1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,220 President Obama, please. 2 00:00:07,220 --> 00:00:09,680 Thank you very much. 3 00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:11,200 Thank you. 4 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:13,380 Everybody please have a seat. 5 00:00:13,380 --> 00:00:14,780 Thank you. 6 00:00:14,780 --> 00:00:21,240 Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, 7 00:00:21,240 --> 00:00:27,440 distinguished guests, and fellow Americans, 8 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:31,140 Tonight, I want to begin by congratulating the men and women 9 00:00:31,140 --> 00:00:36,740 of the 112th Congress, as well as your new speaker, John Boehner. 10 00:00:36,740 --> 00:01:05,540 And as we mark this occasion, we're also mindful of the empty chair in this chamber. 11 00:01:05,540 --> 00:01:10,780 And we pray for the health of our colleague and our friend, 12 00:01:10,780 --> 00:01:11,780 Gabby Giffords. 13 00:01:35,540 --> 00:01:42,540 It's no secret that those of us here tonight have had our 14 00:01:42,540 --> 00:01:46,540 differences over the last two years. 15 00:01:46,540 --> 00:01:50,540 The debates have been contentious. 16 00:01:50,540 --> 00:01:54,540 We have fought fiercely for our beliefs. 17 00:01:54,540 --> 00:01:56,540 And that's a good thing. 18 00:01:56,540 --> 00:02:01,540 That's what a robust democracy demands. 19 00:02:01,540 --> 00:02:06,640 That's what helps set us apart as a nation. 20 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:11,500 But there's a reason the tragedy in Tucson gave us pause. 21 00:02:11,500 --> 00:02:16,980 Amid all the noise and passion and rancor of our public debate, 22 00:02:16,980 --> 00:02:21,940 Tucson reminded us that no matter who we are or where we come 23 00:02:21,940 --> 00:02:25,980 from, each of us is a part of something greater, 24 00:02:25,980 --> 00:02:31,380 something more consequential than party or political preference. 25 00:02:31,380 --> 00:02:34,740 We are part of the American family. 26 00:02:34,740 --> 00:02:37,880 We believe that in a country where every race and faith and 27 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:41,540 point of view can be found, we are still bound together as one 28 00:02:41,540 --> 00:02:46,480 people, that we share common hopes and a common creed, 29 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:49,740 that the dreams of a little girl in Tucson are not so different 30 00:02:49,740 --> 00:02:53,080 than those of our own children, and that they all deserve the 31 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:56,080 chance to be fulfilled. 32 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:59,520 That, too, is what sets us apart as a nation. 33 00:03:01,380 --> 00:03:17,640 Now, by itself, this simple recognition won't usher in a new era of cooperation. 34 00:03:17,640 --> 00:03:21,840 What comes of this moment is up to us. 35 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:27,280 What comes of this moment will be determined not by whether we can sit together tonight, 36 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:29,280 whether we can work together tomorrow. 37 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:54,780 I believe we can, and I believe we must. 38 00:03:54,780 --> 00:03:58,780 That's what the people who sent us here expect of us. 39 00:03:58,780 --> 00:04:01,440 With their votes, they've determined that governing will 40 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:06,040 now be a shared responsibility between parties. 41 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:11,940 New laws will only pass with support from Democrats and Republicans. 42 00:04:11,940 --> 00:04:15,420 We will move forward together, or not at all, 43 00:04:15,420 --> 00:04:19,140 for the challenges we face are bigger than party and bigger 44 00:04:19,140 --> 00:04:22,740 than politics. 45 00:04:22,740 --> 00:04:26,440 At stake right now is not who wins the next election. 46 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:30,240 After all, we just had an election. 47 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:32,900 At stake is whether new jobs and industries take root in this 48 00:04:32,900 --> 00:04:36,780 country or somewhere else. 49 00:04:36,780 --> 00:04:39,540 It's whether the hard work and industry of our people is 50 00:04:39,540 --> 00:04:41,880 rewarded. 51 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:44,680 It's whether we sustain the leadership that has made America 52 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:51,500 not just a place on a map, but the light to the world. 53 00:04:51,500 --> 00:04:54,760 We are poised for progress. 54 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:57,300 Two years after the worst recession most of us have ever 55 00:04:57,300 --> 00:05:01,300 known, the stock market has come roaring back. 56 00:05:01,300 --> 00:05:03,240 Corporate profits are up. 57 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:07,540 The economy is growing again. 58 00:05:07,540 --> 00:05:12,340 But we have never measured progress by these yardsticks alone. 59 00:05:12,340 --> 00:05:15,340 We measure progress by the success of our people, 60 00:05:15,340 --> 00:05:18,240 by the jobs they can find and the quality of life those jobs 61 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:23,500 offer, by the prospects of a small business owner who dreams of turning a good idea into 62 00:05:23,500 --> 00:05:32,940 a thriving enterprise, by the opportunities for a better life that we pass on to our children. 63 00:05:32,940 --> 00:05:39,400 That's the project the American people want us to work on. Together. 64 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:50,200 And we did that in December. 65 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:57,300 Thanks to the tax cuts we passed, Americans' paychecks are a little bigger today. 66 00:05:57,300 --> 00:06:02,900 Every business can write off the full cost of new investments that they make this year. 67 00:06:02,900 --> 00:06:09,360 And these steps, taken by Democrats and Republicans, will grow the economy and add to the more 68 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:14,700 more than one million private sector jobs created last year. 69 00:06:14,700 --> 00:06:18,160 But we have to do more. 70 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:20,520 These steps we've taken over the last two years may have broken 71 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:22,860 the back of this recession. 72 00:06:22,860 --> 00:06:26,560 But to win the future, we'll need to take on challenges that 73 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:31,700 have been decades in the making. 74 00:06:31,700 --> 00:06:35,220 Many people watching tonight can probably remember a time when 75 00:06:35,220 --> 00:06:38,720 finding a good job meant showing up at a nearby factory or a 76 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:41,560 business downtown. 77 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:45,080 You didn't always need a degree, and your competition was pretty 78 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:47,960 much limited to your neighbors. 79 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:52,320 If you worked hard, chances are you'd have a job for life, 80 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:55,220 with a decent paycheck and good benefits, 81 00:06:55,220 --> 00:06:57,960 and the occasional promotion. 82 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:00,560 Maybe you'd even have the pride of seeing your kids work at the 83 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:03,620 same company. 84 00:07:03,620 --> 00:07:07,160 That world has changed. 85 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:11,460 And for many, the change has been painful. 86 00:07:11,460 --> 00:07:15,560 I've seen it in the shuttered windows of once-booming factories, 87 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:20,400 in the vacant storefronts on once-busy main streets. 88 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:23,120 I've heard it in the frustrations of Americans who've seen their 89 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:26,920 paychecks dwindle or their jobs disappear. 