, for all that we have endured; for all the grit and hard work
required to come back; for all the tasks that lie ahead, know
this:
The shadow of crisis has passed, and the State of the Union is
strong.
(Applause.)
At this moment -- with a growing economy, shrinking deficits, bustling
industry, booming energy production -- we have risen from recession
freer to write our own future than any other nation on Earth.
It’s now
up to us to choose who we want to be over the next 15 years and for
decades to come.
Will we accept an economy where only a few of us do spectacularly
well? Or will we commit ourselves to an economy that generates
rising
incomes and chances for everyone who makes the effort? (Applause.)
Will we approach the world fearful and reactive, dragged into costly
conflicts that strain our military and set back our standing? Or
will
we lead wisely, using all elements of our power to defeat new threats
and protect our planet?
Will we allow ourselves to be sorted into factions and turned against
one another? Or will we recapture the sense of common purpose
that has
always propelled America forward?
In two weeks, I will send this Congress a budget filled with ideas that
are practical, not partisan. And in the months ahead, I’ll
crisscross
the country making a case for those ideas. So tonight, I want to
focus
less on a checklist of proposals, and focus more on the values at stake
in the choices before us.
It begins with our economy. Seven years ago, Rebekah and Ben
Erler of
Minneapolis were newlyweds. (Laughter.) She waited
tables. He worked
construction. Their first child, Jack, was on the way. They
were
young and in love in America. And it doesn’t get much better than
that. “If only we had known,” Rebekah wrote to me last spring,
“what
was about to happen to the housing and construction market.”
As the crisis worsened, Ben’s business dried up, so he took what jobs
he could find, even if they kept him on the road for long stretches of
time. Rebekah took out student loans and enrolled in community
college, and retrained for a new career. They sacrificed for each
other. And slowly, it paid off. They bought their first
home. They
had a second son, Henry. Rebekah got a better job and then a
raise.
Ben is back in construction -- and home for dinner every night.
“It is amazing,” Rebekah wrote, “what you can bounce back from when you
have to…we are a strong, tight-knit family who has made it through some
very, very hard times.” We are a strong, tight-knit family who
has
made it through some very, very hard times.
America, Rebekah and Ben’s story is our story. They represent the
millions who have worked hard and scrimped, and sacrificed and
retooled. You are the reason that I ran for this office.
You are the
people I was thinking of six years ago today, in the darkest months of
the crisis, when I stood on the steps of this Capitol and promised we
would rebuild our economy on a new foundation. And it has been
your
resilience, your effort that has made it possible for our country to
emerge stronger.
We believed we could reverse the tide of outsourcing and draw new jobs
to our shores. And over the past five years, our businesses have
created more than 11 million new jobs. (Applause.)
We believed we could reduce our dependence on foreign oil and protect
our planet. And today, America is number one in oil and
gas. America
is number one in wind power. Every three weeks, we bring online
as
much solar power as we did in all of 2008. (Applause.) And
thanks to
lower gas prices and higher fuel standards, the typical family this
year should save about $750 at the pump. (Applause.)
We believed we could prepare our kids for a more competitive
world.
And today, our younger students have earned the highest math and
reading scores on record. Our high school graduation rate has hit
an
all-time high. More Americans finish college than ever
before.
(Applause.)
We believed that sensible regulations could prevent another crisis,
shield families from ruin, and encourage fair competition. Today,
we
have new tools to stop taxpayer-funded bailouts, and a new consumer
watchdog to protect us from predatory lending and abusive credit card
practices. And in the past year alone, about 10 million uninsured
Americans finally gained the security of health coverage.
(Applause.)
At every step, we were told our goals were misguided or too ambitious;
that we would crush jobs and explode deficits. Instead, we’ve
seen the
fastest economic growth in over a decade, our deficits cut by
two-thirds, a stock market that has doubled, and health care inflation
at its lowest rate in 50 years. (Applause.) This is good
news,
people. (Laughter and applause.)
So the verdict is clear. Middle-class economics works.
