genius of American researchers and entrepreneurs and empower them to
pioneer a new generation of clean energy technology. (Applause.) Our
security, our prosperity, and our environment all require reducing our
dependence on oil. Last year, I asked you to pass legislation to reduce
oil consumption over the next decade, and you responded. Together we
should take the next steps: Let us fund new technologies that can
generate coal power while capturing carbon emissions. (Applause.) Let
us increase the use of renewable power and emissions-free nuclear
power. (Applause.) Let us continue investing in advanced battery
technology and renewable fuels to power the cars and trucks of the
future. (Applause.) Let us create a new international clean technology
fund, which will help developing nations like India and China make
greater use of clean energy sources. And let us complete an
international agreement that has the potential to slow, stop, and
eventually reverse the growth of greenhouse gases. (Applause.)
This agreement will be effective only if it includes commitments by
every major economy and gives none a free ride. (Applause.) The United
States is committed to strengthening our energy security and
confronting global climate change. And the best way to meet these goals
is for America to continue leading the way toward the development of
cleaner and more energy-efficient technology. (Applause.)
To keep America competitive into the future, we must trust in the skill
of our scientists and engineers and empower them to pursue the
breakthroughs of tomorrow. Last year, Congress passed legislation
supporting the American Competitiveness Initiative, but never followed
through with the funding. This funding is essential to keeping our
scientific edge. So I ask Congress to double federal support for
critical basic research in the physical sciences and ensure America
remains the most dynamic nation on Earth. (Applause.)
On matters of life and science, we must trust in the innovative spirit
of medical researchers and empower them to discover new treatments
while respecting moral boundaries. In November, we witnessed a landmark
achievement when scientists discovered a way to reprogram adult skin
cells to act like embryonic stem cells. This breakthrough has the
potential to move us beyond the divisive debates of the past by
extending the frontiers of medicine without the destruction of human
life. (Applause.)
So we're expanding funding for this type of ethical medical research.
And as we explore promising avenues of research, we must also ensure
that all life is treated with the dignity it deserves. And so I call on
Congress to pass legislation that bans unethical practices such as the
buying, selling, patenting, or cloning of human life. (Applause.)
On matters of justice, we must trust in the wisdom of our founders and
empower judges who understand that the Constitution means what it says.
(Applause.) I've submitted judicial nominees who will rule by the
letter of the law, not the whim of the gavel. Many of these nominees
are being unfairly delayed. They are worthy of confirmation, and the
Senate should give each of them a prompt up-or-down vote. (Applause.)
In communities across our land, we must trust in the good heart of the
American people and empower them to serve their neighbors in need. Over
the past seven years, more of our fellow citizens have discovered that
the pursuit of happiness leads to the path of service. Americans have
volunteered in record numbers. Charitable donations are higher than
ever. Faith-based groups are bringing hope to pockets of despair, with
newfound support from the federal government. And to help guarantee
equal treatment of faith-based organizations when they compete for
federal funds, I ask you to permanently extend Charitable Choice.
(Applause.)
Tonight the armies of compassion continue the march to a new day in the
Gulf Coast. America honors the strength and resilience of the people of
this region. We reaffirm our pledge to help them build stronger and
better than before. And tonight I'm pleased to announce that in April
we will host this year's North American Summit of Canada, Mexico, and
the United States in the great city of New Orleans. (Applause.)
There are two other pressing challenges that I've raised repeatedly
before this body, and that this body has failed to address: entitlement
spending and immigration. Every member in this chamber knows that
spending on entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare, and
Medicaid is growing faster than we can afford. We all know the painful
choices ahead if America stays on this path: massive tax increases,
sudden and drastic cuts in benefits, or crippling deficits. I've laid
out proposals to reform these programs. Now I ask members of Congress
to offer your proposals and come up with a bipartisan solution to save
these vital programs for our children and our grandchildren. (Applause.)