90 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:30,200 Proud men and women who feel like the rules have been changed in 91 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:33,820 the middle of the game. 92 00:07:33,820 --> 00:07:35,480 They're right. 93 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:38,320 The rules have changed. 94 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:41,420 In a single generation, revolutions in technology have 95 00:07:41,420 --> 00:07:47,080 transformed the way we live, work, and do business. 96 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:49,980 Steel mills that once needed 1,000 workers can now do the 97 00:07:49,980 --> 00:07:53,460 same work with 100. 98 00:07:53,460 --> 00:07:56,460 Today, just about any company can set up shop, hire workers, 99 00:07:56,460 --> 00:08:01,320 and sell their products wherever there's an Internet connection. 100 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:05,380 Meanwhile, nations like China and India realized that with some 101 00:08:05,380 --> 00:08:09,080 changes of their own, they could compete in this new world. 102 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:12,580 And so they started educating their children earlier and longer, 103 00:08:12,580 --> 00:08:16,280 with greater emphasis on math and science. 104 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:20,420 They're investing in research and new technologies. 105 00:08:20,420 --> 00:08:24,760 Just recently, China became the home to the world's largest 106 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:31,280 private solar research facility and the world's fastest computer. 107 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:34,880 So, yes, the world has changed. 108 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:38,620 The competition for jobs is real. 109 00:08:38,620 --> 00:08:41,180 But this shouldn't discourage us. 110 00:08:41,180 --> 00:08:44,340 It should challenge us. 111 00:08:44,340 --> 00:08:47,620 Remember, for all the hits we've taken these last few years, 112 00:08:47,620 --> 00:08:50,540 for all the naysayers predicting our decline, 113 00:08:50,540 --> 00:08:56,020 America still has the largest, most prosperous economy in the world. 114 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:08,480 No workers are more productive than ours. 115 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:14,400 No country has more successful companies or grants more patents to inventors and entrepreneurs. 116 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:18,460 We're the home to the world's best colleges and universities, where more students come 117 00:09:18,460 --> 00:09:23,220 to study than any place on Earth. 118 00:09:23,220 --> 00:09:29,260 What's more, we are the first nation to be founded for the sake of an idea. 119 00:09:29,260 --> 00:09:34,920 The idea that each of us deserves the chance to shape our own destiny. 120 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:37,220 That's why centuries of pioneers and immigrants have risked 121 00:09:37,220 --> 00:09:40,460 everything to come here. 122 00:09:40,460 --> 00:09:43,320 That's why our students don't just memorize equations, 123 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:47,220 but answer questions like, what do you think of that idea? 124 00:09:47,220 --> 00:09:50,000 What would you change about the world? 125 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:54,500 What do you want to be when you grow up? 126 00:09:54,500 --> 00:09:57,820 The future is ours to win. 127 00:09:57,820 --> 00:10:02,320 But to get there, we can't just stand still. 128 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:06,320 As Robert Kennedy told us, the future is not a gift. 129 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:09,760 It is an achievement. 130 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:13,660 Sustaining the American Dream has never been about standing pat. 131 00:10:13,660 --> 00:10:18,080 It has required each generation to sacrifice and struggle and 132 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:22,020 meet the demands of a new age. 133 00:10:22,020 --> 00:10:24,320 And now it's our turn. 134 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:27,020 We know what it takes to compete for the jobs and industries of 135 00:10:27,020 --> 00:10:30,320 our time, we need to out-innovate, out-educate, 136 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:32,320 and out-build the rest of the world. 137 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:56,520 We have to make America the best place on Earth to do business. 138 00:10:56,520 --> 00:11:00,620 We need to take responsibility for our deficit and reform our government. 139 00:11:00,620 --> 00:11:03,720 That's how our people will prosper. 140 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:05,120 That's how we'll win the future. 141 00:11:10,460 --> 00:11:15,360 And tonight I'd like to talk about how we get there. 142 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:20,960 The first step in winning the future is encouraging American innovation. 143 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:24,660 None of us can predict with certainty what the next big industry will be, 144 00:11:24,660 --> 00:11:27,720 or where the new jobs will come from. 145 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:30,120 Thirty years ago, we couldn't know that something called the 146 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:34,760 Internet would lead to an economic revolution. 147 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:39,520 What we can do, what America does better than anyone else, 148 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:44,400 is spark the creativity and imagination of our people. 149 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:47,060 We're the nation that put cars in driveways and computers in 150 00:11:47,060 --> 00:11:51,220 offices, the nation of Edison and the Wright brothers, 151 00:11:51,220 --> 00:11:54,120 of Google and Facebook. 152 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:57,880 In America, innovation doesn't just change our lives, 153 00:11:57,880 --> 00:11:59,880 it is how we make our living. 154 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:11,680 Our free enterprise system is what drives innovation. 155 00:12:11,680 --> 00:12:14,280 But because it's not always profitable for companies to 156 00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:17,480 invest in basic research, throughout our history, 157 00:12:17,480 --> 00:12:19,960 our government has provided cutting-edge scientists and 158 00:12:19,960 --> 00:12:23,280 inventors with the support that they need. 159 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:26,520 That's what planted the seeds for the Internet. 160 00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:31,780 That's what helped make possible things like computer chips and GPS. 161 00:12:31,780 --> 00:12:35,240 Just think of all the good jobs, from manufacturing to retail, 162 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:39,440 that have come from these breakthroughs. 163 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:42,680 And half a century ago, when the Soviets beat us into space with 164 00:12:42,680 --> 00:12:45,680 the launch of a satellite called Sputnik, 165 00:12:45,680 --> 00:12:49,820 we had no idea how we would beat them to the moon. 166 00:12:49,820 --> 00:12:52,240 The science wasn't even there yet. 167 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:55,680 NASA didn't exist. 168 00:12:55,680 --> 00:12:59,380 But after investing in better research and education, 169 00:12:59,380 --> 00:13:02,580 we didn't just surpass the Soviets. 170 00:13:02,580 --> 00:13:04,740 We unleashed a wave of innovation that created new 171 00:13:04,740 --> 00:13:09,680 industries and millions of new jobs. 172 00:13:09,680 --> 00:13:13,840 This is our generation's Sputnik moment. 173 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:16,740 Two years ago, I said that we needed to reach a level of 174 00:13:16,740 --> 00:13:19,040 research and development we haven't seen since the height 175 00:13:19,040 --> 00:13:21,000 of the space race. 176 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:24,500 And in a few weeks, I will be sending a budget to Congress that 177 00:13:24,500 --> 00:13:27,260 helps us meet that goal. 178 00:13:27,260 --> 00:13:31,440 We'll invest in biomedical research, information technology, 179 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:33,940 and especially clean energy technology. 