[House Document 111-80]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
111th Congress, - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 111-80
2d Session
STATE OF THE UNION MESSAGE
__________
MESSAGE
from
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
transmitting
THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS BEFORE A JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS ON THE STATE
OF THE UNION
January 29, 2010.--Message and accompanying papers referred to the
Committee on the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to
be printed
To the Congress of the United States:
Madam Speaker, Vice President Biden, Members of Congress,
distinguished guests, and fellow Americans:
Our Constitution declares that from time to time, the
President shall give to Congress information about the state of
our Union. For 220 years, our leaders have fulfilled this duty.
They have done so during periods of prosperity and tranquility.
And they have done so in the midst of war and depression; at
moments of great strife and great struggle.
It's tempting to look back on these moments and assume that
our progress was inevitable--that America was always destined
to succeed. But when the Union was turned back at Bull Run and
the Allies first landed at Omaha Beach, victory was very much
in doubt. When the market crashed on Black Tuesday and civil
rights marchers were beaten on Bloody Sunday, the future was
anything but certain. These were times that tested the courage
of our convictions, and the strength of our Union. And despite
all our divisions and disagreements; our hesitations and our
fears; America prevailed because we chose to move forward as
one Nation, and one people.
Again, we are tested. And again, we must answer history's
call.
One year ago, I took office amid two wars, an economy
rocked by severe recession, a financial system on the verge of
collapse, and a Government deeply in debt. Experts from across
the political spectrum warned that if we did not act, we might
face a second depression. So we acted--immediately and
aggressively. And 1 year later, the worst of the storm has
passed.
But the devastation remains. One in ten Americans still
cannot find work. Many businesses have shuttered. Home values
have declined. Small towns and rural communities have been hit
especially hard. For those who had already known poverty, life
became that much harder.
This recession has also compounded the burdens that
America's families have been dealing with for decades--the
burden of working harder and longer for less; of being unable
to save enough to retire or help kids with college.
So I know the anxieties that are out there right now.
They're not new. These struggles are the reason I ran for
President. These struggles are what I've witnessed for years in
places like Elkhart, Indiana and Galesburg, Illinois. I hear
about them in the letters that I read each night. The toughest
to read are those written by children--asking why they have to
move from their home, or when their mom or dad will be able to
go back to work.
For these Americans and so many others, change has not come
fast enough. Some are frustrated; some are angry. They don't
understand why it seems like bad behavior on Wall Street is
rewarded but hard work on Main Street isn't; or why Washington
has been unable or unwilling to solve any of our problems. They
are tired of the partisanship and the shouting and the
pettiness. They know we can't afford it. Not now.
So we face big and difficult challenges. And what the
American people hope--what they deserve--is for all of us,
Democrats and Republicans, to work through our differences; to
overcome the numbing weight of our politics. For while the
people who sent us here have different backgrounds, different
stories and different beliefs, the anxieties they face are the
same. The aspirations they hold are shared. A job that pays the
bills. A chance to get ahead. Most of all, the ability to give
their children a better life.
You know what else they share? They share a stubborn
resilience in the face of adversity. After one of the most
difficult years in our history, they remain busy building cars
and teaching kids; starting businesses and going back to
school. They're coaching little league and helping their
neighbors. As one woman wrote me, ``We are strained but
hopeful, struggling but encouraged.''
It is because of this spirit--this great decency and great
strength--that I have never been more hopeful about America's
future than I am tonight. Despite our hardships, our union is
strong. We do not give up. We do not quit. We do not allow fear
or division to break our spirit. In this new decade, it's time
the American people get a Government that matches their
decency; that embodies their strength. And tonight, I'd like to
talk about how together, we can deliver on that promise.
It begins with our economy.
Our most urgent task upon taking office was to shore up the
same banks that helped cause this crisis. It was not easy to
do. And if there's one thing that has unified Democrats and
Republicans, it's that we all hated the bank bailout. I hated
it. You hated it. It was about as popular as a root canal.
