shield families from ruin, and encourage fair competition. Today, we
have new tools to stop taxpayer-funded bailouts and a new consumer
watchdog to protect us from predatory lending and abusive credit card
practices. And in the past year alone, about 10 million uninsured
Americans finally gained the security of health coverage.
At every step, we were told our goals were misguided or too ambitious,
that we would crush jobs and explode deficits. Instead, we've seen the
fastest economic growth in over a decade, our deficits cut by two-
thirds, a stock market that has doubled, and health care inflation at
its lowest rate in 50 years. This is good news, people. [Laughter]
So the verdict is clear. Middle class economics works. Expanding
opportunity works. And these policies will continue to work as long as
politics don't get in the way. We can't slow down businesses or put our
economy at risk with Government shutdowns or fiscal showdowns. We can't
put the security of families at risk by taking away their health
insurance or unraveling the new rules on Wall Street or refighting past
battles on immigration when we've got to fix a broken system. And if a
bill comes to my desk that tries to do any of these things, I will veto
it. It will have earned my veto.
Today, thanks to a growing economy, the recovery is touching more and
more lives. Wages are finally starting to rise again. We know that more
small-business owners plan to raise their employees' pay than at any
time since 2007. But here's the thing: Those of us here tonight, we
need to set our sights higher than just making sure Government doesn't
screw things up--[laughter]--that Government doesn't halt the progress
we're making. We need to do more than just do no harm. Tonight,
together, let's do more to restore the link between hard work and
growing opportunity for every American.
Because families like Rebekah's still need our help. She and Ben are
working as hard as ever, but they've had to forego vacations and a new
car so that they can pay off student loans and save for retirement.
Friday night pizza, that's a big splurge. Basic childcare for Jack and
Henry costs more than their mortgage and almost as much as a year at
the University of Minnesota. Like millions of hard-working Americans,
Rebekah isn't asking for a handout, but she is asking that we look for
more ways to help families get ahead.
And in fact, at every moment of economic change throughout our history,
this country has taken bold action to adapt to new circumstances and to
make sure everyone gets a fair shot. We set up worker protections,
Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid to protect ourselves from the
harshest adversity. We gave our citizens schools and colleges,
infrastructure and the Internet, tools they needed to go as far as
their efforts and their dreams will take them.
That's what middle class economics is: the idea that this country does
best when everyone gets their fair shot, everyone does their fair share,
everyone plays by the same set of rules. We don't just want everyone to
share in America's success, we want everyone to contribute to our
success.
So what does middle class economics require in our time? First, middle
class economics means helping working families feel more secure in a
world of constant change. That means helping folks afford childcare,
college, health care, a home, retirement. And my budget will address
each of these issues, lowering the taxes of working families and
putting thousands of dollars back into their pockets each year.
Here's one example. During World War II, when men like my grandfather
went off to war, having women like my grandmother in the workforce was
a national security priority, so this country provided universal
childcare. In today's economy, when having both parents in the
workforce is an economic necessity for many families, we need
affordable, high-quality childcare more than ever.
It's not a nice-to-have, it's a must-have. So it's time we stop
treating childcare as a side issue, or as a women's issue, and treat it
like the national economic priority that it is for all of us. And
that's why my plan will make quality childcare more available and more
affordable for every middle class and low-income family with young
children in America, by creating more slots and a new tax cut of up to
$3,000 per child, per year.
Here's another example. Today, we are the only advanced country on
Earth that doesn't guarantee paid sick leave or paid maternity leave to
our workers. Forty-three million workers have no paid sick leave--43
million. Think about that. And that forces too many parents to make the
gut-wrenching choice between a paycheck and a sick kid at home. So I'll
be taking new action to help States adopt paid leave laws of their own.
And since paid sick leave won where it was on the ballot last November,
let's put it to a vote right here in Washington. Send me a bill that
gives every worker in America the opportunity to earn 7 days of paid
sick leave. It's the right thing to do. [Applause] It's the right thing
to do.
Of course, nothing helps families make ends meet like higher wages.
That's why this Congress still needs to pass a law that makes sure a
woman is paid the same as a man for doing the same work. I mean, it's
2015. [Laughter] It's time. We still need to make sure employees get
the overtime they've earned. And to everyone in this Congress who still
refuses to raise the minimum wage, I say this: If you truly believe you
could work full time and support a family on less than $15,000 a year,
try it. If not, vote to give millions of the hardest working people in
America a raise.
Now, these ideas won't make everybody rich, won't relieve every
hardship. That's not the job of government. To give working families a
fair shot, we still need more employers to see beyond next quarter's
earnings and recognize that investing in their workforce is in their
company's long-term interest. We still need laws that strengthen rather
than weaken unions, and give American workers a voice.
