Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, my fellow
Americans:
Today in America, a teacher spent extra time with a student who needed it,
and did her part to lift Americafs graduation rate to its highest level in more
than three decades.
An entrepreneur flipped on the lights in her tech startup, and did her part
to add to the more than eight million new jobs our businesses have created over
the past four years.
An autoworker fine-tuned some of the best, most fuel-efficient cars in the
world, and did his part to help America wean itself off foreign oil.
A farmer prepared for the spring after the strongest five-year stretch of
farm exports in our history. A rural doctor gave a young child the first
prescription to treat asthma that his mother could afford. A man took the
bus home from the graveyard shift, bone-tired but dreaming big dreams for his
son. And in tight-knit communities across America, fathers and mothers
will tuck in their kids, put an arm around their spouse, remember fallen
comrades, and give thanks for being home from a war that, after twelve long
years, is finally coming to an end.
Tonight, this chamber speaks with one voice to the people we represent: it is
you, our citizens, who make the state of our union strong.
Here are the results of your efforts: The lowest unemployment rate in
over five years. A rebounding housing market. A manufacturing sector
thatfs adding jobs for the first time since the 1990s. More oil produced
at home than we buy from the rest of the world – the first time thatfs happened
in nearly twenty years. Our deficits – cut by more than half. And
for the first time in over a decade, business leaders around the world have
declared that China is no longer the worldfs number one place to invest; America
is.
Thatfs why I believe this can be a breakthrough year for America. After
five years of grit and determined effort, the United States is better-positioned
for the 21st century than any other nation on Earth.
The question for everyone in this chamber, running through every decision we
make this year, is whether we are going to help or hinder this progress.
For several years now, this town has been consumed by a rancorous argument over
the proper size of the federal government. Itfs an important debate – one
that dates back to our very founding. But when that debate prevents us
from carrying out even the most basic functions of our democracy – when our
differences shut down government or threaten the full faith and credit of the
United States – then we are not doing right by the American people.
As President, Ifm committed to making Washington work better, and rebuilding
the trust of the people who sent us here. I believe most of you are,
too. Last month, thanks to the work of Democrats and Republicans, this
Congress finally produced a budget that undoes some of last yearfs severe cuts
to priorities like education. Nobody got everything they wanted, and we
can still do more to invest in this countryfs future while bringing down our
deficit in a balanced way. But the budget compromise should leave us freer
to focus on creating new jobs, not creating new crises.
In the coming months, letfs see where else we can make progress
together. Letfs make this a year of action. Thatfs what most
Americans want – for all of us in this chamber to focus on their lives, their
hopes, their aspirations. And what I believe unites the people of this
nation, regardless of race or region or party, young or old, rich or poor, is
the simple, profound belief in opportunity for all – the notion that if you work
hard and take responsibility, you can get ahead.
Letfs face it: that belief has suffered some serious blows. Over more
than three decades, even before the Great Recession hit, massive shifts in
technology and global competition had eliminated a lot of good, middle-class
jobs, and weakened the economic foundations that families depend on.
Today, after four years of economic growth, corporate profits and stock
prices have rarely been higher, and those at the top have never done
better. But average wages have barely budged. Inequality has
deepened. Upward mobility has stalled. The cold, hard fact is that
even in the midst of recovery, too many Americans are working more than ever
just to get by – let alone get ahead. And too many still arenft working at
all.
Our job is to reverse these trends. It wonft happen right away, and we
wonft agree on everything. But what I offer tonight is a set of concrete,
practical proposals to speed up growth, strengthen the middle class, and build
new ladders of opportunity into the middle class. Some require
Congressional action, and Ifm eager to work with all of you. But America
does not stand still – and neither will I. So wherever and whenever I can
take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families,
thatfs what Ifm going to do.