But when I ran for President, I promised I wouldn't just do
what was popular--I would do what was necessary. And if we had
allowed the meltdown of the financial system, unemployment
might be double what it is today. More businesses would
certainly have closed. More homes would have surely been lost.
So I supported the last Administration's efforts to create
the financial rescue program. And when we took the program
over, we made it more transparent and accountable. As a result,
the markets are now stabilized, and we have recovered most of
the money we spent on the banks.
To recover the rest, I have proposed a fee on the biggest
banks. I know Wall Street isn't keen on this idea, but if these
firms can afford to hand out big bonuses again, they can afford
a modest fee to pay back the taxpayers who rescued them in
their time of need.
As we stabilized the financial system, we also took steps
to get our economy growing again, save as many jobs as
possible, and help Americans who had become unemployed.
That's why we extended or increased unemployment benefits
for more than 18 million Americans; made health insurance 65
percent cheaper for families who get their coverage through
COBRA; and passed 25 different tax cuts.
Let me repeat: we cut taxes. We cut taxes for 95 percent of
working families. We cut taxes for small businesses. We cut
taxes for first-time homebuyers. We cut taxes for parents
trying to care for their children. We cut taxes for 8 million
Americans paying for college. As a result, millions of
Americans had more to spend on gas, and food, and other
necessities, all of which helped businesses keep more workers.
And we haven't raised income taxes by a single dime on a single
person. Not a single dime.
Because of the steps we took, there are about two million
Americans working right now who would otherwise be unemployed.
Two hundred thousand work in construction and clean energy.
Three hundred thousand are teachers and other education
workers. Tens of thousands are cops, firefighters, correctional
officers, and first responders. And we are on track to add
another one and a half million jobs to this total by the end of
the year.
The plan that has made all of this possible, from the tax
cuts to the jobs, is the Recovery Act. That's right--the
Recovery Act, also known as the Stimulus Bill. Economists on
the left and the right say that this bill has helped saved jobs
and avert disaster. But you don't have to take their word for
it.
Talk to the small business in Phoenix that's about to
triple its workforce because of the Recovery Act.
Talk to the window manufacturer in Philadelphia who said he
used to be skeptical about the Recovery Act, until he had to
add two more work shifts just because of the business it
created.
Talk to the single teacher raising two kids who was told by
her principal on the last week of school that because of the
Recovery Act, she wouldn't be laid off after all.
There are stories like this all across America. And after 2
years of recession, the economy is growing again. Retirement
funds have started to gain back some of their value. Businesses
are beginning to invest again, and slowly some are starting to
hire again.
But I realize that for every success story, there are other
stories, of men and women who wake up with the anguish of not
knowing where their next paycheck will come from; who send out
resumes week after week and hear nothing in response. That is
why jobs must continue to be our number one focus in 2010. And
that is why I am calling for a new jobs bill tonight.
Now, the true engine of job creation in this country will
always be America's businesses. But Government can create the
conditions necessary for businesses to expand and hire more
workers.
We should start where most new jobs do--in small
businesses, companies that begin when an entrepreneur takes a
chance on a dream, or a worker decides it's time she became her
own boss.
Through sheer grit and determination, these companies have
weathered the recession and are ready to grow. But when you
talk to small business owners in places like Allentown,
Pennsylvania or Elyria, Ohio, you find out that even though
banks on Wall Street are lending again, they are mostly lending
to bigger companies. But financing remains difficult for small
business owners across the country.
So tonight, I'm proposing that we take $30 billion of the
money Wall Street banks have repaid and use it to help
community banks give small businesses the credit they need to
stay afloat. I am also proposing a new small business tax
credit--one that will go to over one million small businesses
who hire new workers or raise wages. While we're at it, let's
also eliminate all capital gains taxes on small business
investment; and provide a tax incentive for all businesses,
large and small, to invest in new plants and equipment.