Expanding
opportunity works. And these policies will continue to work as
long as
politics don’t get in the way. We can’t slow down businesses or
put
our economy at risk with government shutdowns or fiscal
showdowns. We
can’t put the security of families at risk by taking away their health
insurance, or unraveling the new rules on Wall Street, or refighting
past battles on immigration when we’ve got to fix a broken
system. And
if a bill comes to my desk that tries to do any of these things, I will
veto it. It will have earned my veto. (Applause.)
Today, thanks to a growing economy, the recovery is touching more and
more lives. Wages are finally starting to rise again. We
know that
more small business owners plan to raise their employees’ pay than at
any time since 2007. But here’s the thing: Those of us here
tonight,
we need to set our sights higher than just making sure government
doesn’t screw things up; that government doesn’t halt the progress
we’re making. We need to do more than just do no harm.
Tonight,
together, let’s do more to restore the link between hard work and
growing opportunity for every American. (Applause.)
Because families like Rebekah’s still need our help. She and Ben
are
working as hard as ever, but they’ve had to forego vacations and a new
car so that they can pay off student loans and save for
retirement.
Friday night pizza, that’s a big splurge. Basic childcare for
Jack and
Henry costs more than their mortgage, and almost as much as a year at
the University of Minnesota. Like millions of hardworking
Americans,
Rebekah isn’t asking for a handout, but she is asking that we look for
more ways to help families get ahead.
And in fact, at every moment of economic change throughout our history,
this country has taken bold action to adapt to new circumstances and to
make sure everyone gets a fair shot. We set up worker
protections,
Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid to protect ourselves from the
harshest adversity. We gave our citizens schools and colleges,
infrastructure and the Internet -- tools they needed to go as far as
their effort and their dreams will take them.
That’s what middle-class economics is -- the idea that this country
does best when everyone gets their fair shot, everyone does their fair
share, everyone plays by the same set of rules. (Applause.)
We don’t
just want everyone to share in America’s success, we want everyone to
contribute to our success. (Applause.)
So what does middle-class economics require in our time?
First, middle-class economics means helping working families feel more
secure in a world of constant change. That means helping folks
afford
childcare, college, health care, a home, retirement. And my
budget
will address each of these issues, lowering the taxes of working
families and putting thousands of dollars back into their pockets each
year. (Applause.)
Here’s one example. During World War II, when men like my
grandfather
went off to war, having women like my grandmother in the workforce was
a national security priority -- so this country provided universal
childcare. In today’s economy, when having both parents in the
workforce is an economic necessity for many families, we need
affordable, high-quality childcare more than ever. (Applause.)
It’s not a nice-to-have -- it’s a must-have. So it’s time we stop
treating childcare as a side issue, or as a women’s issue, and treat it
like the national economic priority that it is for all of us.
(Applause.) And that’s why my plan will make quality childcare
more
available and more affordable for every middle-class and low-income
family with young children in America -- by creating more slots and a
new tax cut of up to $3,000 per child, per year. (Applause.)
Here’s another example. Today, we are the only advanced country
on
Earth that doesn’t guarantee paid sick leave or paid maternity leave to
our workers. Forty-three million workers have no paid sick leave
-- 43
million. Think about that. And that forces too many parents
to make
the gut-wrenching choice between a paycheck and a sick kid at
home. So
I’ll be taking new action to help states adopt paid leave laws of their
own. And since paid sick leave won where it was on the ballot
last
November, let’s put it to a vote right here in Washington.
(Applause.) Send me a bill that gives every worker in America the
opportunity to earn seven days of paid sick leave. It’s the right
thing to do. It’s the right thing to do. (Applause.)
Of course, nothing helps families make ends meet like higher
wages.
That’s why this Congress still needs to pass a law that makes sure a
woman is paid the same as a man for doing the same work.
(Applause.)
It’s 2015. (Laughter.) It’s time. We still need to
make sure
employees get the overtime they’ve earned. (Applause.) And
to
everyone in this Congress who still refuses to raise the minimum wage,
I say this: If you truly believe you could work full-time and
support
a family on less than $15,000 a year, try it. If not, vote to
give
millions of the hardest-working people in America a raise.