As usual, our First Lady sets a good example. Michellefs Letfs Move
partnership with schools, businesses, and local leaders has helped bring down
childhood obesity rates for the first time in thirty years – an achievement that
will improve lives and reduce health care costs for decades to come. The
Joining Forces alliance that Michelle and Jill Biden launched has already
encouraged employers to hire or train nearly 400,000 veterans and military
spouses. Taking a page from that playbook, the White House just organized
a College Opportunity Summit where already, 150 universities, businesses, and
nonprofits have made concrete commitments to reduce inequality in access to
higher education – and help every hardworking kid go to college and succeed when
they get to campus. Across the country, wefre partnering with mayors,
governors, and state legislatures on issues from homelessness to marriage
equality.
The point is, there are millions of Americans outside Washington who are
tired of stale political arguments, and are moving this country forward.
They believe, and I believe, that here in America, our success should depend not
on accident of birth, but the strength of our work ethic and the scope of our
dreams. Thatfs what drew our forebears here. Itfs how the daughter
of a factory worker is CEO of Americafs largest automaker; how the son of a
barkeeper is Speaker of the House; how the son of a single mom can be President
of the greatest nation on Earth.
Opportunity is who we are. And the defining project of our generation
is to restore that promise.
We know where to start: the best measure of opportunity is access to a good
job. With the economy picking up speed, companies say they intend to hire
more people this year. And over half of big manufacturers say theyfre
thinking of insourcing jobs from abroad.
So letfs make that decision easier for more companies. Both Democrats
and Republicans have argued that our tax code is riddled with wasteful,
complicated loopholes that punish businesses investing here, and reward
companies that keep profits abroad. Letfs flip that equation. Letfs
work together to close those loopholes, end those incentives to ship jobs
overseas, and lower tax rates for businesses that create jobs here at home.
Moreover, we can take the money we save with this transition to tax reform to
create jobs rebuilding our roads, upgrading our ports, unclogging our commutes –
because in todayfs global economy, first-class jobs gravitate to first-class
infrastructure. Wefll need Congress to protect more than three million
jobs by finishing transportation and waterways bills this summer. But I
will act on my own to slash bureaucracy and streamline the permitting process
for key projects, so we can get more construction workers on the job as fast as
possible.
We also have the chance, right now, to beat other countries in the race for
the next wave of high-tech manufacturing jobs. My administration has
launched two hubs for high-tech manufacturing in Raleigh and Youngstown, where
wefve connected businesses to research universities that can help America lead
the world in advanced technologies. Tonight, Ifm announcing wefll launch
six more this year. Bipartisan bills in both houses could double the
number of these hubs and the jobs they create. So get those bills to my
desk and put more Americans back to work.
Letfs do more to help the entrepreneurs and small business owners who create
most new jobs in America. Over the past five years, my administration has
made more loans to small business owners than any other. And when
ninety-eight percent of our exporters are small businesses, new trade
partnerships with Europe and the Asia-Pacific will help them create more
jobs. We need to work together on tools like bipartisan trade promotion
authority to protect our workers, protect our environment, and open new markets
to new goods stamped gMade in the USA.h China and Europe arenft standing
on the sidelines. Neither should we.
We know that the nation that goes all-in on innovation today will own the
global economy tomorrow. This is an edge America cannot surrender.
Federally-funded research helped lead to the ideas and inventions behind Google
and smartphones. Thatfs why Congress should undo the damage done by last
yearfs cuts to basic research so we can unleash the next great American
discovery – whether itfs vaccines that stay ahead of drug-resistant bacteria, or
paper-thin material thatfs stronger than steel. And letfs pass a patent
reform bill that allows our businesses to stay focused on innovation, not
costly, needless litigation.
Now, one of the biggest factors in bringing more jobs back is our commitment
to American energy. The all-of-the-above energy strategy I announced a few
years ago is working, and today, America is closer to energy independence than
wefve been in decades.