Next, we can put Americans to work today building the
infrastructure of tomorrow. From the first railroads to the
interstate highway system, our Nation has always been built to
compete. There's no reason Europe or China should have the
fastest trains, or the new factories that manufacture clean
energy products.
Tomorrow, I'll visit Tampa, Florida, where workers will
soon break ground on a new high-speed railroad funded by the
Recovery Act. There are projects like that all across this
country that will create jobs and help our Nation move goods,
services, and information. We should put more Americans to work
building clean energy facilities, and give rebates to Americans
who make their homes more energy efficient, which supports
clean energy jobs. And to encourage these and other businesses
to stay within our borders, it's time to finally slash the tax
breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas and give those
tax breaks to companies that create jobs in the United States
of America.
The House has passed a jobs bill that includes some of
these steps. As the first order of business this year, I urge
the Senate to do the same. People are out of work. They are
hurting. They need our help. And I want a jobs bill on my desk
without delay.
But the truth is, these steps still won't make up for the
seven million jobs we've lost over the last 2 years. The only
way to move to full employment is to lay a new foundation for
long-term economic growth, and finally address the problems
that America's families have confronted for years.
We cannot afford another so-called economic ``expansion''
like the one from last decade--what some call the ``lost
decade''--where jobs grew more slowly than during any prior
expansion; where the income of the average American household
declined while the cost of health care and tuition reached
record highs; where prosperity was built on a housing bubble
and financial speculation.
From the day I took office, I have been told that
addressing our larger challenges is too ambitious--that such
efforts would be too contentious, that our political system is
too gridlocked, and that we should just put things on hold for
awhile.
For those who make these claims, I have one simple
question:
How long should we wait? How long should America put its
future on hold?
You see, Washington has been telling us to wait for
decades, even as the problems have grown worse. Meanwhile,
China's not waiting to revamp its economy. Germany's not
waiting. India's not waiting. These nations aren't standing
still. These nations aren't playing for second place. They're
putting more emphasis on math and science. They're rebuilding
their infrastructure. They are making serious investments in
clean energy because they want those jobs.
I do not accept second-place for the United States of
America. As hard as it may be, as uncomfortable and contentious
as the debates may be, it's time to get serious about fixing
the problems that are hampering our growth.
One place to start is serious financial reform. Look, I am
not interested in punishing banks, I'm interested in protecting
our economy. A strong, healthy financial market makes it
possible for businesses to access credit and create new jobs.
It channels the savings of families into investments that raise
incomes. But that can only happen if we guard against the same
recklessness that nearly brought down our entire economy.
We need to make sure consumers and middle-class families
have the information they need to make financial decisions. We
can't allow financial institutions, including those that take
your deposits, to take risks that threaten the whole economy.
The House has already passed financial reform with many of
these changes. And the lobbyists are already trying to kill it.
Well, we cannot let them win this fight. And if the bill that
ends up on my desk does not meet the test of real reform, I
will send it back.
Next, we need to encourage American innovation. Last year,
we made the largest investment in basic research funding in
history--an investment that could lead to the world's cheapest
solar cells or treatment that kills cancer cells but leaves
healthy ones untouched. And no area is more ripe for such
innovation than energy. You can already see the results of last
year's investment in clean energy--in the North Carolina
company that will create 1,200 jobs making advanced batteries;
or in the California business that's putting thousands to work
making solar panels.
But to create more of these clean energy jobs, we need more
production, more efficiency, more incentives. That means
building a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants
in this country. It means making tough decisions about opening
new offshore areas for oil and gas development. It means
continued investment in advanced biofuels and clean coal
technologies. And yes, it means passing a comprehensive energy
and climate bill with incentives that will finally make clean
energy the profitable kind of energy in America.
I am grateful to the House for passing such a bill last
year. This year, I am eager to help advance the bipartisan
effort in the Senate. I know there have been questions about
whether we can afford such changes in a tough economy; and I
know that there are those who disagree with the overwhelming
scientific evidence on climate change. But even if you are a
doubter, providing incentives for energy efficiency and clean
energy are the right thing to do for our future--because the
nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the nation
that leads the global economy. And America must be that Nation.