(Applause.)
Now, these ideas won’t make everybody rich, won’t relieve every
hardship. That’s not the job of government. To give working
families
a fair shot, we still need more employers to see beyond next quarter’s
earnings and recognize that investing in their workforce is in their
company’s long-term interest. We still need laws that strengthen
rather than weaken unions, and give American workers a voice.
(Applause.)
But you know, things like childcare and sick leave and equal pay;
things like lower mortgage premiums and a higher minimum wage -- these
ideas will make a meaningful difference in the lives of millions of
families. That’s a fact. And that’s what all of us,
Republicans and
Democrats alike, were sent here to do.
Second, to make sure folks keep earning higher wages down the road,
we have to do more to help Americans upgrade their skills.
(Applause.) America thrived in the 20th century because we made
high
school free, sent a generation of GIs to college, trained the best
workforce in the world. We were ahead of the curve. But
other
countries caught on. And in a 21st century economy that rewards
knowledge like never before, we need to up our game. We need to
do
more.
By the end of this decade, two in three job openings
will require some higher education -- two in three. And yet, we
still
live in a country where too many bright, striving Americans are priced
out of the education they need. It’s not fair to them, and it’s
sure
not smart for our future. That’s why I’m sending this Congress a
bold
new plan to lower the cost of community college -- to zero.
(Applause.)
Keep in mind 40 percent of our college students choose community
college. Some are young and starting out. Some are older
and looking
for a better job. Some are veterans and single parents trying to
transition back into the job market. Whoever you are, this plan
is
your chance to graduate ready for the new economy without a load of
debt. Understand, you’ve got to earn it. You’ve got to keep
your
grades up and graduate on time.
Tennessee, a state with Republican leadership, and Chicago, a city
with Democratic leadership, are showing that free community college is
possible. I want to spread that idea all across America, so that
two
years of college becomes as free and universal in America as high
school is today. (Applause.) Let’s stay ahead of the
curve.
(Applause.) And I want to work with this Congress to make sure
those
already burdened with student loans can reduce their monthly payments
so that student debt doesn’t derail anyone’s dreams.
(Applause.)
Thanks to Vice President Biden’s great work to update our job training
system, we’re connecting community colleges with local employers to
train workers to fill high-paying jobs like coding, and nursing, and
robotics. Tonight, I’m also asking more businesses to follow the
lead
of companies like CVS and UPS, and offer more educational benefits and
paid apprenticeships -- opportunities that give workers the chance to
earn higher-paying jobs even if they don’t have a higher education.
And as a new generation of veterans comes home, we owe them every
opportunity to live the American Dream they helped defend.
Already,
we’ve made strides towards ensuring that every veteran has access to
the highest quality care. We’re slashing the backlog that had too
many
veterans waiting years to get the benefits they need. And we’re
making
it easier for vets to translate their training and experience into
civilian jobs. And Joining Forces, the national campaign launched
by
Michelle and Jill Biden -- (applause) -- thank you, Michelle; thank
you, Jill -- has helped nearly 700,000 veterans and military spouses
get a new job. (Applause.) So to every CEO in America, let
me
repeat: If you want somebody who’s going to get the job done and
done
right, hire a veteran. (Applause.)
Finally, as we better train our workers, we need the new economy to
keep churning out high-wage jobs for our workers to fill. Since
2010,
America has put more people back to work than Europe, Japan, and all
advanced economies combined. (Applause.)
Our manufacturers have added almost 800,000 new jobs. Some of our
bedrock sectors, like our auto industry, are booming. But there
are
also millions of Americans who work in jobs that didn’t even exist 10
or 20 years ago -- jobs at companies like Google, and eBay, and
Tesla.
So no one knows for certain which industries will generate the jobs of
the future. But we do know we want them here in America. We
know
that. (Applause.) And that’s why the third part of
middle-class
economics is all about building the most competitive economy anywhere,
the place where businesses want to locate and hire.