One of the reasons why is natural gas – if extracted safely, itfs the bridge
fuel that can power our economy with less of the carbon pollution that causes
climate change. Businesses plan to invest almost $100 billion in new
factories that use natural gas. Ifll cut red tape to help states get those
factories built, and this Congress can help by putting people to work building
fueling stations that shift more cars and trucks from foreign oil to American
natural gas. My administration will keep working with the industry to
sustain production and job growth while strengthening protection of our air, our
water, and our communities. And while wefre at it, Ifll use my authority
to protect more of our pristine federal lands for future generations.
Itfs not just oil and natural gas production thatfs booming; wefre becoming a
global leader in solar, too. Every four minutes, another American home or
business goes solar; every panel pounded into place by a worker whose job canft
be outsourced. Letfs continue that progress with a smarter tax policy that
stops giving $4 billion a year to fossil fuel industries that donft need it, so
that we can invest more in fuels of the future that do.
And even as wefve increased energy production, wefve partnered with
businesses, builders, and local communities to reduce the energy we
consume. When we rescued our automakers, for example, we worked with them
to set higher fuel efficiency standards for our cars. In the coming
months, Ifll build on that success by setting new standards for our trucks, so
we can keep driving down oil imports and what we pay at the pump.
Taken together, our energy policy is creating jobs and leading to a cleaner,
safer planet. Over the past eight years, the United States has reduced our
total carbon pollution more than any other nation on Earth. But we have to
act with more urgency – because a changing climate is already harming western
communities struggling with drought, and coastal cities dealing with
floods. Thatfs why I directed my administration to work with states,
utilities, and others to set new standards on the amount of carbon pollution our
power plants are allowed to dump into the air. The shift to a cleaner
energy economy wonft happen overnight, and it will require tough choices along
the way. But the debate is settled. Climate change is a fact.
And when our childrenfs children look us in the eye and ask if we did all we
could to leave them a safer, more stable world, with new sources of energy, I
want us to be able to say yes, we did.
Finally, if we are serious about economic growth, it is time to heed the call
of business leaders, labor leaders, faith leaders, and law enforcement – and fix
our broken immigration system. Republicans and Democrats in the Senate
have acted. I know that members of both parties in the House want to do
the same. Independent economists say immigration reform will grow our
economy and shrink our deficits by almost $1 trillion in the next two
decades. And for good reason: when people come here to fulfill their
dreams – to study, invent, and contribute to our culture – they make our country
a more attractive place for businesses to locate and create jobs for
everyone. So letfs get immigration reform done this year.
The ideas Ifve outlined so far can speed up growth and create more
jobs. But in this rapidly-changing economy, we have to make sure that
every American has the skills to fill those jobs.
The good news is, we know how to do it. Two years ago, as the auto
industry came roaring back, Andra Rush opened up a manufacturing firm in
Detroit. She knew that Ford needed parts for the best-selling truck in
America, and she knew how to make them. She just needed the
workforce. So she dialed up what we call an American Job Center – places
where folks can walk in to get the help or training they need to find a new job,
or better job. She was flooded with new workers. And today, Detroit
Manufacturing Systems has more than 700 employees.
What Andra and her employees experienced is how it should be for every
employer – and every job seeker. So tonight, Ifve asked Vice President
Biden to lead an across-the-board reform of Americafs training programs to make
sure they have one mission: train Americans with the skills employers need, and
match them to good jobs that need to be filled right now. That means more
on-the-job training, and more apprenticeships that set a young worker on an
upward trajectory for life. It means connecting companies to community
colleges that can help design training to fill their specific needs. And
if Congress wants to help, you can concentrate funding on proven programs that
connect more ready-to-work Americans with ready-to-be-filled jobs.
Ifm also convinced we can help Americans return to the workforce faster by
reforming unemployment insurance so that itfs more effective in todayfs
economy. But first, this Congress needs to restore the unemployment
insurance you just let expire for 1.6 million people.
Let me tell you why.