Third, we need to export more of our goods. Because the
more products we make and sell to other countries, the more
jobs we support here in America. So tonight, we set a new goal:
We will double our exports over the next 5 years, an increase
that will support two million jobs in America. To help meet
this goal, we're launching a National Export Initiative that
will help farmers and small businesses increase their exports,
and reform export controls consistent with national security.
We have to seek new markets aggressively, just as our
competitors are. If America sits on the sidelines while other
nations sign trade deals, we will lose the chance to create
jobs on our shores. But realizing those benefits also means
enforcing those agreements so our trading partners play by the
rules. And that's why we will continue to shape a Doha trade
agreement that opens global markets, and why we will strengthen
our trade relations in Asia and with key partners like South
Korea, Panama, and Colombia.
Fourth, we need to invest in the skills and education of
our people.
This year, we have broken through the stalemate between
left and right by launching a national competition to improve
our schools. The idea here is simple: instead of rewarding
failure, we only reward success. Instead of funding the status
quo, we only invest in reform--reform that raises student
achievement, inspires students to excel in math and science,
and turns around failing schools that steal the future of too
many young Americans, from rural communities to inner-cities.
In the 21st century, one of the best anti-poverty programs is a
world-class education. We cannot settle for an America where
the success of our children depends more on their zip code than
their potential. And when we renew the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act, we will work with Congress to expand these
reforms to all 50 states.
Still, in this economy, a high school diploma no longer
guarantees a good job. I urge the Senate to follow the House
and pass a bill that will revitalize our community colleges,
which are a career pathway to the children of so many working
families. To make college more affordable, this bill will
finally end the unwarranted taxpayer-subsidies that go to banks
for student loans. Instead, let's take that money and give
families $10,000 for 4 years of college and increase Pell
Grants. And let's tell another one million students that when
they graduate, they will be required to pay only ten percent of
their income on student loans. Because in the United States of
America, no one should go broke because they chose to go to
college. And it's time for colleges and universities to get
serious about cutting their own costs--because they too have a
responsibility to help solve this problem.
Now, the price of college tuition is just one of the
burdens facing the middle-class. That's why last year I asked
Vice President Biden to chair a task force on Middle-Class
Families. That's why we're nearly doubling the child care tax
credit, and making it easier to save for retirement by giving
every worker access to a retirement account and expanding the
tax credit for those who start a nest egg. That's why we're
working to lift the value of a family's single largest
investment--their home. The steps we took last year to shore up
the housing market have allowed millions of Americans to take
out new loans and save an average of $1,500 on mortgage
payments. This year, we will step up re-financing so that
homeowners can move into more affordable mortgages.
And that's why we still need health insurance reform--
because there is no greater long-term burden on middle-class
families.
Now let's be clear--I did not choose to tackle this issue
to get some legislative victory under my belt. And by now it
should be fairly obvious that I didn't take on health care
because it was good politics.
I took on health care because of the stories I've heard
from Americans with pre-existing conditions whose lives depend
on getting coverage; patients who've been denied coverage; and
families--even those with insurance--who are just one illness
away from financial ruin.
After nearly a century of trying, we are closer than ever
to bringing more security to the lives of so many Americans.
The approach we've taken would protect every American from the
worst practices of the insurance industry. It would give small
businesses and uninsured Americans a chance to choose an
affordable health care plan in a competitive market. It would
require every insurance plan to cover preventive care. And I
want to acknowledge our First Lady, Michelle Obama, who this
year is creating a national movement to tackle the epidemic of
childhood obesity and make our kids healthier.
Our approach would preserve the right of Americans who have
insurance to keep their doctor and their plan. It would reduce
costs and premiums for families and businesses. And according
to the Congressional Budget Office--the independent
organization that both parties have cited as the official
scorekeeper for Congress--our approach would bring down the
deficit by as much as $1 trillion over the next two decades.