180 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:45,540 An investment that will strengthen our security, 181 00:13:45,540 --> 00:13:50,660 protect our planet, and create countless new jobs for our people. 182 00:13:50,660 --> 00:13:54,460 Already we're seeing the promise of renewable energy. 183 00:13:54,460 --> 00:13:57,120 Robert and Gary Allen are brothers who run a small 184 00:13:57,120 --> 00:13:59,920 Michigan roofing company. 185 00:13:59,920 --> 00:14:02,720 After September 11th, they volunteered their best roofers 186 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:05,160 to help repair the Pentagon. 187 00:14:05,160 --> 00:14:07,520 But half of their factory went unused, 188 00:14:07,520 --> 00:14:11,120 and the recession hit them hard. 189 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:13,200 Today, with the help of a government loan, 190 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:17,500 that empty space is being used to manufacture solar shingles 191 00:14:17,500 --> 00:14:21,040 that are being sold all across the country. 192 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:26,100 In Robert's words, we reinvented ourselves. 193 00:14:26,100 --> 00:14:29,760 That's what Americans have done for over 200 years. 194 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:32,340 Reinvented ourselves. 195 00:14:32,340 --> 00:14:35,000 And to spur on more success stories like the Allen brothers, 196 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:38,900 we've begun to reinvent our energy policy. 197 00:14:38,900 --> 00:14:40,660 We're not just handing out money. 198 00:14:40,660 --> 00:14:43,160 We're issuing a challenge. 199 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:45,240 We're telling America's scientists and engineers that if 200 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:50,440 If they assemble teams of the best minds in their fields and focus on the hardest problems 201 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:55,940 in clean energy, we'll fund the Apollo projects of our time. 202 00:14:55,940 --> 00:15:00,540 At the California Institute of Technology, they're developing a way to turn sunlight 203 00:15:00,540 --> 00:15:03,840 and water into fuel for our cars. 204 00:15:03,840 --> 00:15:08,360 At Oak Ridge National Laboratory, they're using supercomputers to get a lot more power 205 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:11,380 out of our nuclear facilities. 206 00:15:11,380 --> 00:15:16,080 With more research and incentives, we can break our dependence on oil with biofuels and 207 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:20,820 become the first country to have a million electric vehicles on the road by 2015. 208 00:15:30,820 --> 00:15:36,550 We need to get behind this innovation The President is the only way to get into this innovation We need to get behind this innovation 209 00:15:36,550 --> 00:15:40,550 And to help pay for it, I'm asking Congress to eliminate the 210 00:15:40,550 --> 00:15:44,550 billions in taxpayer dollars we currently give to oil companies. 211 00:15:50,550 --> 00:15:52,550 I don't know if you've noticed, but they're doing just fine on their own. 212 00:15:54,550 --> 00:15:59,310 So instead of subsidizing yesterday's energy, 213 00:15:59,310 --> 00:16:03,390 let's invest in tomorrow's. 214 00:16:03,390 --> 00:16:05,990 Now, clean energy breakthroughs will only translate into clean 215 00:16:05,990 --> 00:16:09,250 energy jobs if businesses know there will be a market for what 216 00:16:09,250 --> 00:16:11,150 they're selling. 217 00:16:11,150 --> 00:16:14,590 So tonight, I challenge you to join me in setting a new goal. 218 00:16:14,590 --> 00:16:18,410 By 2035, 80 percent of America's electricity will come from 219 00:16:18,410 --> 00:16:20,390 clean energy sources. 220 00:16:24,550 --> 00:16:32,490 Some folks want wind and solar. 221 00:16:32,490 --> 00:16:37,750 Others want nuclear, clean coal, and natural gas. 222 00:16:37,750 --> 00:16:40,990 To meet this goal, we will need them all. 223 00:16:40,990 --> 00:16:45,250 And I urge Democrats and Republicans to work together to make it happen. 224 00:16:45,250 --> 00:16:46,250 Thank you. 225 00:16:53,250 --> 00:16:56,310 Maintaining our leadership in research and technology is crucial 226 00:16:56,310 --> 00:16:58,190 to America's success. 227 00:16:58,190 --> 00:17:02,250 But if we want to win the future, if we want innovation to produce 228 00:17:02,250 --> 00:17:06,790 jobs in America and not overseas, then we also have to win the 229 00:17:06,790 --> 00:17:10,510 race to educate our kids. 230 00:17:10,510 --> 00:17:12,390 Think about it. 231 00:17:12,390 --> 00:17:16,150 Over the next 10 years, nearly half of all new jobs will require 232 00:17:16,150 --> 00:17:21,530 education that goes beyond a high school education. 233 00:17:21,530 --> 00:17:23,690 And yet, as many as a quarter of our students aren't even 234 00:17:23,690 --> 00:17:26,690 finishing high school. 235 00:17:26,690 --> 00:17:29,250 The quality of our math and science education lags behind 236 00:17:29,250 --> 00:17:31,390 many other nations. 237 00:17:31,390 --> 00:17:34,230 America has fallen to ninth in the proportion of young people 238 00:17:34,230 --> 00:17:37,030 with a college degree. 239 00:17:37,030 --> 00:17:40,650 And so the question is whether all of us, as citizens and as 240 00:17:40,650 --> 00:17:44,650 as parents, are willing to do what's necessary to give every 241 00:17:44,650 --> 00:17:49,090 child a chance to succeed. 242 00:17:49,090 --> 00:17:53,350 That responsibility begins not in our classrooms, 243 00:17:53,350 --> 00:17:57,050 but in our homes and communities. 244 00:17:57,050 --> 00:18:02,250 It's family that first instills the love of learning in a child. 245 00:18:02,250 --> 00:18:05,790 Only parents can make sure the TV is turned off and homework 246 00:18:05,790 --> 00:18:08,210 gets done. 247 00:18:08,210 --> 00:18:10,370 We need to teach our kids that it's not just the winner of the 248 00:18:10,370 --> 00:18:13,270 Super Bowl who deserves to be celebrated, 249 00:18:13,270 --> 00:18:15,270 but the winner of the Science Fair. 250 00:18:15,270 --> 00:18:42,510 We need to teach them that success is not a function of fame or PR, but of hard work 251 00:18:42,510 --> 00:18:45,670 and discipline. 252 00:18:45,670 --> 00:18:49,750 Our schools share this responsibility. 253 00:18:49,750 --> 00:18:51,370 When a child walks into a classroom, 254 00:18:51,370 --> 00:18:53,950 it should be a place of high expectations 255 00:18:53,950 --> 00:18:56,810 and high performance. 256 00:18:56,810 --> 00:19:00,450 But too many schools don't meet this test. 257 00:19:00,450 --> 00:19:02,810 That's why instead of just pouring money into a system 258 00:19:02,810 --> 00:19:06,070 that's not working, we launched a competition called 259 00:19:06,070 --> 00:19:08,270 Race to the Top. 260 00:19:08,270 --> 00:19:11,550 To all 50 states, we said, if you show us the most innovative 261 00:19:11,550 --> 00:19:15,210 plans to improve teacher quality and student achievement, 262 00:19:15,210 --> 00:19:18,450 we'll show you the money. 263 00:19:18,450 --> 00:19:21,790 Race to the Top is the most meaningful reform of our public 264 00:19:21,790 --> 00:19:24,050 schools in a generation. 265 00:19:24,050 --> 00:19:28,050 For less than 1 percent of what we spend on education each year, 266 00:19:28,050 --> 00:19:31,110 it has led over 40 states to raise their standards for 267 00:19:31,110 --> 00:19:34,510 teaching and learning. 268 00:19:34,510 --> 00:19:37,090 And these standards were developed, by the way, not by 269 00:19:37,090 --> 00:19:40,450 Washington, but by Republican and Democratic governors 270 00:19:40,450 --> 00:19:43,210 throughout the country. 271 00:19:43,210 --> 00:19:46,690 And Race to the Top should be the approach we follow this year as we 272 00:19:46,690 --> 00:19:50,210 replace No Child Left Behind with a law that's more flexible and 273 00:19:50,210 --> 00:19:52,450 focused on what's best for our kids. 274 00:20:04,190 --> 00:20:09,210 You see, we know what's possible from our children when reform 275 00:20:09,210 --> 00:20:13,210 isn't just a top-down mandate, but the work of local teachers and 276 00:20:13,210 --> 00:20:17,310 principals, school boards and communities. 