Misty DeMars is a mother of two young boys. Shefd been steadily employed
since she was a teenager. She put herself through college. Shefd
never collected unemployment benefits. In May, she and her husband used
their life savings to buy their first home. A week later, budget cuts
claimed the job she loved. Last month, when their unemployment insurance
was cut off, she sat down and wrote me a letter – the kind I get every
day. gWe are the face of the unemployment crisis,h she wrote. gI am
not dependent on the governmentcOur country depends on people like us who build
careers, contribute to societyccare about our neighborscI am confident that in
time I will find a jobcI will pay my taxes, and we will raise our children in
their own home in the community we love. Please give us this chance.h
Congress, give these hardworking, responsible Americans that chance.
They need our help, but more important, this country needs them in the
game. Thatfs why Ifve been asking CEOs to give more long-term unemployed
workers a fair shot at that new job and new chance to support their families;
this week, many will come to the White House to make that commitment real.
Tonight, I ask every business leader in America to join us and to do the same –
because we are stronger when America fields a full team.
Of course, itfs not enough to train todayfs workforce. We also have to
prepare tomorrowfs workforce, by guaranteeing every child access to a
world-class education.
Estiven Rodriguez couldnft speak a word of English when he moved to New York
City at age nine. But last month, thanks to the support of great teachers
and an innovative tutoring program, he led a march of his classmates – through a
crowd of cheering parents and neighbors – from their high school to the post
office, where they mailed off their college applications. And this son of
a factory worker just found out hefs going to college this fall.
Five years ago, we set out to change the odds for all our kids. We
worked with lenders to reform student loans, and today, more young people are
earning college degrees than ever before. Race to the Top, with the help
of governors from both parties, has helped states raise expectations and
performance. Teachers and principals in schools from Tennessee to
Washington, D.C. are making big strides in preparing students with skills for
the new economy – problem solving, critical thinking, science, technology,
engineering, and math. Some of this change is hard. It requires
everything from more challenging curriculums and more demanding parents to
better support for teachers and new ways to measure how well our kids think, not
how well they can fill in a bubble on a test. But itfs worth it – and itfs
working.
The problem is wefre still not reaching enough kids, and wefre not reaching
them in time. That has to change.
Research shows that one of the best investments we can make in a childfs life
is high-quality early education. Last year, I asked this Congress to help
states make high-quality pre-K available to every four year-old. As a
parent as well as a President, I repeat that request tonight. But in the
meantime, thirty states have raised pre-k funding on their own. They know
we canft wait. So just as we worked with states to reform our schools,
this year, wefll invest in new partnerships with states and communities across
the country in a race to the top for our youngest children. And as
Congress decides what itfs going to do, Ifm going to pull together a coalition
of elected officials, business leaders, and philanthropists willing to help more
kids access the high-quality pre-K they need.
Last year, I also pledged to connect 99 percent of our students to high-speed
broadband over the next four years. Tonight, I can announce that with the
support of the FCC and companies like Apple, Microsoft, Sprint, and Verizon,
wefve got a down payment to start connecting more than 15,000 schools and twenty
million students over the next two years, without adding a dime to the
deficit.
Wefre working to redesign high schools and partner them with colleges and
employers that offer the real-world education and hands-on training that can
lead directly to a job and career. Wefre shaking up our system of higher
education to give parents more information, and colleges more incentives to
offer better value, so that no middle-class kid is priced out of a college
education. Wefre offering millions the opportunity to cap their monthly
student loan payments to ten percent of their income, and I want to work with
Congress to see how we can help even more Americans who feel trapped by student
loan debt. And Ifm reaching out to some of Americafs leading foundations
and corporations on a new initiative to help more young men of color facing
tough odds stay on track and reach their full potential.
The bottom line is, Michelle and I want every child to have the same chance
this country gave us. But we know our opportunity agenda wonft be complete
– and too many young people entering the workforce today will see the American
Dream as an empty promise – unless we do more to make sure our economy honors
the dignity of work, and hard work pays off for every single American.