Still, this is a complex issue, and the longer it was
debated, the more skeptical people became. I take my share of
the blame for not explaining it more clearly to the American
people. And I know that with all the lobbying and horse-
trading, this process left most Americans wondering what's in
it for them.
But I also know this problem is not going away. By the time
I'm finished speaking tonight, more Americans will have lost
their health insurance. Millions will lose it this year. Our
deficit will grow. Premiums will go up. Patients will be denied
the care they need. Small business owners will continue to drop
coverage altogether.
I will not walk away from these Americans. And neither
should the people in this chamber. As temperatures cool, I want
everyone to take a second look at the plan we've proposed.
There's a reason why many doctors, nurses, and health care
experts across the country consider this approach a vast
improvement over the status quo. But if anyone from either
party has a better approach that will bring down premiums,
bring down the deficit, cover the uninsured, strengthen
Medicare for seniors, and stop insurance company abuses, let me
know. Here's what I ask of Congress, though: Do not walk away
from reform. Not now. Not when we are so close. Let us find a
way to come together and finish the job for the American
people.
Now, even as health care reform would reduce our deficit,
it's not enough to dig us out of a massive fiscal hole in which
we find ourselves. It's a challenge that makes all others that
much harder to solve, and one that's been subject to a lot of
political posturing.
So let me start the discussion of Government spending by
setting the record straight. At the beginning of the last
decade, America had a budget surplus of over $200 billion. By
the time I took office, we had a 1 year deficit of over $1
trillion and projected deficits of $8 trillion over the next
decade. Most of this was the result of not paying for two wars,
two tax cuts, and an expensive prescription drug program. On
top of that, the effects of the recession put a $3 trillion
hole in our budget. That was before I walked in the door.
Now if we had taken office in ordinary times, I would have
liked nothing more than to start bringing down the deficit. But
we took office amid a crisis, and our efforts to prevent a
second Depression have added another $1 trillion to our
national debt.
I am absolutely convinced that was the right thing to do.
But families across the country are tightening their belts and
making tough decisions. The Federal Government should do the
same. So tonight, I'm proposing specific steps to pay for the
$1 trillion that it took to rescue the economy last year.
Starting in 2011, we are prepared to freeze government
spending for 3 years. Spending related to our national
security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security will not be
affected. But all other discretionary Government programs will.
Like any cash-strapped family, we will work within a budget to
invest in what we need and sacrifice what we don't. And if I
have to enforce this discipline by veto, I will.
We will continue to go through the budget line by line to
eliminate programs that we can't afford and don't work. We've
already identified $20 billion in savings for next year. To
help working families, we will extend our middle-class tax
cuts. But at a time of record deficits, we will not continue
tax cuts for oil companies, investment fund managers, and those
making over $250,000 a year. We just can't afford it.
Now, even after paying for what we spent on my watch, we
will still face the massive deficit we had when I took office.
More importantly, the cost of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social
Security will continue to skyrocket. That's why I've called for
a bipartisan Fiscal Commission, modeled on a proposal by
Republican Judd Gregg and Democrat Kent Conrad. This can't be
one of those Washington gimmicks that lets us pretend we solved
a problem. The Commission will have to provide a specific set
of solutions by a certain deadline. Yesterday, the Senate
blocked a bill that would have created this commission. So I
will issue an executive order that will allow us to go forward,
because I refuse to pass this problem on to another generation
of Americans. And when the vote comes tomorrow, the Senate
should restore the pay-as-you-go law that was a big reason why
we had record surpluses in the 1990s.
I know that some in my own party will argue that we cannot
address the deficit or freeze Government spending when so many
are still hurting. I agree, which is why this freeze will not
take effect until next year, when the economy is stronger. But
understand--if we do not take meaningful steps to rein in our
debt, it could damage our fragile markets, increase the cost of
borrowing, and jeopardize our recovery--all of which could have
an even worse effect on our job growth and family incomes.