Twenty-first century businesses need 21st century infrastructure --
modern ports, and stronger bridges, faster trains and the fastest
Internet. Democrats and Republicans used to agree on this.
So let’s
set our sights higher than a single oil pipeline. Let’s pass a
bipartisan infrastructure plan that could create more than 30 times as
many jobs per year, and make this country stronger for decades to
come. (Applause.) Let’s do it. Let’s get it
done. Let’s get it
done. (Applause.)
Twenty-first century businesses, including small businesses, need to
sell more American products overseas. Today, our businesses
export
more than ever, and exporters tend to pay their workers higher
wages.
But as we speak, China wants to write the rules for the world’s
fastest-growing region. That would put our workers and our
businesses
at a disadvantage. Why would we let that happen? We should
write
those rules. We should level the playing field. That’s why
I’m asking
both parties to give me trade promotion authority to protect American
workers, with strong new trade deals from Asia to Europe that aren’t
just free, but are also fair. It’s the right thing to do.
(Applause.)
Look, I’m the first one to admit that past trade deals haven’t always
lived up to the hype, and that’s why we’ve gone after countries that
break the rules at our expense. But 95 percent of the world’s
customers live outside our borders. We can’t close ourselves off
from
those opportunities. More than half of manufacturing executives
have
said they’re actively looking to bring jobs back from China. So
let’s
give them one more reason to get it done.
Twenty-first century businesses will rely on American science and
technology, research and development. I want the country that
eliminated polio and mapped the human genome to lead a new era of
medicine -- one that delivers the right treatment at the right
time.
(Applause.)
In some patients with cystic fibrosis, this approach has reversed a
disease once thought unstoppable. So tonight, I’m launching a new
Precision Medicine Initiative to bring us closer to curing diseases
like cancer and diabetes, and to give all of us access to the
personalized information we need to keep ourselves and our families
healthier. We can do this. (Applause.)
I intend to protect a free and open Internet, extend its reach to every
classroom, and every community -- (applause) -- and help folks build
the fastest networks so that the next generation of digital innovators
and entrepreneurs have the platform to keep reshaping our world.
I want Americans to win the race for the kinds of discoveries that
unleash new jobs -- converting sunlight into liquid fuel; creating
revolutionary prosthetics, so that a veteran who gave his arms for his
country can play catch with his kids again. (Applause.)
Pushing out
into the solar system not just to visit, but to stay. Last month,
we
launched a new spacecraft as part of a reenergized space program that
will send American astronauts to Mars. And in two months, to
prepare
us for those missions, Scott Kelly will begin a year-long stay in
space. So good luck, Captain. Make sure to Instagram
it. We’re proud
of you. (Applause.)
Now, the truth is, when it comes to issues like infrastructure and
basic research, I know there’s bipartisan support in this
chamber.
Members of both parties have told me so. Where we too often run
onto
the rocks is how to pay for these investments. As Americans, we
don’t
mind paying our fair share of taxes as long as everybody else does,
too. But for far too long, lobbyists have rigged the tax code
with
loopholes that let some corporations pay nothing while others pay full
freight. They’ve riddled it with giveaways that the super-rich
don’t
need, while denying a break to middle-class families who do.
This year, we have an opportunity to change that. Let’s close
loopholes so we stop rewarding companies that keep profits abroad, and
reward those that invest here in America. (Applause.) Let’s
use those
savings to rebuild our infrastructure and to make it more attractive
for companies to bring jobs home. Let’s simplify the system and
let a
small business owner file based on her actual bank statement, instead
of the number of accountants she can afford. (Applause.)
And let’s
close the loopholes that lead to inequality by allowing the top one
percent to avoid paying taxes on their accumulated wealth. We can
use
that money to help more families pay for childcare and send their kids
to college. We need a tax code that truly helps working Americans
trying to get a leg up in the new economy, and we can achieve that
together. (Applause.) We can achieve it together.