The other pressing challenge is immigration. America needs to secure
our borders -- and with your help, my administration is taking steps to
do so. We're increasing worksite enforcement, deploying fences and
advanced technologies to stop illegal crossings. We've effectively
ended the policy of "catch and release" at the border, and by the end
of this year, we will have doubled the number of border patrol agents.
Yet we also need to acknowledge that we will never fully secure our
border until we create a lawful way for foreign workers to come here
and support our economy. (Applause.) This will take pressure off the
border and allow law enforcement to concentrate on those who mean us
harm. We must also find a sensible and humane way to deal with people
here illegally. Illegal immigration is complicated, but it can be
resolved. And it must be resolved in a way that upholds both our laws
and our highest ideals. (Applause.)
This is the business of our nation here at home. Yet building a
prosperous future for our citizens also depends on confronting enemies
abroad and advancing liberty in troubled regions of the world.
Our foreign policy is based on a clear premise: We trust that people,
when given the chance, will choose a future of freedom and peace. In
the last seven years, we have witnessed stirring moments in the history
of liberty. We've seen citizens in Georgia and Ukraine stand up for
their right to free and fair elections. We've seen people in Lebanon
take to the streets to demand their independence. We've seen Afghans
emerge from the tyranny of the Taliban and choose a new president and a
new parliament. We've seen jubilant Iraqis holding up ink-stained
fingers and celebrating their freedom. These images of liberty have
inspired us. (Applause.)
In the past seven years, we've also seen images that have sobered us.
We've watched throngs of mourners in Lebanon and Pakistan carrying the
caskets of beloved leaders taken by the assassin's hand. We've seen
wedding guests in blood-soaked finery staggering from a hotel in
Jordan, Afghans and Iraqis blown up in mosques and markets, and trains
in London and Madrid ripped apart by bombs. On a clear September day,
we saw thousands of our fellow citizens taken from us in an instant.
These horrific images serve as a grim reminder: The advance of liberty
is opposed by terrorists and extremists -- evil men who despise
freedom, despise America, and aim to subject millions to their violent
rule.
Since 9/11, we have taken the fight to these terrorists and extremists.
We will stay on the offense, we will keep up the pressure, and we will
deliver justice to our enemies. (Applause.)
We are engaged in the defining ideological struggle of the 21st
century. The terrorists oppose every principle of humanity and decency
that we hold dear. Yet in this war on terror, there is one thing we and
our enemies agree on: In the long run, men and women who are free to
determine their own destinies will reject terror and refuse to live in
tyranny. And that is why the terrorists are fighting to deny this
choice to the people in Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the
Palestinian Territories. And that is why, for the security of America
and the peace of the world, we are spreading the hope of freedom.
(Applause.)
In Afghanistan, America, our 25 NATO allies, and 15 partner nations are
helping the Afghan people defend their freedom and rebuild their
country. Thanks to the courage of these military and civilian
personnel, a nation that was once a safe haven for al Qaeda is now a
young democracy where boys and girls are going to school, new roads and
hospitals are being built, and people are looking to the future with
new hope. These successes must continue, so we're adding 3,200 Marines
to our forces in Afghanistan, where they will fight the terrorists and
train the Afghan Army and police. Defeating the Taliban and al Qaeda is
critical to our security, and I thank the Congress for supporting
America's vital mission in Afghanistan. (Applause.)
In Iraq, the terrorists and extremists are fighting to deny a proud
people their liberty, and fighting to establish safe havens for attacks
across the world. One year ago, our enemies were succeeding in their
efforts to plunge Iraq into chaos. So we reviewed our strategy and
changed course. We launched a surge of American forces into Iraq. We
gave our troops a new mission: Work with the Iraqi forces to protect
the Iraqi people, pursue the enemy in its strongholds, and deny the
terrorists sanctuary anywhere in the country.
The Iraqi people quickly realized that something dramatic had happened.