From the right, I expect we'll hear that we should make
fewer investments in our people, extend tax cuts for wealthier
Americans, eliminate more regulations, and maintain the status
quo on health care. The problem is, that's what we did for 8
years. That's what helped lead us into this crisis. It's what
helped lead to these deficits. And we cannot do it again.
Rather than fight the same tired battles that have
dominated Washington for decades, it's time to try something
new. Let's invest in our people without leaving them a mountain
of debt. Let's meet our responsibility to the citizens who sent
us here. Let's try common sense.
To do that, we have to recognize that we face more than a
deficit of dollars right now. We face a deficit of trust--deep
and corrosive doubts about how Washington works that have been
growing for years. To close that credibility gap we must take
action on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue to end the outsized
influence of lobbyists; to do our work openly; and to give our
people the Government they deserve.
That's what I came to Washington to do. That's why--for the
first time in history--my Administration posts our White House
visitors online. And that's why we've excluded lobbyists from
policy-making jobs or seats on Federal boards and commissions.
But we can't stop there. It's time to require lobbyists to
disclose each contact they make on behalf of a client with my
Administration or Congress. And it's time to put strict limits
on the contributions that lobbyists give to candidates for
Federal office. Last week, the Supreme Court reversed a century
of law to open the floodgates for special interests--including
foreign corporations--to spend without limit in our elections.
Well, I don't think American elections should be bankrolled by
America's most powerful interests, or worse, by foreign
entities. They should be decided by the American people, and
that's why I'm urging Democrats and Republicans to pass a bill
that helps to right this wrong.
I'm also calling on Congress to continue down the path of
earmark reform. You have trimmed some of this spending and
embraced some meaningful change. But restoring the public trust
demands more. For example, some members of Congress post some
earmark requests online. Tonight, I'm calling on Congress to
publish all earmark requests on a single website before there's
a vote so that the American people can see how their money is
being spent.
Of course, none of these reforms will even happen if we
don't also reform how we work with one another.
I am not naive. I never thought the mere fact of my
election would usher in peace, harmony, and some post-partisan
era. I knew that both parties have fed divisions that are
deeply entrenched. And on some issues, there are simply
philosophical differences that will always cause us to part
ways. These disagreements, about the role of Government in our
lives, about our national priorities and our national security,
have been taking place for over 200 years. They are the very
essence of our democracy.
But what frustrates the American people is a Washington
where every day is Election Day. We cannot wage a perpetual
campaign where the only goal is to see who can get the most
embarrassing headlines about their opponent--a belief that if
you lose, I win. Neither party should delay or obstruct every
single bill just because they can. The confirmation of well-
qualified public servants should not be held hostage to the pet
projects or grudges of a few individual Senators. Washington
may think that the vitriol spilled out on cable and talk radio
is just part of the game; that saying anything about the other
side, no matter how false, is what it takes to get power. But
it is precisely such politics that has stopped either party
from helping the American people. Worse yet, it is sowing
further division among our citizens and further distrust in our
Government.
So no, I will not give up on changing the tone of our
politics. I know it's an election year. And after last week, it
is clear that campaign fever has come even earlier than usual.
But we still need to govern. To Democrats, I would remind you
that we still have the largest majority in decades, and the
people expect us to solve some problems, not run for the hills.
And if the Republican leadership is going to insist that 60
votes in the Senate are required to do any business at all in
this town, then the responsibility to govern is now yours as
well. Just saying no to everything may be good short-term
politics, but it's not leadership. We were sent here to serve
our citizens, not our ambitions. So let's show the American
people that we can do it together. This week, I'll be
addressing a meeting of the House Republicans. And I would like
to begin monthly meetings with both the Democratic and
Republican leadership. I know you can't wait.
Throughout our history, no issue has united this country
more than our security. Sadly, the unity we felt after 9/11 has
dissipated. We can argue all we want about who's to blame for
this, but I am not interested in re-litigating the past. I know
that all of us love this country. All of us are committed to
its defense. So let's put aside the schoolyard taunts about who
is tough. Let's reject the false choice between protecting our
people and upholding our values. Let's leave behind the fear
and division, and do what it takes to defend our Nation and
forge a more hopeful future--for America and the world.