277 00:20:17,310 --> 00:20:20,450 Take a school like Bruce Randolph in Denver. 278 00:20:20,450 --> 00:20:24,050 Three years ago, it was rated one of the worst schools in Colorado, 279 00:20:24,050 --> 00:20:27,550 located on turf between two rival gangs. 280 00:20:27,550 --> 00:20:32,750 But last May, 97 percent of the seniors received their diploma. 281 00:20:32,750 --> 00:20:37,510 Most will be the first in their families to go to college. 282 00:20:37,510 --> 00:20:40,250 And after the first year of the school's transformation, 283 00:20:40,250 --> 00:20:42,570 the principal who made it possible wiped away tears when 284 00:20:42,570 --> 00:20:46,270 a student said, thank you, Ms. Waters, 285 00:20:46,270 --> 00:20:51,270 for showing that we are smart and we can make it. 286 00:20:53,110 --> 00:20:55,270 That's what good schools can do. 287 00:20:55,270 --> 00:20:58,210 And we want good schools all across the country. 288 00:21:01,510 --> 00:21:03,110 Let's also remember that after parents, 289 00:21:03,110 --> 00:21:05,970 the biggest impact on a child's success comes from the man or 290 00:21:05,970 --> 00:21:09,610 woman at the front of the classroom. 291 00:21:09,610 --> 00:21:14,230 In South Korea, teachers are known as nation-builders. 292 00:21:14,230 --> 00:21:17,370 Here in America, it's time we treated the people who educate 293 00:21:17,370 --> 00:21:19,310 our children with the same level of respect. 294 00:21:35,970 --> 00:21:42,970 We want to reward good teachers and stop making excuses for bad ones. 295 00:21:50,970 --> 00:21:54,970 And over the next 10 years, with so many baby boomers retiring from our classrooms, 296 00:21:54,970 --> 00:22:01,970 we want to prepare 100,000 new teachers in the fields of science and technology and engineering and math. 297 00:22:05,970 --> 00:22:09,970 In fact, to every young person listening tonight who's 298 00:22:09,970 --> 00:22:13,630 contemplating their career choice, if you want to make a 299 00:22:13,630 --> 00:22:16,430 difference in the life of our nation, 300 00:22:16,430 --> 00:22:19,430 if you want to make a difference in the life of a child, 301 00:22:19,430 --> 00:22:20,910 become a teacher. 302 00:22:20,910 --> 00:22:21,910 Your country needs you. 303 00:22:35,970 --> 00:22:42,970 And that's why we've ended the unwarranted taxpayer subsidies that went to banks and used the savings to make college affordable for millions of students. 304 00:22:50,970 --> 00:22:57,970 Of course, the education race doesn't end with a high school diploma. To compete, higher education must be within the reach of every American. 305 00:22:57,970 --> 00:23:00,870 taxpayer subsidies that went to banks and used the savings to 306 00:23:00,870 --> 00:23:03,770 make college affordable for millions of students. 307 00:23:08,970 --> 00:23:12,110 And this year, I asked Congress to go further and make permanent 308 00:23:12,110 --> 00:23:17,170 our tuition tax credit worth $10,000 for four years of college. 309 00:23:17,170 --> 00:23:18,270 It's the right thing to do. 310 00:23:24,070 --> 00:23:27,070 Because people need to be able to train for new jobs and careers 311 00:23:27,070 --> 00:23:29,670 today's fast-changing economy. 312 00:23:29,670 --> 00:23:33,670 We're also revitalizing America's community colleges. 313 00:23:33,670 --> 00:23:37,070 Last month, I saw the promise of these schools at Forsyth Tech in 314 00:23:37,070 --> 00:23:39,730 North Carolina. 315 00:23:39,730 --> 00:23:42,110 Many of the students there used to work in the surrounding 316 00:23:42,110 --> 00:23:46,670 factories that have since left town. 317 00:23:46,670 --> 00:23:50,070 One mother of two, a woman named Kathy Proctor, 318 00:23:50,070 --> 00:23:54,230 had worked in the furniture industry since she was 18 years old. 319 00:23:54,230 --> 00:23:57,830 And she told me she's earning her degree in biotechnology now, 320 00:23:57,830 --> 00:24:03,030 at 55 years old, not just because the furniture jobs are gone, 321 00:24:03,030 --> 00:24:07,130 but because she wants to inspire her children to pursue their 322 00:24:07,130 --> 00:24:09,490 dreams, too. 323 00:24:09,490 --> 00:24:15,030 As Kathy said, I hope it tells them to never give up. 324 00:24:15,030 --> 00:24:19,330 If we take these steps, if we raise expectations for every 325 00:24:19,330 --> 00:24:22,890 child and give them the best possible chance of an education 326 00:24:22,890 --> 00:24:26,850 from the day they are born until the last job they take. 327 00:24:26,850 --> 00:24:30,690 We will reach the goal that I set two years ago. 328 00:24:30,690 --> 00:24:33,990 By the end of the decade, America will once again have the highest 329 00:24:33,990 --> 00:24:36,150 proportion of college graduates in the world. 330 00:24:52,890 --> 00:24:57,890 One last point about education. 331 00:24:57,890 --> 00:25:01,130 Today there are hundreds of thousands of students excelling 332 00:25:01,130 --> 00:25:06,350 in our schools who are not American citizens. 333 00:25:06,350 --> 00:25:09,290 Some are the children of undocumented workers who had 334 00:25:09,290 --> 00:25:13,230 nothing to do with the actions of their parents. 335 00:25:13,230 --> 00:25:18,030 They grew up as Americans and pledge allegiance to our flag, 336 00:25:18,030 --> 00:25:22,750 and yet they live every day with the threat of deportation. 337 00:25:22,750 --> 00:25:25,890 Others come here from abroad to study in our colleges and 338 00:25:25,890 --> 00:25:30,010 universities, but as soon as they obtain advanced degrees, 339 00:25:30,010 --> 00:25:33,650 we send them back home to compete against us. 340 00:25:33,650 --> 00:25:36,550 It makes no sense. 341 00:25:36,550 --> 00:25:39,890 Now, I strongly believe that we should take on once and for all 342 00:25:39,890 --> 00:25:42,290 the issue of illegal immigration. 343 00:25:42,290 --> 00:25:45,090 And I am prepared to work with Republicans and Democrats to 344 00:25:45,090 --> 00:25:47,590 protect our borders, enforce our laws, 345 00:25:47,590 --> 00:25:50,310 and address the millions of undocumented workers who are now 346 00:25:50,310 --> 00:25:51,610 living in the shadows. 347 00:25:52,750 --> 00:26:10,350 I know that debate will be difficult. 348 00:26:10,350 --> 00:26:11,550 I know it will take time. 349 00:26:11,550 --> 00:26:14,290 But tonight, let's agree to make that effort. 350 00:26:14,290 --> 00:26:19,010 And let's stop expelling talented, responsible young people who could be staffing our research 351 00:26:19,010 --> 00:26:23,410 labs or starting a new business who could be further enriching this nation. 352 00:26:31,410 --> 00:26:37,410 The third step in winning the future is rebuilding America. 353 00:26:37,410 --> 00:26:39,050 To attract new businesses to our shores, 354 00:26:39,050 --> 00:26:41,970 we need the fastest, most reliable ways to move people, 355 00:26:41,970 --> 00:26:46,010 goods and information from high-speed rail to high-speed Internet. 356 00:26:49,010 --> 00:26:58,010 Our infrastructure used to be the best, but our lead has slipped. 357 00:26:58,010 --> 00:27:02,070 South Korean homes now have greater Internet access than we do. 358 00:27:02,070 --> 00:27:04,810 Countries in Europe and Russia invest more in their roads and 359 00:27:04,810 --> 00:27:08,170 railways than we do. 360 00:27:08,170 --> 00:27:12,070 China is building faster trains and newer airports. 361 00:27:12,070 --> 00:27:14,350 Meanwhile, when our own engineers graded our nation's 362 00:27:14,350 --> 00:27:21,550 infrastructure, they gave us a D. We have to do better. 363 00:27:21,550 --> 00:27:25,150 America is the nation that built the Transcontinental Railroad, 364 00:27:25,150 --> 00:27:27,790 brought electricity to rural communities, 365 00:27:27,790 --> 00:27:31,550 constructed the interstate highway system. 366 00:27:31,550 --> 00:27:34,390 The jobs created by these projects didn't just come from 367 00:27:34,390 --> 00:27:37,750 laying down track or pavement. 368 00:27:37,750 --> 00:27:40,850 They came from businesses that opened near a town's new train 369 00:27:40,850 --> 00:27:44,850 station or the new off-ramp. 370 00:27:44,850 --> 00:27:49,250 So over the last two years, we've begun rebuilding for the 21st century, 371 00:27:49,250 --> 00:27:52,510 a project that has meant thousands of good jobs for the hard-hit 372 00:27:52,510 --> 00:27:54,250 construction industry. 