Those who had worried that America was preparing to abandon them
instead saw tens of thousands of American forces flowing into their
country. They saw our forces moving into neighborhoods, clearing out
the terrorists, and staying behind to ensure the enemy did not return.
And they saw our troops, along with Provincial Reconstruction Teams
that include Foreign Service officers and other skilled public
servants, coming in to ensure that improved security was followed by
improvements in daily life. Our military and civilians in Iraq are
performing with courage and distinction, and they have the gratitude of
our whole nation. (Applause.)
The Iraqis launched a surge of their own. In the fall of 2006, Sunni
tribal leaders grew tired of al Qaeda's brutality and started a popular
uprising called "The Anbar Awakening." Over the past year, similar
movements have spread across the country. And today, the grassroots
surge includes more than 80,000 Iraqi citizens who are fighting the
terrorists. The government in Baghdad has stepped forward, as well --
adding more than 100,000 new Iraqi soldiers and police during the past
year.
While the enemy is still dangerous and more work remains, the American
and Iraqi surges have achieved results few of us could have imagined
just one year ago. (Applause.) When we met last year, many said that
containing the violence was impossible. A year later, high profile
terrorist attacks are down, civilian deaths are down, sectarian
killings are down.
When we met last year, militia extremists -- some armed and trained by
Iran -- were wreaking havoc in large areas of Iraq. A year later,
coalition and Iraqi forces have killed or captured hundreds of militia
fighters. And Iraqis of all backgrounds increasingly realize that
defeating these militia fighters is critical to the future of their
country.
When we met last year, al Qaeda had sanctuaries in many areas of Iraq,
and their leaders had just offered American forces safe passage out of
the country. Today, it is al Qaeda that is searching for safe passage.
They have been driven from many of the strongholds they once held, and
over the past year, we've captured or killed thousands of extremists in
Iraq, including hundreds of key al Qaeda leaders and operatives.
Last month, Osama bin Laden released a tape in which he railed against
Iraqi tribal leaders who have turned on al Qaeda and admitted that
coalition forces are growing stronger in Iraq. Ladies and gentlemen,
some may deny the surge is working, but among the terrorists there is
no doubt. Al Qaeda is on the run in Iraq, and this enemy will be
defeated. (Applause.)
When we met last year, our troop levels in Iraq were on the rise.
Today, because of the progress just described, we are implementing a
policy of "return on success," and the surge forces we sent to Iraq are
beginning to come home.
This progress is a credit to the valor of our troops and the brilliance
of their commanders. This evening, I want to speak directly to our men
and women on the front lines. Soldiers and sailors, airmen, Marines,
and Coast Guardsmen: In the past year, you have done everything we've
asked of you, and more. Our nation is grateful for your courage. We are
proud of your accomplishments. And tonight in this hallowed chamber,
with the American people as our witness, we make you a solemn pledge:
In the fight ahead, you will have all you need to protect our nation.
(Applause.) And I ask Congress to meet its responsibilities to these
brave men and women by fully funding our troops. (Applause.)
Our enemies in Iraq have been hit hard. They are not yet defeated, and
we can still expect tough fighting ahead. Our objective in the coming
year is to sustain and build on the gains we made in 2007, while
transitioning to the next phase of our strategy. American troops are
shifting from leading operations, to partnering with Iraqi forces, and,
eventually, to a protective overwatch mission. As part of this
transition, one Army brigade combat team and one Marine Expeditionary
Unit have already come home and will not be replaced. In the coming
months, four additional brigades and two Marine battalions will follow
suit. Taken together, this means more than 20,000 of our troops are
coming home. (Applause.)
Any further drawdown of U.S. troops will be based on conditions in Iraq
and the recommendations of our commanders. General Petraeus has warned
that too fast a drawdown could result in the "disintegration of the
Iraqi security forces, al Qaeda-Iraq regaining lost ground, [and] a
marked increase in violence." Members of Congress: Having come so far
and achieved so much, we must not allow this to happen. (Applause.)