Helping hardworking families make ends meet. Giving them the
tools
they need for good-paying jobs in this new economy. Maintaining
the
conditions of growth and competitiveness. This is where America
needs
to go. I believe it’s where the American people want to go.
It will
make our economy stronger a year from now, 15 years from now, and deep
into the century ahead.
Of course, if there’s one thing this new century has taught us, it’s
that we cannot separate our work here at home from challenges beyond
our shores.
My first duty as Commander-in-Chief is to defend the United States of
America. In doing so, the question is not whether America leads
in the
world, but how. When we make rash decisions, reacting to the
headlines
instead of using our heads; when the first response to a challenge is
to send in our military -- then we risk getting drawn into unnecessary
conflicts, and neglect the broader strategy we need for a safer, more
prosperous world. That’s what our enemies want us to do.
I believe in a smarter kind of American leadership. We lead best
when
we combine military power with strong diplomacy; when we leverage our
power with coalition building; when we don’t let our fears blind us to
the opportunities that this new century presents. That’s exactly
what
we’re doing right now. And around the globe, it is making a
difference.
First, we stand united with people around the world who have been
targeted by terrorists -- from a school in Pakistan to the streets of
Paris. (Applause.) We will continue to hunt down terrorists
and
dismantle their networks, and we reserve the right to act unilaterally,
as we have done relentlessly since I took office to take out terrorists
who pose a direct threat to us and our allies.
(Applause.)
At the same time, we’ve learned some costly lessons over the last 13
years. Instead of Americans patrolling the valleys of
Afghanistan,
we’ve trained their security forces, who have now taken the lead, and
we’ve honored our troops’ sacrifice by supporting that country’s first
democratic transition. Instead of sending large ground forces
overseas, we’re partnering with nations from South Asia to North Africa
to deny safe haven to terrorists who threaten America.
In Iraq and Syria, American leadership -- including our military power
-- is stopping ISIL’s advance. Instead of getting dragged into
another
ground war in the Middle East, we are leading a broad coalition,
including Arab nations, to degrade and ultimately destroy this
terrorist group. (Applause.) We’re also supporting a
moderate
opposition in Syria that can help us in this effort, and assisting
people everywhere who stand up to the bankrupt ideology of violent
extremism.
Now, this effort will take time. It will require focus. But
we will
succeed. And tonight, I call on this Congress to show the world
that
we are united in this mission by passing a resolution to authorize the
use of force against ISIL. We need that authority.
(Applause.)
Second, we’re demonstrating the power of American strength and
diplomacy. We’re upholding the principle that bigger nations
can’t
bully the small -- by opposing Russian aggression, and supporting
Ukraine’s democracy, and reassuring our NATO allies.
(Applause.)
Last year, as we were doing the hard work of imposing sanctions along
with our allies, as we were reinforcing our presence with frontline
states, Mr. Putin’s aggression it was suggested was a masterful display
of strategy and strength. That's what I heard from some
folks. Well,
today, it is America that stands strong and united with our allies,
while Russia is isolated with its economy in tatters. That’s how
America leads -- not with bluster, but with persistent, steady
resolve. (Applause.)
In Cuba, we are ending a policy that was long past its expiration
date. (Applause.) When what you’re doing doesn’t work for
50 years,
it’s time to try something new. (Applause.) And our shift
in Cuba
policy has the potential to end a legacy of mistrust in our
hemisphere. It removes a phony excuse for restrictions in
Cuba. It
stands up for democratic values, and extends the hand of friendship to
the Cuban people. And this year, Congress should begin the work
of
ending the embargo. (Applause.)
As His Holiness, Pope Francis, has said, diplomacy is the work of
“small steps.” These small steps have added up to new hope for
the
future in Cuba. And after years in prison, we are overjoyed that
Alan
Gross is back where he belongs. Welcome home, Alan. We're
glad you're
here. (Applause.)
Our diplomacy is at work with respect to Iran, where, for the first
time in a decade, we’ve halted the progress of its nuclear program and
reduced its stockpile of nuclear material. Between now and this
spring, we have a chance to negotiate a comprehensive agreement that
prevents a nuclear-armed Iran, secures America and our allies --
including Israel, while avoiding yet another Middle East
conflict.