But you know, things like childcare and sick leave and equal pay,
things like lower mortgage premiums and a higher minimum wage--these
ideas will make a meaningful difference in the lives of millions of
families. That's a fact. And that's what all of us, Republicans and
Democrats alike, were sent here to do.
Now, second, to make sure folks keep earning higher wages down the road,
we have to do more to help Americans upgrade their skills. America
thrived in the 20th century because we made high school free, sent a
generation of GIs to college, trained the best workforce in the world.
We were ahead of the curve. But other countries caught on. And in a
21st-century economy that rewards knowledge like never before, we need
to up our game. We need to do more.
By the end of this decade, two in three job openings will require some
higher education--two in three. And yet we still live in a country where
too many bright, striving Americans are priced out of the education
they need. It's not fair to them, and it's sure not smart for our
future. And that's why I'm sending this Congress a bold new plan to
lower the cost of community college to zero.
Keep in mind, 40 percent of our college students choose community
college. Some are young and starting out. Some are older and looking
for a better job. Some are veterans and single parents trying to
transition back into the job market. Whoever you are, this plan is your
chance to graduate ready for the new economy without a load of debt.
Understand, you've got to earn it. You've got to keep your grades up
and graduate on time.
Tennessee, a State with Republican leadership, and Chicago, a city with
Democratic leadership, are showing that free community college is
possible. I want to spread that idea all across America so that 2 years
of college becomes as free and universal in America as high school is
today. Let's stay ahead of the curve. And I want to work with this
Congress to make sure those already burdened with student loans can
reduce their monthly payments so that student debt doesn't derail
anyone's dreams.
Thanks to Vice President Biden's great work to update our job training
system, we're connecting community colleges with local employers to
train workers to fill high-paying jobs like coding and nursing and
robotics. Tonight I'm also asking more businesses to follow the lead of
companies like CVS and UPS and offer more educational benefits and paid
apprenticeships, opportunities that give workers the chance to earn
higher paying jobs even if they don't have a higher education.
And as a new generation of veterans comes home, we owe them every
opportunity to live the American Dream they helped defend. Already,
we've made strides towards ensuring that every veteran has access to
the highest quality care. We're slashing the backlog that had too many
veterans waiting years to get the benefits they need. And we're making
it easier for vets to translate their training and experience into
civilian jobs. And Joining Forces, the national campaign launched by
Michelle and Jill Biden--[applause]--thank you, Michelle; thank you,
Jill--has helped nearly 700,000 veterans and military spouses get a new
job. So to every CEO in America, let me repeat: If you want somebody
who's going to get the job done and done right, hire a veteran.
Finally, as we better train our workers, we need the new economy to
keep churning out high-wage jobs for our workers to fill. Since 2010,
America has put more people back to work than Europe, Japan, and all
advanced economies combined.
Our manufacturers have added almost 800,000 new jobs. Some of our
bedrock sectors, like our auto industry, are booming. But there are
also millions of Americans who work in jobs that didn't even exist 10
or 20 years ago, jobs at companies like Google and eBay and Tesla.
So no one knows for certain which industries will generate the jobs of
the future. But we do know we want them here in America. We know that.
And that's why the third part of middle class economics is all about
building the most competitive economy anywhere, the place where
businesses want to locate and hire.
Twenty-first century businesses need 21st-century infrastructure:
modern ports and stronger bridges, faster trains and the fastest
Internet. Democrats and Republicans used to agree on this. So let's set
our sights higher than a single oil pipeline. Let's pass a bipartisan
infrastructure plan that could create more than 30 times as many jobs
per year and make this country stronger for decades to come. Let's do
it. Let's get it done. [Applause] Let's get it done.
Twenty-first century businesses, including small businesses, need to
sell more American products overseas. Today, our businesses export more
than ever, and exporters tend to pay their workers higher wages. But as
we speak, China wants to write the rules for the world's fastest
growing region. That would put our workers and our businesses at a
disadvantage. Why would we let that happen? We should write those rules.
We should level the playing field. And that's why I'm asking both
parties to give me trade promotion authority to protect American
workers, with strong new trade deals from Asia to Europe that aren't
just free, but are also fair. It's the right thing to do.
Look, I'm the first one to admit that past trade deals haven't always
lived up to the hype, and that's why we've gone after countries that
break the rules at our expense. But 95 percent of the world's customers
live outside our borders. We can't close ourselves off from those
opportunities. More than half of manufacturing executives have said
they're actively looking to bring jobs back from China. So let's give
them one more reason to get it done.