That is the work we began last year. Since the day I took
office, we have renewed our focus on the terrorists who
threaten our Nation. We have made substantial investments in
our homeland security and disrupted plots that threatened to
take American lives. We are filling unacceptable gaps revealed
by the failed Christmas attack, with better airline security,
and swifter action on our intelligence. We have prohibited
torture and strengthened partnerships from the Pacific to South
Asia to the Arabian Peninsula. And in the last year, hundreds
of al Qaeda's fighters and affiliates, including many senior
leaders, have been captured or killed--far more than in 2008.
In Afghanistan, we are increasing our troops and training
Afghan Security Forces so they can begin to take the lead in
July of 2011, and our troops can begin to come home. We will
reward good governance, reduce corruption, and support the
rights of all Afghans--men and women alike. We are joined by
allies and partners who have increased their own commitment,
and who will come together tomorrow in London to reaffirm our
common purpose. There will be difficult days ahead. But I am
confident we will succeed.
As we take the fight to al Qaeda, we are responsibly
leaving Iraq to its people. As a candidate, I promised that I
would end this war, and that is what I am doing as President.
We will have all of our combat troops out of Iraq by the end of
this August. We will support the Iraqi government as they hold
elections, and continue to partner with the Iraqi people to
promote regional peace and prosperity. But make no mistake:
this war is ending, and all of our troops are coming home.
Tonight, all of our men and women in uniform--in Iraq,
Afghanistan, and around the world--must know that they have our
respect, our gratitude, and our full support. And just as they
must have the resources they need in war, we all have a
responsibility to support them when they come home. That is why
we made the largest increase in investments for veterans in
decades. That is why we are building a 21st centry VA. And that
is why Michelle has joined with Jill Biden to forge a national
commitment to support military families.
Even as we prosecute two wars, we are also confronting the
greatest danger to the American people--the threat of nuclear
weapons. I have embraced the vision of John F. Kennedy and
Ronald Reagan through a strategy that reverses the spread of
these weapons, and seeks a world without them. To reduce our
stockpiles and launchers, while ensuring our deterrent, the
United States and Russia are completing negotiations on the
farthest-reaching arms control treaty in nearly two decades.
And at April's Nuclear Security Summit, we will bring 44
nations together behind a clear goal: securing all vulnerable
nuclear materials around the world in 4 years, so that they
never fall into the hands of terrorists.
These diplomatic efforts have also strengthened our hand in
dealing with those nations that insist on violating
international agreements in pursuit of these weapons. That is
why North Korea now faces increased isolation, and stronger
sanctions--sanctions that are being vigorously enforced. That
is why the international community is more united, and the
Islamic Republic of Iran is more isolated. And as Iran's
leaders continue to ignore their obligations, there should be
no doubt: they, too, will face growing consequences.
That is the leadership that we are providing--engagement
that advances the common security and prosperity of all people.
We are working through the G-20 to sustain a lasting global
recovery. We are working with Muslim communities around the
world to promote science, education, and innovation. We have
gone from a bystander to a leader in the fight against climate
change. We are helping developing countries to feed themselves,
and continuing the fight against HIV/AIDS. And we are launching
a new initiative that will give us the capacity to respond
faster and more effectively to bio-terrorism or an infectious
disease--a plan that will counter threats at home, and
strengthen public health abroad.
As we have for over 60 years, America takes these actions
because our destiny is connected to those beyond our shores.
But we also do it because it is right. That is why, as we meet
here tonight, over 10,000 Americans are working with many
nations to help the people of Haiti recover and rebuild. That
is why we stand with the girl who yearns to go to school in
Afghanistan; we support the human rights of the women marching
through the streets of Iran; and we advocate for the young man
denied a job by corruption in Guinea. For America must stand on
the side of freedom and human dignity.