There are no guarantees that negotiations will succeed, and I keep all
options on the table to prevent a nuclear Iran.
But new sanctions passed by this Congress, at this moment in time, will
all but guarantee that diplomacy fails -- alienating America from its
allies; making it harder to maintain sanctions; and ensuring that Iran
starts up its nuclear program again. It doesn’t make sense.
And
that's why I will veto any new sanctions bill that threatens to undo
this progress. (Applause.) The American people expect us
only to go
to war as a last resort, and I intend to stay true to that wisdom.
Third, we’re looking beyond the issues that have consumed us in the
past to shape the coming century. No foreign nation, no hacker,
should
be able to shut down our networks, steal our trade secrets, or invade
the privacy of American families, especially our kids.
(Applause.) So
we're making sure our government integrates intelligence to combat
cyber threats, just as we have done to combat terrorism.
And tonight, I urge this Congress to finally pass the legislation we
need to better meet the evolving threat of cyber attacks, combat
identity theft, and protect our children’s information. That
should be
a bipartisan effort. (Applause.)
If we don’t act, we’ll leave our nation and our economy
vulnerable. If
we do, we can continue to protect the technologies that have unleashed
untold opportunities for people around the globe.
In West Africa, our troops, our scientists, our doctors, our nurses,
our health care workers are rolling back Ebola -- saving countless
lives and stopping the spread of disease. (Applause.) I
could not be
prouder of them, and I thank this Congress for your bipartisan support
of their efforts. But the job is not yet done, and the world
needs to
use this lesson to build a more effective global effort to prevent the
spread of future pandemics, invest in smart development, and eradicate
extreme poverty.
In the Asia Pacific, we are modernizing alliances while making sure
that other nations play by the rules -- in how they trade, how they
resolve maritime disputes, how they participate in meeting common
international challenges like nonproliferation and disaster
relief.
And no challenge -- no challenge -- poses a greater threat to future
generations than climate change. (Applause.)
2014 was the planet’s warmest year on record. Now, one year
doesn’t
make a trend, but this does: 14 of the 15 warmest years on record
have
all fallen in the first 15 years of this century.
I’ve heard some folks try to dodge the evidence by saying they’re not
scientists; that we don’t have enough information to act. Well,
I’m
not a scientist, either. But you know what, I know a lot of
really
good scientists at NASA, and at NOAA, and at our major
universities.
And the best scientists in the world are all telling us that our
activities are changing the climate, and if we don’t act forcefully,
we’ll continue to see rising oceans, longer, hotter heat waves,
dangerous droughts and floods, and massive disruptions that can trigger
greater migration and conflict and hunger around the globe. The
Pentagon says that climate change poses immediate risks to our national
security. We should act like it. (Applause.)
And that’s why, over the past six years, we’ve done more than ever to
combat climate change, from the way we produce energy to the way we use
it. That’s why we’ve set aside more public lands and waters than
any
administration in history. And that’s why I will not let this
Congress
endanger the health of our children by turning back the clock on our
efforts. I am determined to make sure that American leadership
drives
international action. (Applause.)
In Beijing, we made a historic announcement: The United States
will
double the pace at which we cut carbon pollution. And China
committed,
for the first time, to limiting their emissions. And because the
world’s two largest economies came together, other nations are now
stepping up, and offering hope that this year the world will finally
reach an agreement to protect the one planet we’ve got.
And there’s one last pillar of our leadership, and that’s the example
of our values.
As Americans, we respect human dignity, even when we’re threatened,
which is why I have prohibited torture, and worked to make sure our use
of new technology like drones is properly constrained.
(Applause.)
It’s why we speak out against the deplorable anti-Semitism that has
resurfaced in certain parts of the world. (Applause.) It’s
why we
continue to reject offensive stereotypes of Muslims, the vast majority
of whom share our commitment to peace. That’s why we defend free
speech, and advocate for political prisoners, and condemn the
persecution of women, or religious minorities, or people who are
lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. We do these things not
only
because they are the right thing to do, but because ultimately they
will make us safer. (Applause.)