373 00:27:54,250 --> 00:27:57,250 And tonight, I'm proposing that we redouble those efforts. 374 00:28:06,650 --> 00:28:09,490 We'll put more Americans to work repairing crumbling roads and 375 00:28:09,490 --> 00:28:13,990 bridges. We'll make sure this is fully paid for, 376 00:28:13,990 --> 00:28:17,790 attract private investment, and pick projects based what's best 377 00:28:17,790 --> 00:28:21,850 for the economy, not politicians. 378 00:28:21,850 --> 00:28:25,030 Within 25 years, our goal is to give 80 percent of Americans 379 00:28:25,030 --> 00:28:27,030 access to high-speed rail. 380 00:28:32,750 --> 00:28:35,690 This could allow you to go places in half the time it takes 381 00:28:35,690 --> 00:28:38,190 to travel by car. 382 00:28:38,190 --> 00:28:40,930 For some trips, it will be faster than flying, 383 00:28:40,930 --> 00:28:42,430 without the pat-down. 384 00:28:50,630 --> 00:28:52,930 As we speak, routes in California and the Midwest 385 00:28:52,930 --> 00:28:55,750 are already underway. 386 00:28:55,750 --> 00:28:58,650 Within the next five years, we'll make it possible for 387 00:28:58,650 --> 00:29:01,150 businesses to deploy the next generation of high-speed 388 00:29:01,150 --> 00:29:05,190 wireless coverage to 98 percent of all Americans. 389 00:29:05,190 --> 00:29:08,190 This isn't just about, this isn't about faster 390 00:29:08,190 --> 00:29:11,290 internet or fewer dropped calls. 391 00:29:11,290 --> 00:29:15,250 It's about connecting every part of America to the digital age. 392 00:29:15,250 --> 00:29:18,950 It's about a rural community in Iowa or Alabama where farmers 393 00:29:18,950 --> 00:29:21,530 and small business owners will be able to sell their products all 394 00:29:21,530 --> 00:29:23,650 over the world. 395 00:29:23,650 --> 00:29:26,230 It's about a firefighter who can download the design of a burning 396 00:29:26,230 --> 00:29:29,090 building onto a handheld device. 397 00:29:29,090 --> 00:29:32,530 A student who can take classes with a digital textbook. 398 00:29:32,530 --> 00:29:35,490 Or a patient who can have face-to-face video chats with 399 00:29:35,490 --> 00:29:37,850 her doctor. 400 00:29:37,850 --> 00:29:42,350 All these investments in innovation, education, 401 00:29:42,350 --> 00:29:46,390 and infrastructure will make America a better place to do 402 00:29:46,390 --> 00:29:50,490 business and create jobs. 403 00:29:50,490 --> 00:29:53,490 But to help our companies compete, we also have to knock 404 00:29:53,490 --> 00:29:58,510 down barriers that stand in the way of their success. 405 00:29:58,510 --> 00:30:03,210 For example, over the years, a parade of lobbyists has rigged 406 00:30:03,210 --> 00:30:08,410 the tax code to benefit particular companies and industries. 407 00:30:08,410 --> 00:30:11,510 Those with accountants or lawyers to work the system can end up 408 00:30:11,510 --> 00:30:14,710 paying no taxes at all. 409 00:30:14,710 --> 00:30:17,170 But all the rest are hit with one of the highest corporate tax 410 00:30:17,170 --> 00:30:19,850 rates in the world. 411 00:30:19,850 --> 00:30:22,650 It makes no sense, and it has to change. 412 00:30:22,650 --> 00:30:38,810 So tonight I'm asking Democrats and Republicans to simplify the system, get rid of the loopholes, 413 00:30:38,810 --> 00:30:43,230 level the playing field, and use the savings to lower the corporate tax rate for the first 414 00:30:43,230 --> 00:30:45,810 time in 25 years without adding to our deficit. 415 00:30:45,810 --> 00:30:47,810 It can be done. 416 00:30:52,650 --> 00:31:07,000 Thank you The President President Biden has a great deal of economic growth in the world The President President Biden is to help businesses sell more products abroad 417 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:11,500 We set a goal of doubling our exports by 2014. 418 00:31:11,500 --> 00:31:16,560 Because the more we export, the more jobs we create here at home. 419 00:31:16,560 --> 00:31:19,200 Already our exports are up. 420 00:31:19,200 --> 00:31:21,860 Recently, we signed agreements with India and China that will 421 00:31:21,860 --> 00:31:27,820 support more than 250,000 jobs here in the United States. 422 00:31:27,820 --> 00:31:30,360 And last month, we finalized a trade agreement with South Korea 423 00:31:30,360 --> 00:31:34,620 that will support at least 70,000 American jobs. 424 00:31:34,620 --> 00:31:38,920 This agreement has unprecedented support from business and labor, 425 00:31:38,920 --> 00:31:40,920 Democrats and Republicans. 426 00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:44,000 And I ask this Congress to pass it as soon as possible. 427 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:56,200 Now, before I took office, I made it clear that we would enforce our trade agreements, 428 00:31:56,200 --> 00:32:01,280 and that I would only sign deals that keep faith with American workers and promote American 429 00:32:01,280 --> 00:32:03,240 jobs. 430 00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:05,300 That's what we did with Korea. 431 00:32:05,300 --> 00:32:09,860 And that's what I intend to do as we pursue agreements with Panama and Colombia and continue 432 00:32:09,860 --> 00:32:11,940 our Asia-Pacific and global trade talks. 433 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:27,280 To reduce barriers to growth and investment, I've ordered a review of government regulations. 434 00:32:27,280 --> 00:32:32,440 When we find rules that put an unnecessary burden on businesses, we will fix them. 435 00:32:32,440 --> 00:32:44,440 But I will not hesitate to create or enforce common-sense safeguards to protect the American 436 00:32:44,440 --> 00:32:46,440 people. 437 00:32:50,440 --> 00:32:53,440 That's what we've done in this country for more than a century. 438 00:32:53,440 --> 00:33:01,440 It's why our food is safe to eat, our water is safe to drink, and our air is safe to breathe. 439 00:33:01,440 --> 00:33:05,840 It's why we have speed limits and child labor laws. 440 00:33:05,840 --> 00:33:09,600 It's why last year we put in place consumer protections against 441 00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:13,040 hidden fees and penalties by credit card companies, 442 00:33:13,040 --> 00:33:16,040 and new rules to prevent another financial crisis. 443 00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:21,540 And it's why we passed reform that finally prevents the health 444 00:33:21,540 --> 00:33:24,040 insurance industry from exploiting patients. 445 00:33:31,440 --> 00:33:47,340 Now, I have heard rumors that a few of you still have concerns about our new health care 446 00:33:47,340 --> 00:33:49,940 law. 447 00:33:49,940 --> 00:33:59,220 So let me be the first to say that anything can be improved. 448 00:33:59,220 --> 00:34:02,420 If you have ideas about how to improve this law by making care 449 00:34:02,420 --> 00:34:08,280 better or more affordable, I am eager to work with you. 450 00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:10,480 We can start right now by correcting a flaw in the 451 00:34:10,480 --> 00:34:13,680 legislation that has placed an unnecessary bookkeeping burden on 452 00:34:13,680 --> 00:34:14,760 small businesses. 453 00:34:29,220 --> 00:34:39,080 What I'm not willing to do is go back to the days when insurance companies could deny someone 454 00:34:39,080 --> 00:34:42,920 coverage because of a preexisting condition. 455 00:34:42,920 --> 00:34:59,060 I'm not willing to tell James Howard, a brain cancer patient from Texas, that it's 456 00:34:59,060 --> 00:35:05,680 treatment might not be covered. I'm not willing to tell Jim Houser, a small businessman from 457 00:35:05,680 --> 00:35:13,300 Oregon, that he has to go back to paying $5,000 more to cover his employees. As we speak, 458 00:35:13,300 --> 00:35:18,280 this law is making prescription drugs cheaper for seniors and giving uninsured students 459 00:35:18,280 --> 00:35:23,080 a chance to stay on their parents' coverage. 460 00:35:23,080 --> 00:35:31,040 So I say to this chamber tonight, instead of refighting the battles of the last two years, 461 00:35:31,260 --> 00:35:33,860 let's fix what needs fixing and let's move forward. 462 00:35:49,140 --> 00:35:50,980 Now, the final critical step. 463 00:35:53,080 --> 00:35:59,980 in winning the future is to make sure we aren't buried under a mountain of debt. 464 00:35:59,980 --> 00:36:06,040 We are living with a legacy of deficit spending that began almost a decade ago. 465 00:36:06,040 --> 00:36:08,780 And in the wake of the financial crisis, 466 00:36:08,780 --> 00:36:12,120 some of that was necessary to keep credit flowing, save jobs, 467 00:36:12,120 --> 00:36:15,840 and put money in people's pockets. 