In the coming year, we will work with Iraqi leaders as they build on
the progress they're making toward political reconciliation. At the
local level, Sunnis, Shia, and Kurds are beginning to come together to
reclaim their communities and rebuild their lives. Progress in the
provinces must be matched by progress in Baghdad. (Applause.) We're
seeing some encouraging signs. The national government is sharing oil
revenues with the provinces. The parliament recently passed both a
pension law and de-Baathification reform. They're now debating a
provincial powers law. The Iraqis still have a distance to travel. But
after decades of dictatorship and the pain of sectarian violence,
reconciliation is taking place -- and the Iraqi people are taking
control of their future. (Applause.)
The mission in Iraq has been difficult and trying for our nation. But
it is in the vital interest of the United States that we succeed. A
free Iraq will deny al Qaeda a safe haven. A free Iraq will show
millions across the Middle East that a future of liberty is possible. A
free Iraq will be a friend of America, a partner in fighting terror,
and a source of stability in a dangerous part of the world.
By contrast, a failed Iraq would embolden the extremists, strengthen
Iran, and give terrorists a base from which to launch new attacks on
our friends, our allies, and our homeland. The enemy has made its
intentions clear. At a time when the momentum seemed to favor them, al
Qaida's top commander in Iraq declared that they will not rest until
they have attacked us here in Washington. My fellow Americans: We will
not rest either. We will not rest until this enemy has been defeated.
(Applause.) We must do the difficult work today, so that years from now
people will look back and say that this generation rose to the moment,
prevailed in a tough fight, and left behind a more hopeful region and a
safer America. (Applause.)
We're also standing against the forces of extremism in the Holy Land,
where we have new cause for hope. Palestinians have elected a president
who recognizes that confronting terror is essential to achieving a
state where his people can live in dignity and at peace with Israel.
Israelis have leaders who recognize that a peaceful, democratic
Palestinian state will be a source of lasting security. This month in
Ramallah and Jerusalem, I assured leaders from both sides that America
will do, and I will do, everything we can to help them achieve a peace
agreement that defines a Palestinian state by the end of this year. The
time has come for a Holy Land where a democratic Israel and a
democratic Palestine live side-by-side in peace. (Applause.)
We're also standing against the forces of extremism embodied by the
regime in Tehran. Iran's rulers oppress a good and talented people. And
wherever freedom advances in the Middle East, it seems the Iranian
regime is there to oppose it. Iran is funding and training militia
groups in Iraq, supporting Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon, and backing
Hamas' efforts to undermine peace in the Holy Land. Tehran is also
developing ballistic missiles of increasing range, and continues to
develop its capability to enrich uranium, which could be used to create
a nuclear weapon.
Our message to the people of Iran is clear: We have no quarrel with
you. We respect your traditions and your history. We look forward to
the day when you have your freedom. Our message to the leaders of Iran
is also clear: Verifiably suspend your nuclear enrichment, so
negotiations can begin. And to rejoin the community of nations, come
clean about your nuclear intentions and past actions, stop your
oppression at home, cease your support for terror abroad. But above
all, know this: America will confront those who threaten our troops. We
will stand by our allies, and we will defend our vital interests in the
Persian Gulf. (Applause.)
On the home front, we will continue to take every lawful and effective
measure to protect our country. This is our most solemn duty. We are
grateful that there has not been another attack on our soil since 9/11.
This is not for the lack of desire or effort on the part of the enemy.
In the past six years, we've stopped numerous attacks, including a plot
to fly a plane into the tallest building in Los Angeles and another to
blow up passenger jets bound for America over the Atlantic. Dedicated
men and women in our government toil day and night to stop the
terrorists from carrying out their plans. These good citizens are
saving American lives, and everyone in this chamber owes them our
thanks. (Applause.)