Today, women make up about half our workforce. But they still make 77
cents for every dollar a man earns. That is wrong, and in 2014, itfs an
embarrassment. A woman deserves equal pay for equal work. She deserves to
have a baby without sacrificing her job. A mother deserves a day off to
care for a sick child or sick parent without running into hardship – and you
know what, a father does, too. Itfs time to do away with workplace
policies that belong in a gMad Menh episode. This year, letfs all come
together – Congress, the White House, and businesses from Wall Street to Main
Street – to give every woman the opportunity she deserves. Because I
firmly believe when women succeed, America succeeds.
Now, women hold a majority of lower-wage jobs – but theyfre not the only ones
stifled by stagnant wages. Americans understand that some people will earn
more than others, and we donft resent those who, by virtue of their efforts,
achieve incredible success. But Americans overwhelmingly agree that no one
who works full time should ever have to raise a family in poverty.
In the year since I asked this Congress to raise the minimum wage, five
states have passed laws to raise theirs. Many businesses have done it on
their own. Nick Chute is here tonight with his boss, John Soranno.
Johnfs an owner of Punch Pizza in Minneapolis, and Nick helps make the
dough. Only now he makes more of it: John just gave his employees a raise,
to ten bucks an hour – a decision that eased their financial stress and boosted
their morale.
Tonight, I ask more of Americafs business leaders to follow Johnfs lead and
do what you can to raise your employeesf wages. To every mayor, governor,
and state legislator in America, I say, you donft have to wait for Congress to
act; Americans will support you if you take this on. And as a chief
executive, I intend to lead by example. Profitable corporations like Costco see
higher wages as the smart way to boost productivity and reduce turnover. We
should too. In the coming weeks, I will issue an Executive Order requiring
federal contractors to pay their federally-funded employees a fair wage of at
least $10.10 an hour – because if you cook our troopsf meals or wash their
dishes, you shouldnft have to live in poverty.
Of course, to reach millions more, Congress needs to get on board. Today, the
federal minimum wage is worth about twenty percent less than it was when Ronald
Reagan first stood here. Tom Harkin and George Miller have a bill to fix
that by lifting the minimum wage to $10.10. This will help families.
It will give businesses customers with more money to spend. It doesnft
involve any new bureaucratic program. So join the rest of the
country. Say yes. Give America a raise.
There are other steps we can take to help families make ends meet, and few
are more effective at reducing inequality and helping families pull themselves
up through hard work than the Earned Income Tax Credit. Right now, it
helps about half of all parents at some point. But I agree with
Republicans like Senator Rubio that it doesnft do enough for single workers who
donft have kids. So letfs work together to strengthen the credit, reward
work, and help more Americans get ahead.
Letfs do more to help Americans save for retirement. Today, most workers
donft have a pension. A Social Security check often isnft enough on its
own. And while the stock market has doubled over the last five years, that
doesnft help folks who donft have 401ks. Thatfs why, tomorrow, I will
direct the Treasury to create a new way for working Americans to start their own
retirement savings: MyRA. Itfs a new savings bond that encourages folks to build
a nest egg. MyRA guarantees a decent return with no risk of losing what
you put in. And if this Congress wants to help, work with me to fix an
upside-down tax code that gives big tax breaks to help the wealthy save, but
does little to nothing for middle-class Americans. Offer every American
access to an automatic IRA on the job, so they can save at work just like
everyone in this chamber can. And since the most important investment many
families make is their home, send me legislation that protects taxpayers from
footing the bill for a housing crisis ever again, and keeps the dream of
homeownership alive for future generations of Americans.
One last point on financial security. For decades, few things exposed
hard-working families to economic hardship more than a broken health care
system. And in case you havenft heard, wefre in the process of fixing
that.
A pre-existing condition used to mean that someone like Amanda Shelley, a
physician assistant and single mom from Arizona, couldnft get health
insurance. But on January 1st, she got covered. On
January 3rd, she felt a sharp pain. On January 6th,
she had emergency surgery. Just one week earlier, Amanda said, that
surgery wouldfve meant bankruptcy.
Thatfs what health insurance reform is all about – the peace of mind that if
misfortune strikes, you donft have to lose everything.