As Americans, we have a profound commitment to justice. So it
makes no
sense to spend $3 million per prisoner to keep open a prison that the
world condemns and terrorists use to recruit. (Applause.)
Since I’ve
been President, we’ve worked responsibly to cut the population of Gitmo
in half. Now it is time to finish the job. And I will not
relent in
my determination to shut it down. It is not who we are.
It’s time to
close Gitmo. (Applause.)
As Americans, we cherish our civil liberties, and we need to uphold
that commitment if we want maximum cooperation from other countries and
industry in our fight against terrorist networks. So while some
have
moved on from the debates over our surveillance programs, I have
not.
As promised, our intelligence agencies have worked hard, with the
recommendations of privacy advocates, to increase transparency and
build more safeguards against potential abuse. And next month,
we’ll
issue a report on how we’re keeping our promise to keep our country
safe while strengthening privacy.
Looking to the future
instead of the past. Making sure we match our power with
diplomacy,
and use force wisely. Building coalitions to meet new challenges
and
opportunities. Leading -- always -- with the example of our
values.
That’s what makes us exceptional. That’s what keeps us
strong. That’s
why we have to keep striving to hold ourselves to the highest of
standards -- our own.
You know, just over a decade ago, I gave a speech in Boston where I
said there wasn’t a liberal America or a conservative America; a black
America or a white America -- but a United States of America. I
said
this because I had seen it in my own life, in a nation that gave
someone like me a chance; because I grew up in Hawaii, a melting pot of
races and customs; because I made Illinois my home -- a state of small
towns, rich farmland, one of the world’s great cities; a microcosm of
the country where Democrats and Republicans and Independents, good
people of every ethnicity and every faith, share certain bedrock values.
Over the past six years, the pundits have pointed out more than once
that my presidency hasn’t delivered on this vision. How ironic,
they
say, that our politics seems more divided than ever. It’s held up
as
proof not just of my own flaws -- of which there are many -- but also
as proof that the vision itself is misguided, naïve, that there are too
many people in this town who actually benefit from partisanship and
gridlock for us to ever do anything about it.
I know how tempting such cynicism may be. But I still think the
cynics
are wrong. I still believe that we are one people. I still
believe
that together, we can do great things, even when the odds are
long.
(Applause.)
I believe this because over and over in my six years in office, I have
seen America at its best. I’ve seen the hopeful faces of young
graduates from New York to California, and our newest officers at West
Point, Annapolis, Colorado Springs, New London. I’ve mourned with
grieving families in Tucson and Newtown, in Boston, in West Texas, and
West Virginia. I’ve watched Americans beat back adversity from
the
Gulf Coast to the Great Plains, from Midwest assembly lines to the
Mid-Atlantic seaboard. I’ve seen something like gay marriage go
from a
wedge issue used to drive us apart to a story of freedom across our
country, a civil right now legal in states that seven in 10 Americans
call home. (Applause.)
So I know the good, and optimistic, and big-hearted generosity of the
American people who every day live the idea that we are our brother’s
keeper and our sister’s keeper. And I know they expect those of
us who
serve here to set a better example.
So the question for those of us here tonight is how we, all of us, can
better reflect America’s hopes. I’ve served in Congress with many
of
you. I know many of you well. There are a lot of good
people here, on
both sides of the aisle. And many of you have told me that this
isn’t
what you signed up for -- arguing past each other on cable shows, the
constant fundraising, always looking over your shoulder at how the base
will react to every decision.
Imagine if we broke out of these tired old patterns. Imagine if
we did
something different. Understand, a better politics isn’t one
where
Democrats abandon their agenda or Republicans simply embrace
mine. A
better politics is one where we appeal to each other’s basic decency
instead of our basest fears. A better politics is one where we
debate
without demonizing each other; where we talk issues and values, and
principles and facts, rather than “gotcha” moments, or trivial gaffes,
or fake controversies that have nothing to do with people’s daily
lives. (Applause.)