468 00:36:15,840 --> 00:36:18,720 But now that the worst of the recession is over, 469 00:36:18,720 --> 00:36:24,020 we have to confront the fact that our government spends more than it takes in. 470 00:36:24,020 --> 00:36:27,360 That is not sustainable. 471 00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:31,280 Every day, families sacrifice to live within their means. 472 00:36:31,280 --> 00:36:33,660 They deserve a government that does the same. 473 00:36:48,720 --> 00:36:57,280 So tonight, I am proposing that starting this year, we freeze annual domestic spending for 474 00:36:57,280 --> 00:37:01,220 the next five years. 475 00:37:01,220 --> 00:37:06,880 This would reduce the deficit by more than $400 billion over the next decade, and will 476 00:37:06,880 --> 00:37:12,960 bring discretionary spending to the lowest share of our economy since Dwight Eisenhower 477 00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:15,880 was President. 478 00:37:15,880 --> 00:37:19,880 This freeze will require painful cuts. 479 00:37:19,880 --> 00:37:22,220 Already we've frozen the salaries of hardworking federal 480 00:37:22,220 --> 00:37:25,320 employees for the next two years. 481 00:37:25,320 --> 00:37:28,220 I propose cuts to things I care deeply about, 482 00:37:28,220 --> 00:37:31,120 like community action programs. 483 00:37:31,120 --> 00:37:33,440 The Secretary of Defense has also agreed to cut tens of 484 00:37:33,440 --> 00:37:37,240 billions of dollars in spending that he and his generals 485 00:37:37,240 --> 00:37:39,240 believe our military can do without. 486 00:37:39,240 --> 00:37:49,320 I recognize that some in this chamber have already proposed deeper cuts, and I'm willing 487 00:37:49,320 --> 00:37:53,200 to eliminate whatever we can honestly afford to do without. 488 00:37:53,200 --> 00:37:58,120 But let's make sure that we're not doing it on the backs of our most vulnerable citizens. 489 00:37:58,120 --> 00:38:11,560 And let's make sure that what we're cutting is really excess weight. 490 00:38:11,560 --> 00:38:16,560 Cutting the deficit by gutting our investments in innovation and education is like lightening 491 00:38:16,560 --> 00:38:20,680 an overloaded airplane by removing its engine. 492 00:38:20,680 --> 00:38:25,160 It may make you feel like you're flying high at first, but it won't take long before you 493 00:38:25,160 --> 00:38:29,800 feel the impact. 494 00:38:29,800 --> 00:38:33,800 Now, most of the cuts in savings I proposed only address annual 495 00:38:33,800 --> 00:38:37,300 domestic spending, which represents a little more than 496 00:38:37,300 --> 00:38:40,600 12 percent of our budget. 497 00:38:40,600 --> 00:38:44,360 To make further progress, we have to stop pretending that 498 00:38:44,360 --> 00:38:48,760 cutting this kind of spending alone will be enough. 499 00:38:48,760 --> 00:38:49,760 It won't. 500 00:38:55,160 --> 00:39:01,600 The bipartisan fiscal commission I created last year made this crystal clear. 501 00:39:01,600 --> 00:39:06,260 I don't agree with all of their proposals, but they made important progress. 502 00:39:06,260 --> 00:39:11,000 And their conclusion is that the only way to tackle our deficit is to cut excessive spending 503 00:39:11,000 --> 00:39:17,160 wherever we find it, in domestic spending, defense spending, health care spending, and 504 00:39:17,160 --> 00:39:19,400 spending through tax breaks and loopholes. 505 00:39:25,160 --> 00:39:30,560 This means further reducing health care costs, including programs like Medicare and Medicaid, 506 00:39:30,680 --> 00:39:33,360 which are the single biggest contributor to our long-term deficit. 507 00:39:34,580 --> 00:39:38,540 The health insurance law we passed last year will slow these rising costs, 508 00:39:38,700 --> 00:39:44,400 which is part of the reason that nonpartisan economists have said that repealing the health care law 509 00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:47,340 would add a quarter of a trillion dollars to our deficit. 510 00:39:49,040 --> 00:39:52,440 Still, I'm willing to look at other ideas to bring down costs, 511 00:39:52,440 --> 00:39:56,440 including one that Republicans suggested last year, 512 00:39:56,440 --> 00:39:59,440 medical malpractice reform to rein in frivolous lawsuits. 513 00:40:13,440 --> 00:40:17,440 To put us on solid ground, we should also find a bipartisan 514 00:40:17,440 --> 00:40:21,440 solution to strengthen Social Security for future generations. 515 00:40:22,440 --> 00:40:32,040 We must do it without putting at risk current retirees, 516 00:40:32,040 --> 00:40:35,540 the most vulnerable, or people with disabilities, 517 00:40:35,540 --> 00:40:38,940 without slashing benefits for future generations, 518 00:40:38,940 --> 00:40:41,780 and without subjecting Americans' guaranteed retirement 519 00:40:41,780 --> 00:40:44,040 income to the whims of the stock market. 520 00:40:44,040 --> 00:40:51,040 And if we truly care about our deficit, 521 00:40:51,040 --> 00:40:56,040 we simply can't afford a permanent extension of the tax 522 00:40:56,040 --> 00:40:59,040 cuts for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans. 523 00:40:59,040 --> 00:41:16,400 Before we take money away from our schools or scholarships away from our students, we 524 00:41:16,400 --> 00:41:19,900 should ask millionaires to give up their tax break. 525 00:41:19,900 --> 00:41:22,720 It's not a matter of punishing their success. 526 00:41:22,720 --> 00:41:24,640 It's about promoting America's success. 527 00:41:29,040 --> 00:41:35,880 In fact, the best thing we could do on taxes for all Americans is to simplify the individual 528 00:41:35,880 --> 00:41:41,940 tax code. 529 00:41:41,940 --> 00:41:50,480 This will be a tough job, but members of both parties have expressed an interest in doing 530 00:41:50,480 --> 00:41:54,880 this, and I am prepared to join them. 531 00:41:54,880 --> 00:42:01,620 So now is the time to act. 532 00:42:01,620 --> 00:42:07,180 Now is the time for both sides and both houses of Congress, 533 00:42:07,180 --> 00:42:11,680 Democrats and Republicans, to forge a principled compromise 534 00:42:11,680 --> 00:42:13,980 that gets the job done. 535 00:42:13,980 --> 00:42:17,640 If we make the hard choices now to rein in our deficits, 536 00:42:17,640 --> 00:42:22,540 we can make the investments we need to win the future. 537 00:42:22,540 --> 00:42:24,540 Let me take this one step further. 538 00:42:24,540 --> 00:42:28,240 We shouldn't just give our people a government that's more affordable. 539 00:42:28,240 --> 00:42:33,240 We should give them a government that's more competent and more efficient. 540 00:42:33,240 --> 00:42:36,440 We can't win the future with a government of the past. 541 00:42:39,780 --> 00:42:43,080 We live and do business in the information age. 542 00:42:43,080 --> 00:42:50,280 But the last major reorganization of the government happened in the age of black and white TV. 543 00:42:50,280 --> 00:42:55,580 There are 12 different agencies that deal with exports. 544 00:42:55,580 --> 00:43:00,640 There are at least five different agencies that deal with housing policy. 545 00:43:00,640 --> 00:43:02,480 Then there's my favorite example. 546 00:43:02,480 --> 00:43:05,640 The Interior Department is in charge of salmon while they're in 547 00:43:05,640 --> 00:43:09,520 freshwater, but the Commerce Department handles them when 548 00:43:09,520 --> 00:43:13,220 they're in saltwater. 549 00:43:13,220 --> 00:43:15,920 I hear it gets even more complicated once they're smoked. 550 00:43:20,280 --> 00:43:34,520 Now, we've made great strides over the last two years in using 551 00:43:34,520 --> 00:43:37,620 technology and getting rid of waste. 552 00:43:37,620 --> 00:43:40,580 Veterans can now download their electronic medical records with a 553 00:43:40,580 --> 00:43:42,820 click of the mouse. 554 00:43:42,820 --> 00:43:45,220 We're selling acres of federal office space that hasn't been 555 00:43:45,220 --> 00:43:46,820 used in years. 556 00:43:46,820 --> 00:43:50,460 And we'll cut through red tape to get rid of more. 557 00:43:50,460 --> 00:43:53,460 But we need to think bigger. 