Already, because of the Affordable Care Act, more than three million
Americans under age 26 have gained coverage under their parentsf plans.
More than nine million Americans have signed up for private health insurance
or Medicaid coverage.
And herefs another number: zero. Because of this law, no American can
ever again be dropped or denied coverage for a preexisting condition like
asthma, back pain, or cancer. No woman can ever be charged more just because
shefs a woman. And we did all this while adding years to Medicarefs
finances, keeping Medicare premiums flat, and lowering prescription costs for
millions of seniors.
Now, I donft expect to convince my Republican friends on the merits of this
law. But I know that the American people arenft interested in refighting
old battles. So again, if you have specific plans to cut costs, cover more
people, and increase choice – tell America what youfd do differently.
Letfs see if the numbers add up. But letfs not have another
forty-something votes to repeal a law thatfs already helping millions of
Americans like Amanda. The first forty were plenty. We got it.
We all owe it to the American people to say what wefre for, not just what wefre
against.
And if you want to know the real impact this law is having, just talk to
Governor Steve Beshear of Kentucky, whofs here tonight. Kentuckyfs not the
most liberal part of the country, but hefs like a man possessed when it comes to
covering his commonwealthfs families. gThey are our friends and
neighbors,h he said. gThey are people we shop and go to church
withcfarmers out on the tractorscgrocery clerkscthey are people who go to work
every morning praying they donft get sick. No one deserves to live that
way.h
Stevefs right. Thatfs why, tonight, I ask every American who knows
someone without health insurance to help them get covered by March
31st. Moms, get on your kids to sign up. Kids, call your
mom and walk her through the application. It will give her some peace of
mind – plus, shefll appreciate hearing from you.
After all, thatfs the spirit that has always moved this nation forward.
Itfs the spirit of citizenship – the recognition that through hard work and
responsibility, we can pursue our individual dreams, but still come together as
one American family to make sure the next generation can pursue its dreams as
well.
Citizenship means standing up for everyonefs right to vote. Last year,
part of the Voting Rights Act was weakened. But conservative Republicans
and liberal Democrats are working together to strengthen it; and the bipartisan
commission I appointed last year has offered reforms so that no one has to wait
more than a half hour to vote. Letfs support these efforts. It
should be the power of our vote, not the size of our bank account, that drives
our democracy.
Citizenship means standing up for the lives that gun violence steals from us
each day. I have seen the courage of parents, students, pastors, and
police officers all over this country who say gwe are not afraid,h and I intend
to keep trying, with or without Congress, to help stop more tragedies from
visiting innocent Americans in our movie theaters, shopping malls, or schools
like Sandy Hook.
Citizenship demands a sense of common cause; participation in the hard work
of self-government; an obligation to serve to our communities. And I know
this chamber agrees that few Americans give more to their country than our
diplomats and the men and women of the United States Armed Forces.
Tonight, because of the extraordinary troops and civilians who risk and lay
down their lives to keep us free, the United States is more secure. When I
took office, nearly 180,000 Americans were serving in Iraq and
Afghanistan. Today, all our troops are out of Iraq. More than 60,000
of our troops have already come home from Afghanistan. With Afghan forces
now in the lead for their own security, our troops have moved to a support role.
Together with our allies, we will complete our mission there by the end of this
year, and Americafs longest war will finally be over.
After 2014, we will support a unified Afghanistan as it takes responsibility
for its own future. If the Afghan government signs a security agreement
that we have negotiated, a small force of Americans could remain in Afghanistan
with NATO allies to carry out two narrow missions: training and assisting Afghan
forces, and counterterrorism operations to pursue any remnants of al
Qaeda. For while our relationship with Afghanistan will change, one thing
will not: our resolve that terrorists do not launch attacks against our
country.