A politics -- a better politics is one where we spend less time
drowning in dark money for ads that pull us into the gutter, and spend
more time lifting young people up with a sense of purpose and
possibility, asking them to join in the great mission of building
America.
If we’re going to have arguments, let’s have arguments, but let’s make
them debates worthy of this body and worthy of this country. We
still
may not agree on a woman’s right to choose, but surely we can agree
it’s a good thing that teen pregnancies and abortions are nearing
all-time lows, and that every woman should have access to the health
care that she needs. (Applause.)
Yes, passions still fly on immigration, but surely we can all see
something of ourselves in the striving young student, and agree that no
one benefits when a hardworking mom is snatched from her child, and
that it’s possible to shape a law that upholds our tradition as a
nation of laws and a nation of immigrants. I’ve talked to
Republicans
and Democrats about that. That’s something that we can share.
We may go at it in campaign season, but surely we can agree that the
right to vote is sacred; that it’s being denied to too many --
(applause) -- and that on this 50th anniversary of the great march from
Selma to Montgomery and the passage of the Voting Rights Act, we can
come together, Democrats and Republicans, to make voting easier for
every single American. (Applause.)
We may have different takes on the events of Ferguson and New
York.
But surely we can understand a father who fears his son can’t walk home
without being harassed. And surely we can understand the wife who
won’t rest until the police officer she married walks through the front
door at the end of his shift. (Applause.) And surely we can
agree
that it’s a good thing that for the first time in 40 years, the crime
rate and the incarceration rate have come down together, and use that
as a starting point for Democrats and Republicans, community leaders
and law enforcement, to reform America’s criminal justice system so
that it protects and serves all of us. (Applause.)
That’s a better politics. That’s how we start rebuilding
trust.
That’s how we move this country forward. That’s what the American
people want. And that’s what they deserve.
I have no more campaigns to run. (Applause.) My only agenda
--
(laughter) -- I know because I won both of them.
(Applause.) My only
agenda for the next two years is the same as the one I’ve had since the
day I swore an oath on the steps of this Capitol -- to do what I
believe is best for America. If you share the broad vision I
outlined
tonight, I ask you to join me in the work at hand. If you
disagree
with parts of it, I hope you’ll at least work with me where you do
agree. And I commit to every Republican here tonight that I will
not
only seek out your ideas, I will seek to work with you to make this
country stronger. (Applause.)
Because I want this chamber, I want this city to reflect the truth --
that for all our blind spots and shortcomings, we are a people with the
strength and generosity of spirit to bridge divides, to unite in common
effort, to help our neighbors, whether down the street or on the other
side of the world.
I want our actions to tell every child in every neighborhood, your life
matters, and we are committed to improving your life chances as
committed as we are to working on behalf of our own kids.
(Applause.)
I want future generations to know that we are a people who see our
differences as a great gift, that we’re a people who value the dignity
and worth of every citizen -- man and woman, young and old, black and
white, Latino, Asian, immigrant, Native American, gay, straight,
Americans with mental illness or physical disability. Everybody
matters. I want them to grow up in a country that shows the world
what
we still know to be true: that we are still more than a
collection of
red states and blue states; that we are the United States of
America.
(Applause.)
I want them to grow up in a country where a young mom can sit down and
write a letter to her President with a story that sums up these past
six years: “It’s amazing what you can bounce back from when you
have
to…we are a strong, tight-knit family who’s made it through some very,
very hard times.”
My fellow Americans, we, too, are a strong, tight-knit family.
We,
too, have made it through some hard times. Fifteen years into
this new
century, we have picked ourselves up, dusted ourselves off, and begun
again the work of remaking America. We have laid a new
foundation. A
brighter future is ours to write. Let’s begin this new chapter
together -- and let’s start the work right now. (Applause.)
Thank you. God bless you. God bless this country we
love. Thank you. (Applause.)
END
10:11 P.M. EST