Abroad, America's greatest source of strength is our
ideals. The same is true at home. We find unity in our
incredible diversity, drawing on the promise enshrined in our
Constitution: that no matter who you are or what you look like,
if you abide by the law you should be protected by it; if you
adhere to our common values you should be treated no different
than anyone else.
We must carry this promise forward. My Administration has a
Civil Rights Division that is once again prosecuting civil
rights violations and employment discrimination. We finally
strengthened our laws to protect against crimes driven by hate.
This year, I will work with Congress and our military to
finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to
serve the country they love because of who they are. We are
going to crack down on violations of equal pay laws--so that
women get equal pay for an equal day's work. And we should
continue the work of fixing our broken immigration system--to
secure our borders and enforce our laws so that everyone plays
by the rules.
In the end, it is our ideals, our values that built
America--values that allowed us to forge a Nation made up of
immigrants from every corner of the globe; values that drive
our citizens still. Every day, they meet their responsibilities
to their families and their employers. Time and again, they
lend a hand to their neighbors and give back to their country.
They take pride in their labor, and are generous in spirit.
These aren't Republican values or Democratic values they're
living by; business values or labor values. They are American
values.
Unfortunately, too many of our citizens have lost faith
that our biggest institutions--our corporations, our media, and
yes, our Government--still reflect these same values. Each of
these institutions are full of honorable men and women doing
important work for the country. But each time a CEO rewards
himself for failure, or a banker puts the rest of us at risk
for his own selfish gain, people's doubts grow. Each time
lobbyists game the system or politicians tear each other down
instead of lifting this country up, we lose faith. The more
that TV pundits reduce serious debates into silly arguments,
and big issues into sound bites, our citizens turn away.
No wonder there's so much cynicism out there. No wonder
there's so much disappointment.
I campaigned on the promise of change--change we can
believe in, the slogan went. And right now, I know there are
many Americans who aren't sure if they still believe we can
change.
But remember this--I never suggested that change would be
easy. Democracy in a Nation of three hundred million people can
be noisy and messy and complicated. And when you try to do big
things and make big changes, it stirs passions and controversy.
That's just how it is.
Of course, those of us in public office can respond to this
reality by playing it safe and keeping our poll numbers high.
We can avoid telling hard truths. We can kick hard problems
down the road. We can do what's necessary to get through the
next election instead of what's best for the next generation.
But I also know this: if people had made that decision 50
years ago or 100 years ago or 200 years ago, we wouldn't be
here tonight. The only reason we are is because generations of
Americans were unafraid to do what was hard; to do what was
needed even when success was uncertain; to do what it took to
keep the dream of this Nation alive for their children and
grandchildren.
Our Administration has had some political setbacks this
year, and some of them were deserved. But I wake up every day
knowing that they are nothing compared to the setbacks that
families all across this country have faced this year. And what
keeps me going--what keeps me fighting--is that despite all
these setbacks, that spirit of determination and optimism--that
fundamental decency that has always been at the core of the
American people--lives on.
It lives on in the struggling small business owner who
wrote to me of his company, ``None of us,'' he said, ``. . .
are willing to consider, even slightly, that we might fail.''
It lives on in the woman who said that even though she and
her neighbors have felt the pain of recession, ``We are strong.
We are resilient. We are American.''
It lives on in the 8-year old boy in Louisiana, who just
sent me his allowance and asked if I would give it to the
people of Haiti. And it lives on in all the Americans who've
dropped everything to go some place they've never been and pull
people they've never known from rubble, prompting chants of
``U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A!'' when another life was saved.
The spirit that has sustained this Nation for more than two
centuries lives on in you, its people. We have finished a
difficult year. We have come through a difficult decade. But a
new year has come. A new decade stretches before us. We don't
quit. I don't quit. Let's seize this moment--to start anew, to
carry the dream forward, and to strengthen our Union once more.
Thank you. God Bless You. And God Bless the United States
of America.
Barack Obama.
The White House, January 27, 2010.