The fact is, that danger remains. While we have put al Qaedafs core
leadership on a path to defeat, the threat has evolved, as al Qaeda affiliates
and other extremists take root in different parts of the world. In Yemen,
Somalia, Iraq, and Mali, we have to keep working with partners to disrupt and
disable these networks. In Syria, wefll support the opposition that
rejects the agenda of terrorist networks. Here at home, wefll keep
strengthening our defenses, and combat new threats like cyberattacks. And
as we reform our defense budget, we have to keep faith with our men and women in
uniform, and invest in the capabilities they need to succeed in future
missions.
We have to remain vigilant. But I strongly believe our leadership and
our security cannot depend on our military alone. As Commander-in-Chief, I have
used force when needed to protect the American people, and I will never hesitate
to do so as long as I hold this office. But I will not send our troops
into harmfs way unless itfs truly necessary; nor will I allow our sons and
daughters to be mired in open-ended conflicts. We must fight the battles
that need to be fought, not those that terrorists prefer from us – large-scale
deployments that drain our strength and may ultimately feed extremism.
So, even as we aggressively pursue terrorist networks – through more targeted
efforts and by building the capacity of our foreign partners – America must move
off a permanent war footing. Thatfs why Ifve imposed prudent limits on the
use of drones – for we will not be safer if people abroad believe we strike
within their countries without regard for the consequence. Thatfs why,
working with this Congress, I will reform our surveillance programs – because
the vital work of our intelligence community depends on public confidence, here
and abroad, that the privacy of ordinary people is not being violated. And
with the Afghan war ending, this needs to be the year Congress lifts the
remaining restrictions on detainee transfers and we close the prison at
Guantanamo Bay – because we counter terrorism not just through intelligence and
military action, but by remaining true to our Constitutional ideals, and setting
an example for the rest of the world.
You see, in a world of complex threats, our security and leadership depends
on all elements of our power – including strong and principled diplomacy.
American diplomacy has rallied more than fifty countries to prevent nuclear
materials from falling into the wrong hands, and allowed us to reduce our own
reliance on Cold War stockpiles. American diplomacy, backed by the threat
of force, is why Syriafs chemical weapons are being eliminated, and we will
continue to work with the international community to usher in the future the
Syrian people deserve – a future free of dictatorship, terror and fear. As we
speak, American diplomacy is supporting Israelis and Palestinians as they engage
in difficult but necessary talks to end the conflict there; to achieve dignity
and an independent state for Palestinians, and lasting peace and security for
the State of Israel – a Jewish state that knows America will always be at their
side.
And it is American diplomacy, backed by pressure, that has halted the
progress of Iranfs nuclear program – and rolled parts of that program back – for
the very first time in a decade. As we gather here tonight, Iran has begun
to eliminate its stockpile of higher levels of enriched uranium. It is not
installing advanced centrifuges. Unprecedented inspections help the world
verify, every day, that Iran is not building a bomb. And with our allies
and partners, wefre engaged in negotiations to see if we can peacefully achieve
a goal we all share: preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
These negotiations will be difficult. They may not succeed. We
are clear-eyed about Iranfs support for terrorist organizations like Hezbollah,
which threaten our allies; and the mistrust between our nations cannot be wished
away. But these negotiations do not rely on trust; any long-term deal we
agree to must be based on verifiable action that convinces us and the
international community that Iran is not building a nuclear bomb. If John
F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan could negotiate with the Soviet Union, then surely
a strong and confident America can negotiate with less powerful adversaries
today.
The sanctions that we put in place helped make this opportunity
possible. But let me be clear: if this Congress sends me a new sanctions
bill now that threatens to derail these talks, I will veto it. For the
sake of our national security, we must give diplomacy a chance to succeed.
If Iranfs leaders do not seize this opportunity, then I will be the first to
call for more sanctions, and stand ready to exercise all options to make sure
Iran does not build a nuclear weapon. But if Iranfs leaders do seize the
chance, then Iran could take an important step to rejoin the community of
nations, and we will have resolved one of the leading security challenges of our
time without the risks of war.