And we owe them something more: We owe them the tools they need to keep
our people safe. And one of the most important tools we can give them
is the ability to monitor terrorist communications. To protect America,
we need to know who the terrorists are talking to, what they are
saying, and what they're planning. Last year, Congress passed
legislation to help us do that. Unfortunately, Congress set the
legislation to expire on February the 1st. That means if you don't act
by Friday, our ability to track terrorist threats would be weakened and
our citizens will be in greater danger. Congress must ensure the flow
of vital intelligence is not disrupted. Congress must pass liability
protection for companies believed to have assisted in the efforts to
defend America. We've had ample time for debate. The time to act is
now. (Applause.)
Protecting our nation from the dangers of a new century requires more
than good intelligence and a strong military. It also requires changing
the conditions that breed resentment and allow extremists to prey on
despair. So America is using its influence to build a freer, more
hopeful, and more compassionate world. This is a reflection of our
national interest; it is the calling of our conscience.
America opposes genocide in Sudan. (Applause.) We support freedom in
countries from Cuba and Zimbabwe to Belarus and Burma. (Applause.)
America is leading the fight against global poverty, with strong
education initiatives and humanitarian assistance. We've also changed
the way we deliver aid by launching the Millennium Challenge Account.
This program strengthens democracy, transparency, and the rule of law
in developing nations, and I ask you to fully fund this important
initiative. (Applause.)
America is leading the fight against global hunger. Today, more than
half the world's food aid comes from the United States. And tonight, I
ask Congress to support an innovative proposal to provide food
assistance by purchasing crops directly from farmers in the developing
world, so we can build up local agriculture and help break the cycle of
famine. (Applause.)
America is leading the fight against disease. With your help, we're
working to cut by half the number of malaria-related deaths in 15
African nations. And our Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief is treating 1.4
million people. We can bring healing and hope to many more. So I ask
you to maintain the principles that have changed behavior and made this
program a success. And I call on you to double our initial commitment
to fighting HIV/AIDS by approving an additional $30 billion over the
next five years. (Applause.)
America is a force for hope in the world because we are a compassionate
people, and some of the most compassionate Americans are those who have
stepped forward to protect us. We must keep faith with all who have
risked life and limb so that we might live in freedom and peace. Over
the past seven years, we've increased funding for veterans by more than
95 percent. And as we increase funding -- (applause.) And as increase
funding we must also reform our veterans system to meet the needs of a
new war and a new generation. (Applause.) I call on the Congress to
enact the reforms recommended by Senator Bob Dole and Secretary Donna
Shalala, so we can improve the system of care for our wounded warriors
and help them build lives of hope and promise and dignity. (Applause.)
Our military families also sacrifice for America. They endure sleepless
nights and the daily struggle of providing for children while a loved
one is serving far from home. We have a responsibility to provide for
them. So I ask you to join me in expanding their access to child care,
creating new hiring preferences for military spouses across the federal
government, and allowing our troops to transfer their unused education
benefits to their spouses or children. (Applause.) Our military
families serve our nation, they inspire our nation, and tonight our
nation honors them. (Applause.)
The strength -- the secret of our strength, the miracle of America, is
that our greatness lies not in our government, but in the spirit and
determination of our people. (Applause.) When the Federal Convention
met in Philadelphia in 1787, our nation was bound by the Articles of
Confederation, which began with the words, "We the undersigned
delegates." When Gouverneur Morris was asked to draft a preamble to our
new Constitution, he offered an important revision and opened with
words that changed the course of our nation and the history of the
world: "We the people."
By trusting the people, our Founders wagered that a great and noble
nation could be built on the liberty that resides in the hearts of all
men and women. By trusting the people, succeeding generations
transformed our fragile young democracy into the most powerful nation
on Earth and a beacon of hope for millions. And so long as we continue
to trust the people, our nation will prosper, our liberty will be
secure, and the state of our Union will remain strong. (Applause.)
So tonight, with confidence in freedom's power, and trust in the
people, let us set forth to do their business. God bless America.
(Applause.)