Twenty-first century businesses will rely on American science and
technology, research and development. I want the country that
eliminated polio and mapped the human genome to lead a new era of
medicine, one that delivers the right treatment at the right time.
In some patients with cystic fibrosis, this approach has reversed a
disease once thought unstoppable. So tonight I'm launching a new
precision medicine initiative to bring us closer to curing diseases
like cancer and diabetes and to give all of us access to the
personalized information we need to keep ourselves and our families
healthier. We can do this.
I intend to protect a free and open Internet, extend its reach to every
classroom and every community and help folks build the fastest networks
so that the next generation of digital innovators and entrepreneurs
have the platform to keep reshaping our world. I want Americans to win
the race for the kinds of discoveries that unleash new jobs: converting
sunlight into liquid fuel; creating revolutionary prosthetics so that a
veteran who gave his arms for his country can play catch with his kids
again; pushing out into the solar system not just to visit, but to stay.
Last month, we launched a new spacecraft as part of a reenergized space
program that will send American astronauts to Mars. And in 2 months, to
prepare us for those missions, Scott Kelly will begin a year-long stay
in space. So good luck, Captain. Make sure to Instagram it. We're proud
of you.
Now, the truth is, when it comes to issues like infrastructure and
basic research, I know there's bipartisan support in this Chamber.
Members of both parties have told me so. Where we too often run onto
the rocks is how to pay for these investments. As Americans, we don't
mind paying our fair share of taxes as long as everybody else does too.
But for far too long, lobbyists have rigged the Tax Code with loopholes
that let some corporations pay nothing while others pay full freight.
They've riddled it with giveaways that the super-rich don't need, while
denying a break to middle class families who do.
This year, we have an opportunity to change that. Let's close loopholes
so we stop rewarding companies that keep profits abroad and reward
those that invest here in America. Let's use those savings to rebuild
our infrastructure and to make it more attractive for companies to
bring jobs home. Let's simplify the system and let a small-business
owner file based on her actual bank statement, instead of the number of
accountants she can afford. And let's close the loopholes that lead to
inequality by allowing the top 1 percent to avoid paying taxes on their
accumulated wealth. We can use that money to help more families pay for
childcare and send their kids to college. We need a Tax Code that truly
helps working Americans trying to get a leg up in the new economy, and
we can achieve that together. [Applause] We can achieve it together.
Helping hard-working families make ends meet, giving them the tools
they need for good-paying jobs in this new economy, maintaining the
conditions of growth and competitiveness--this is where America needs to
go. I believe it's where the American people want to go. It will make
our economy stronger a year from now, 15 years from now, and deep into
the century ahead.
Of course, if there's one thing this new century has taught us, it's
that we cannot separate our work here at home from challenges beyond
our shores. My first duty as Commander in Chief is to defend the United
States of America. In doing so, the question is not whether America
leads in the world, but how. When we make rash decisions, reacting to
the headlines instead of using our heads, when the first response to a
challenge is to send in our military, then we risk getting drawn into
unnecessary conflicts and neglect the broader strategy we need for a
safer, more prosperous world. That's what our enemies want us to do.
I believe in a smarter kind of American leadership. We lead best when
we combine military power with strong diplomacy, when we leverage our
power with coalition building, when we don't let our fears blind us to
the opportunities that this new century presents. That's exactly what
we're doing right now. And around the globe, it is making a difference.
First, we stand united with people around the world who have been
targeted by terrorists, from a school in Pakistan to the streets of
Paris. We will continue to hunt down terrorists and dismantle their
networks, and we reserve the right to act unilaterally, as we have done
relentlessly since I took office, to take out terrorists who pose a
direct threat to us and our allies. At the same time, we've learned
some costly lessons over the last 13 years. Instead of Americans
patrolling the valleys of Afghanistan, we've trained their security
forces, who have now taken the lead, and we've honored our troops'
sacrifice by supporting that country's first democratic transition.
Instead of sending large ground forces overseas, we're partnering with
nations from South Asia to North Africa to deny safe haven to
terrorists who threaten America.
In Iraq and Syria, American leadership--including our military power--is
stopping ISIL's advance. Instead of getting dragged into another ground
war in the Middle East, we are leading a broad coalition, including
Arab nations, to degrade and ultimately destroy this terrorist group.
We're also supporting a moderate opposition in Syria that can help us
in this effort and assisting people everywhere who stand up to the
bankrupt ideology of violent extremism.
Now, this effort will take time. It will require focus. But we will
succeed. And tonight I call on this Congress to show the world that we
are united in this mission by passing a resolution to authorize the use
of force against ISIL. We need that authority.
Second, we're demonstrating the power of American strength and
diplomacy. We're upholding the principle that bigger nations can't
bully the small, by opposing Russian aggression and supporting
Ukraine's democracy and reassuring our NATO allies.