Finally, letfs remember that our leadership is defined not just by our
defense against threats, but by the enormous opportunities to do good and
promote understanding around the globe – to forge greater cooperation, to expand
new markets, to free people from fear and want. And no one is better
positioned to take advantage of those opportunities than America.
Our alliance with Europe remains the strongest the world has ever
known. From Tunisia to Burma, wefre supporting those who are willing to do
the hard work of building democracy. In Ukraine, we stand for the
principle that all people have the right to express themselves freely and
peacefully, and have a say in their countryfs future. Across Africa, wefre
bringing together businesses and governments to double access to electricity and
help end extreme poverty. In the Americas, we are building new ties of
commerce, but wefre also expanding cultural and educational exchanges among
young people. And we will continue to focus on the Asia-Pacific, where we
support our allies, shape a future of greater security and prosperity, and
extend a hand to those devastated by disaster – as we did in the Philippines,
when our Marines and civilians rushed to aid those battered by a typhoon, and
were greeted with words like, gWe will never forget your kindnessh and gGod
bless America!h
We do these things because they help promote our long-term security.
And we do them because we believe in the inherent dignity and equality of every
human being, regardless of race or religion, creed or sexual orientation.
And next week, the world will see one expression of that commitment – when Team
USA marches the red, white, and blue into the Olympic Stadium – and brings home
the gold.
My fellow Americans, no other country in the world does what we do. On
every issue, the world turns to us, not simply because of the size of our
economy or our military might – but because of the ideals we stand for, and the
burdens we bear to advance them.
No one knows this better than those who serve in uniform. As this time
of war draws to a close, a new generation of heroes returns to civilian
life. Wefll keep slashing that backlog so our veterans receive the
benefits theyfve earned, and our wounded warriors receive the health care –
including the mental health care – that they need. Wefll keep working to
help all our veterans translate their skills and leadership into jobs here at
home. And we all continue to join forces to honor and support our
remarkable military families.
Let me tell you about one of those families Ifve come to know.
I first met Cory Remsburg, a proud Army Ranger, at Omaha Beach on the 65th
anniversary of D-Day. Along with some of his fellow Rangers, he walked me
through the program – a strong, impressive young man, with an easy manner, sharp
as a tack. We joked around, and took pictures, and I told him to stay in
touch.
A few months later, on his tenth deployment, Cory was nearly killed by a
massive roadside bomb in Afghanistan. His comrades found him in a canal, face
down, underwater, shrapnel in his brain.
For months, he lay in a coma. The next time I met him, in the hospital,
he couldnft speak; he could barely move. Over the years, hefs endured
dozens of surgeries and procedures, and hours of grueling rehab every
day.
Even now, Cory is still blind in one eye. He still struggles on his
left side. But slowly, steadily, with the support of caregivers like his
dad Craig, and the community around him, Cory has grown stronger. Day by day,
hefs learned to speak again and stand again and walk again – and hefs working
toward the day when he can serve his country again.
gMy recovery has not been easy,h he says. gNothing in life thatfs worth
anything is easy.h
Cory is here tonight. And like the Army he loves, like the America he
serves, Sergeant First Class Cory Remsburg never gives up, and he does not
quit.
My fellow Americans, men and women like Cory remind us that America has never
come easy. Our freedom, our democracy, has never been easy.
Sometimes we stumble; we make mistakes; we get frustrated or discouraged.
But for more than two hundred years, we have put those things aside and placed
our collective shoulder to the wheel of progress – to create and build and
expand the possibilities of individual achievement; to free other nations from
tyranny and fear; to promote justice, and fairness, and equality under the law,
so that the words set to paper by our founders are made real for every
citizen. The America we want for our kids – a rising America where honest
work is plentiful and communities are strong; where prosperity is widely shared
and opportunity for all lets us go as far as our dreams and toil will take us –
none of it is easy. But if we work together; if we summon what is best in
us, with our feet planted firmly in today but our eyes cast towards tomorrow – I
know itfs within our reach.
Believe it.
God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.