558 00:43:53,460 --> 00:43:55,620 In the coming months, my administration will develop a 559 00:43:55,620 --> 00:43:59,160 proposal to merge, consolidate and reorganize the federal 560 00:43:59,160 --> 00:44:01,860 government in a way that best serves the goal of a more 561 00:44:01,860 --> 00:44:03,920 competitive America. 562 00:44:03,920 --> 00:44:06,780 I will submit that proposal to Congress for a vote, 563 00:44:06,780 --> 00:44:08,280 and we will push to get it passed. 564 00:44:16,820 --> 00:44:27,060 In the coming year, we'll also work to rebuild people's faith in the institution of government. 565 00:44:27,060 --> 00:44:31,600 Because you deserve to know exactly how and where your tax dollars are being spent, you'll 566 00:44:31,600 --> 00:44:37,140 be able to go to a website and get that information for the very first time in history. Because 567 00:44:37,140 --> 00:44:42,240 you deserve to know when your elected officials are meeting with lobbyists. I asked Congress 568 00:44:42,240 --> 00:44:44,980 to do what the White House has already done. 569 00:44:44,980 --> 00:44:47,840 Put that information online. 570 00:44:47,840 --> 00:44:50,400 And because the American people deserve to know that special 571 00:44:50,400 --> 00:44:54,900 interests aren't larding up legislation with pet projects, 572 00:44:54,900 --> 00:44:57,740 both parties in Congress should know this. 573 00:44:57,740 --> 00:45:01,480 If a bill comes to my desk with earmarks inside, 574 00:45:01,480 --> 00:45:03,680 I will veto it. 575 00:45:03,680 --> 00:45:04,680 I will veto it. 576 00:45:12,240 --> 00:45:25,240 The 21st century government that's open and competent, 577 00:45:25,240 --> 00:45:28,940 a government that lives within its means, 578 00:45:28,940 --> 00:45:35,080 an economy that's driven by new skills and new ideas. 579 00:45:35,080 --> 00:45:38,440 Our success in this new and changing world will require 580 00:45:38,440 --> 00:45:44,640 reform, responsibility, and innovation. 581 00:45:44,640 --> 00:45:47,780 It will also require us to approach that world with a new 582 00:45:47,780 --> 00:45:52,700 level of engagement in our foreign affairs. 583 00:45:52,700 --> 00:45:56,600 Just as jobs and businesses can now race across borders, 584 00:45:56,600 --> 00:46:01,000 so can new threats and new challenges. 585 00:46:01,000 --> 00:46:04,480 No single wall separates east and west. 586 00:46:04,480 --> 00:46:09,180 And no one rival superpower is aligned against us. 587 00:46:09,180 --> 00:46:12,980 And so we must defeat determined enemies wherever they are, 588 00:46:12,980 --> 00:46:15,820 and build coalitions that cut across lines of region and race 589 00:46:15,820 --> 00:46:19,420 and religion. 590 00:46:19,420 --> 00:46:23,140 And America's moral example must always shine for all who yearn 591 00:46:23,140 --> 00:46:34,450 for freedom and justice and dignity And because we begun this work tonight we can say that American leadership has been renewed and America standing 592 00:46:34,450 --> 00:46:37,750 has been restored. 593 00:46:37,750 --> 00:46:41,250 Look to Iraq, where nearly 100,000 of our brave men and 594 00:46:41,250 --> 00:46:44,650 women have left with their heads held high. 595 00:46:53,650 --> 00:47:17,950 American combat patrols have ended, violence is down, and a new government has been formed. 596 00:47:17,950 --> 00:47:22,430 This year, our civilians will forge a lasting partnership with the Iraqi people, while we 597 00:47:22,430 --> 00:47:26,930 finished the job of bringing our troops out of Iraq. 598 00:47:26,930 --> 00:47:30,030 America's commitment has been kept. 599 00:47:30,030 --> 00:47:32,030 The Iraq War is coming to an end. 600 00:47:39,230 --> 00:47:42,130 Of course, as we speak, al Qaeda and their affiliates 601 00:47:42,130 --> 00:47:45,630 continue to plan attacks against us. 602 00:47:45,630 --> 00:47:48,990 Thanks to our intelligence and law enforcement professionals, 603 00:47:48,990 --> 00:47:53,890 We're disrupting plots and securing our cities and skies. 604 00:47:53,890 --> 00:47:57,330 And as extremists try to inspire acts of violence within our 605 00:47:57,330 --> 00:48:02,030 borders, we are responding with the strength of our communities, 606 00:48:02,030 --> 00:48:04,930 with respect for the rule of law, 607 00:48:04,930 --> 00:48:08,330 and with the conviction that American Muslims are a part of 608 00:48:08,330 --> 00:48:09,690 our American family. 609 00:48:18,990 --> 00:48:31,890 We've also taken the fight to al Qaeda and their allies abroad. 610 00:48:31,890 --> 00:48:38,170 In Afghanistan, our troops have taken Taliban strongholds and trained Afghan security forces. 611 00:48:38,170 --> 00:48:40,150 Our purpose is clear. 612 00:48:40,150 --> 00:48:45,710 By preventing the Taliban from reestablishing a stranglehold over the Afghan people, we 613 00:48:45,710 --> 00:48:51,910 will deny al Qaeda the safe haven that served as a launching pad for 9-11. 614 00:48:51,910 --> 00:48:54,370 Thanks to our heroic troops and civilians, 615 00:48:54,370 --> 00:48:59,270 fewer Afghans are under the control of the insurgency. 616 00:48:59,270 --> 00:49:01,550 There will be tough fighting ahead, 617 00:49:01,550 --> 00:49:05,850 and the Afghan government will need to deliver better governance. 618 00:49:05,850 --> 00:49:08,850 But we are strengthening the capacity of the Afghan people and 619 00:49:08,850 --> 00:49:12,450 building an enduring partnership with them. 620 00:49:12,450 --> 00:49:15,310 This year, we will work with nearly 50 countries to begin a 621 00:49:15,310 --> 00:49:18,010 transition to an Afghan lead. 622 00:49:18,010 --> 00:49:21,010 And this July, we will begin to bring our troops home. 623 00:49:34,450 --> 00:49:37,610 In Pakistan, al Qaeda's leadership is under more 624 00:49:37,610 --> 00:49:41,370 pressure than at any point since 2001. 625 00:49:41,370 --> 00:49:43,870 Their leaders and operatives are being removed from the 626 00:49:43,870 --> 00:49:49,710 battlefield. Their safe havens are shrinking. And we've sent a message from the Afghan border 627 00:49:49,710 --> 00:49:54,730 to the Arabian Peninsula to all parts of the globe. We will not relent, we will not waver, 628 00:49:54,730 --> 00:49:56,150 and we will defeat you. 629 00:50:13,870 --> 00:50:21,430 American leadership can also be seen in the effort to secure the worst weapons of war. 630 00:50:21,430 --> 00:50:26,830 Because Republicans and Democrats approved the New START Treaty, far fewer nuclear weapons 631 00:50:26,830 --> 00:50:33,590 and launchers will be deployed. Because we rallied the world, nuclear materials are being 632 00:50:33,590 --> 00:50:40,590 locked down on every continent so they never fall into the hands of terrorists. Because 633 00:50:40,590 --> 00:50:45,250 of a diplomatic effort to insist that Iran meet its obligations. 634 00:50:45,250 --> 00:50:48,390 The Iranian government now faces tougher sanctions, 635 00:50:48,390 --> 00:50:51,590 tighter sanctions than ever before. 636 00:50:51,590 --> 00:50:53,930 And on the Korean Peninsula, we stand with our ally, 637 00:50:53,930 --> 00:50:57,890 South Korea, and insist that North Korea keeps its commitment 638 00:50:57,890 --> 00:50:59,890 to abandon nuclear weapons. 639 00:50:59,890 --> 00:51:14,730 This is just a part of how we're shaping a world that favors peace and prosperity. 640 00:51:14,730 --> 00:51:19,750 With our European allies, we revitalized NATO and increased our cooperation on everything 641 00:51:19,750 --> 00:51:23,490 from counterterrorism to missile defense. 642 00:51:23,490 --> 00:51:29,430 We've reset our relationship with Russia, strengthened Asian alliances, built new partnerships with 643 00:51:29,430 --> 00:51:32,190 nations like India. 644 00:51:32,190 --> 00:51:35,370 This March, I will travel to Brazil, Chile and El Salvador to 645 00:51:35,370 --> 00:51:40,290 forge new alliances across the Americas. 646 00:51:40,290 --> 00:51:43,530 Around the globe, we're standing with those who take 647 00:51:43,530 --> 00:51:48,030 responsibility, helping farmers grow more food, 648 00:51:48,030 --> 00:51:51,270 supporting doctors who care for the sick, 649 00:51:51,270 --> 00:51:54,290 and combating the corruption that can rot a society and rob 650 00:51:54,290 --> 00:51:57,870 people of opportunity. 651 00:51:57,870 --> 00:52:04,910 But recent events have shown us that what sets us apart must not just be our power. 652 00:52:04,910 --> 00:52:08,830 It must also be the purpose behind it. 653 00:52:08,830 --> 00:52:15,350 In South Sudan, with our assistance, the people were finally able to vote for independence 654 00:52:15,350 --> 00:52:18,310 after years of war. 655 00:52:18,310 --> 00:52:22,930 Thousands lined up before dawn. 656 00:52:22,930 --> 00:52:26,310 People danced in the streets. 