Last year, as we were doing the hard work of imposing sanctions along
with our allies, as we were reinforcing our presence with frontline
states, Mr. Putin's aggression, it was suggested, was a masterful
display of strategy and strength. That's what I heard from some folks.
[Laughter] Well, today, it is America that stands strong and united
with our allies, while Russia is isolated with its economy in tatters.
That's how America leads: not with bluster, but with persistent, steady
resolve.
In Cuba, we are ending a policy that was long past its expiration date.
When what you're doing doesn't work for 50 years, it's time to try
something new. [Laughter] And our shift in Cuba policy has the
potential to end a legacy of mistrust in our hemisphere. It removes a
phony excuse for restrictions in Cuba. It stands up for democratic
values and extends the hand of friendship to the Cuban people. And this
year, Congress should begin the work of ending the embargo.
As His Holiness Pope Francis has said, diplomacy is the work of "small
steps." And these small steps have added up to new hope for the future
in Cuba. And after years in prison, we are overjoyed that Alan Gross is
back where he belongs. Welcome home, Alan. We're glad you're here.
Our diplomacy is at work with respect to Iran, where, for the first
time in a decade, we've halted the progress of its nuclear program and
reduced its stockpile of nuclear material. Between now and this spring,
we have a chance to negotiate a comprehensive agreement that prevents a
nuclear-armed Iran, secures America and our allies, including Israel,
while avoiding yet another Middle East conflict. There are no
guarantees that negotiations will succeed, and I keep all options on
the table to prevent a nuclear Iran.
But new sanctions passed by this Congress, at this moment in time, will
all but guarantee that diplomacy fails: alienating America from its
allies, making it harder to maintain sanctions, and ensuring that Iran
starts up its nuclear program again. It doesn't make sense. And that's
why I will veto any new sanctions bill that threatens to undo this
progress. The American people expect us only to go to war as a last
resort, and I intend to stay true to that wisdom. Third, we're looking
beyond the issues that have consumed us in the past to shape the coming
century. No foreign nation, no hacker, should be able to shut down our
networks, steal our trade secrets, or invade the privacy of American
families, especially our kids. So we're making sure our Government
integrates intelligence to combat cyber threats, just as we have done
to combat terrorism.
And tonight I urge this Congress to finally pass the legislation we
need to better meet the evolving threat of cyber attacks, combat
identity theft, and protect our children's information. That should be
a bipartisan effort. If we don't act, we'll leave our Nation and our
economy vulnerable. If we do, we can continue to protect the
technologies that have unleashed untold opportunities for people around
the globe.
In West Africa, our troops, our scientists, our doctors, our nurses,
our health care workers are rolling back Ebola, saving countless lives
and stopping the spread of disease. I could not be prouder of them, and
I thank this Congress for your bipartisan support of their efforts. But
the job is not yet done, and the world needs to use this lesson to
build a more effective global effort to prevent the spread of future
pandemics, invest in smart development, and eradicate extreme poverty.
In the Asia-Pacific, we are modernizing alliances while making sure
that other nations play by the rules: in how they trade, how they
resolve maritime disputes, how they participate in meeting common
international challenges like nonproliferation and disaster relief. And
no challenge--no challenge--poses a greater threat to future generations
than climate change.
Two thousand fourteen was the planet's warmest year on record. Now, 1
year doesn't make a trend, but this does: 14 of the 15 warmest years on
record have all fallen in the first 15 years of this century.
Now, I've heard some folks try to dodge the evidence by saying they're
not scientists, that we don't have enough information to act. Well, I'm
not a scientist, either. But you know what, I know a lot of really good
scientists--[laughter]--at NASA and at NOAA and at our major universities.
And the best scientists in the world are all telling us that our
activities are changing the climate, and if we don't act forcefully,
we'll continue to see rising oceans, longer, hotter heat waves,
dangerous droughts and floods, and massive disruptions that can trigger
greater migration and conflict and hunger around the globe. The
Pentagon says that climate change poses immediate risks to our national
security. We should act like it.
And that's why, over the past 6 years, we've done more than ever to
combat climate change, from the way we produce energy to the way we use
it. That's why we've set aside more public lands and waters than any
administration in history. And that's why I will not let this Congress
endanger the health of our children by turning back the clock on our
efforts. I am determined to make sure that American leadership drives
international action.
In Beijing, we made a historic announcement: The United States will
double the pace at which we cut carbon pollution. And China committed,
for the first time, to limiting their emissions. And because the
world's two largest economies came together, other nations are now
stepping up and offering hope that this year the world will finally
reach an agreement to protect the one planet we've got.