657 00:52:26,310 --> 00:52:30,610 One man who lost four of his brothers at war summed up the scene around him. 658 00:52:30,610 --> 00:52:34,710 This was a battlefield for most of my life, he said. 659 00:52:34,710 --> 00:52:36,210 Now we want to be free. 660 00:52:42,210 --> 00:52:46,430 And we saw that same desire to be free in Tunisia, where the will of the people proved 661 00:52:46,430 --> 00:52:49,990 more powerful than the writ of a dictator. 662 00:52:49,990 --> 00:52:54,490 And tonight, let us be clear, the United States of America stands with the people of Tunisia 663 00:52:54,490 --> 00:52:57,890 and supports the democratic aspirations of all people. 664 00:53:16,050 --> 00:53:22,990 We must never forget that the things we've struggled for and fought for live in the hearts 665 00:53:22,990 --> 00:53:26,030 of people everywhere. 666 00:53:26,030 --> 00:53:29,550 And we must always remember that the Americans who have borne the greatest burden in this 667 00:53:29,550 --> 00:53:32,870 struggle are the men and women who serve our country. 668 00:53:52,990 --> 00:54:18,590 five of the wake-up of daily life. 669 00:54:18,590 --> 00:54:20,730 Tonight, let us speak with one voice, 670 00:54:20,730 --> 00:54:24,330 choice in reaffirming that our nation is united in support of 671 00:54:24,330 --> 00:54:27,330 our troops and their families. 672 00:54:27,330 --> 00:54:30,430 Let us serve them as well as they've served us by giving 673 00:54:30,430 --> 00:54:33,570 them the equipment they need, by providing them with the care 674 00:54:33,570 --> 00:54:36,630 and benefits that they have earned, and by enlisting our 675 00:54:36,630 --> 00:54:41,930 veterans in the great task of building our own nation. 676 00:54:41,930 --> 00:54:45,770 Our troops come from every corner of this country. 677 00:54:45,770 --> 00:54:51,670 Black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American. 678 00:54:51,670 --> 00:54:56,470 They are Christian and Hindu, Jewish and Muslim. 679 00:54:56,470 --> 00:54:59,610 And yes, we know that some of them are gay. 680 00:54:59,610 --> 00:55:03,010 Starting this year, no American will be forbidden from serving 681 00:55:03,010 --> 00:55:05,510 the country they love because of who they love. 682 00:55:15,770 --> 00:55:29,690 And with that change, I call on all our college campuses to open their doors to our military 683 00:55:29,690 --> 00:55:31,990 recruiters and ROTC. 684 00:55:31,990 --> 00:55:35,530 It is time to leave behind the divisive battles of the past. 685 00:55:35,530 --> 00:55:38,530 It is time to move forward as one nation. 686 00:55:45,770 --> 00:55:56,530 We should have no illusions about the work ahead of us. 687 00:55:56,530 --> 00:56:04,410 Reforming our schools, changing the way we use energy, reducing our deficit. 688 00:56:04,410 --> 00:56:07,530 None of this will be easy. 689 00:56:07,530 --> 00:56:10,690 All of it will take time. 690 00:56:10,690 --> 00:56:17,230 And it will be harder because we will argue about everything. 691 00:56:17,230 --> 00:56:24,890 The costs, the details, the letter of every law. 692 00:56:24,890 --> 00:56:28,290 Of course, some countries don't have this problem. 693 00:56:28,290 --> 00:56:30,250 If the central government wants a railroad, 694 00:56:30,250 --> 00:56:35,650 they build a railroad, no matter how many homes get bulldozed. 695 00:56:35,650 --> 00:56:42,290 If they don't want a bad story in the newspaper, it doesn't get written. 696 00:56:42,290 --> 00:56:49,010 And yet, as contentious and frustrating and messy as our democracy can sometimes be, I 697 00:56:49,010 --> 00:56:53,250 know there isn't a person here who would trade places with any other nation on Earth. 698 00:57:05,650 --> 00:57:26,770 We may have differences in policy, but we all believe in the rights enshrined in our 699 00:57:26,770 --> 00:57:29,430 Constitution. 700 00:57:29,430 --> 00:57:34,930 We may have different opinions, but we believe in the same promise that says, this is a place 701 00:57:34,930 --> 00:57:38,270 where you can make it if you try. 702 00:57:38,270 --> 00:57:43,590 We may have different backgrounds, but we believe in the same dream that says this is 703 00:57:43,590 --> 00:57:52,110 a country where anything is possible, no matter who you are, no matter where you come from. 704 00:57:52,110 --> 00:57:56,850 That dream is why I can stand here before you tonight. 705 00:57:56,850 --> 00:58:01,930 That dream is why a working-class kid from Scranton can sit behind me. 706 00:58:04,930 --> 00:58:15,830 That dream is why someone who began by sweeping the floors of his father's Cincinnati bar 707 00:58:15,830 --> 00:58:19,930 can preside as Speaker of the House in the greatest nation on Earth. 708 00:58:34,930 --> 00:58:44,890 That dream, that American dream, is what drove the Allen brothers to reinvent their roofing 709 00:58:44,890 --> 00:58:52,410 company for a new era. It's what drove those students at Forsyth Tech to learn a new skill 710 00:58:52,410 --> 00:59:00,550 and work towards the future. And that dream is the story of a small business owner named 711 00:59:00,550 --> 00:59:04,050 Brandon Fisher. 712 00:59:04,050 --> 00:59:07,510 Brandon started a company in Berlin, Pennsylvania, 713 00:59:07,510 --> 00:59:12,990 that specializes in a new kind of drilling technology. 714 00:59:12,990 --> 00:59:17,010 And one day last summer, he saw the news that halfway across 715 00:59:17,010 --> 00:59:22,490 the world, 33 men were trapped in a Chilean mine, 716 00:59:22,490 --> 00:59:27,490 and no one knew how to save them. 717 00:59:27,490 --> 00:59:29,650 But Brandon thought his company could help. 718 00:59:29,650 --> 00:59:34,690 And so he designed a rescue that would come to be known as Plan B. 719 00:59:34,690 --> 00:59:37,390 His employees worked around the clock to manufacture the 720 00:59:37,390 --> 00:59:39,450 necessary drilling equipment. 721 00:59:39,450 --> 00:59:43,010 And Brandon left for Chile. 722 00:59:43,010 --> 00:59:46,290 Along with others, he began drilling a 2,000-foot hole into 723 00:59:46,290 --> 00:59:54,350 the ground, working three or four days at a time without any sleep. 724 00:59:54,350 --> 01:00:00,350 Thirty-seven days later, Plan B succeeded, and the miners were rescued. 725 01:00:09,950 --> 01:00:12,890 But because he didn't want all the attention, 726 01:00:12,890 --> 01:00:16,150 Brandon wasn't there when the miners emerged. 727 01:00:16,150 --> 01:00:22,050 He had already gone back home, back to work on his next project. 728 01:00:22,050 --> 01:00:25,650 A few years later, one of his employees said of the rescue, 729 01:00:25,650 --> 01:00:29,950 we proved that Center Rock is a little company, 730 01:00:29,950 --> 01:00:31,950 but we do big things. 731 01:00:40,410 --> 01:00:42,910 We do big things. 732 01:00:42,910 --> 01:00:44,710 From the earliest days of our founding, 733 01:00:44,710 --> 01:00:49,410 America has been the story of ordinary people who dare to dream. 734 01:00:49,410 --> 01:00:52,570 That's how we win the future. 735 01:00:52,570 --> 01:00:55,110 We're a nation that says, I might not have a lot of money, 736 01:00:55,110 --> 01:00:58,570 but I have this great idea for a new company. 737 01:00:58,570 --> 01:01:01,110 I might not come from a family of college graduates, 738 01:01:01,110 --> 01:01:05,410 but I will be the first to get my degree. 739 01:01:05,410 --> 01:01:07,170 I might not know those people in trouble, 740 01:01:07,170 --> 01:01:12,410 but I think I can help them, and I need to try. 741 01:01:12,410 --> 01:01:16,650 I'm not sure how we'll reach that better place beyond the horizon, 742 01:01:16,650 --> 01:01:18,910 but I know we'll get there. 743 01:01:18,910 --> 01:01:22,050 I know we will. 744 01:01:22,050 --> 01:01:25,410 We do big things. 745 01:01:25,410 --> 01:01:28,610 The idea of America endures. 746 01:01:28,610 --> 01:01:31,870 Our destiny remains our choice. 747 01:01:31,870 --> 01:01:38,230 And tonight, more than two centuries later, it's because of our people that our future 748 01:01:38,230 --> 01:01:45,050 is hopeful, our journey goes forward, and the state of our union is strong. 749 01:01:45,050 --> 01:01:46,050 Thank you. 750 01:01:46,050 --> 01:01:47,050 God bless you. 751 01:01:47,050 --> 01:01:49,050 And bless the United States of America.