[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 22 (Tuesday, February 5, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H1356-H1360]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  2035
JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS PURSUANT TO HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 9 TO 
                  RECEIVE A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

  The recess having expired, the House was called to order by the 
Speaker at 8 o'clock and 35 minutes p.m.
  The Assistant to the Sergeant at Arms, Ms. Kathleen Joyce, announced 
the Vice President and Members of the U.S. Senate, who entered the Hall 
of the House of Representatives, the Vice President taking the chair at 
the right of the Speaker, and the Members of the Senate the seats 
reserved for them.
  The SPEAKER. The joint session will come to order.
  The Chair appoints as members of the committee on the part of the 
House to escort the President of the United States into the Chamber:
  The gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer);
  The gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn);
  The gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Lujan);
  The gentleman from New York (Mr. Jeffries);
  The gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Clark);
  The gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Bustos);
  The gentlewoman from California (Ms. Hill);
  The gentleman from California (Mr. McCarthy);
  The gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise);
  The gentlewoman from Wyoming (Ms. Cheney);
  The gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Emmer);
  The gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Palmer);
  The gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Walker); and
  The gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Smith).
  The VICE PRESIDENT. The President of the Senate, at the direction of 
that body, appoints the following Senators as members of the committee 
on the part of the Senate to escort the President of the United States 
into the House Chamber:
  The Senator from Kentucky (Mr. McConnell);
  The Senator from South Dakota (Mr. Thune);
  The Senator from Iowa (Mr. Grassley);
  The Senator from Wyoming (Mr. Barrasso);
  The Senator from Missouri (Mr. Blunt);
  The Senator from Iowa (Ms. Ernst);
  The Senator from Indiana (Mr. Young);
  The Senator from New York (Mr. Schumer);
  The Senator from Illinois (Mr. Durbin);
  The Senator from Washington (Mrs. Murray);
  The Senator from Michigan (Ms. Stabenow);
  The Senator from Massachusetts (Ms. Warren);
  The Senator from Minnesota (Ms. Klobuchar); and
  The Senator from Wisconsin (Ms. Baldwin).
  The Assistant to the Sergeant at Arms announced the Dean of the 
Diplomatic Corps, His Excellency Hersey Kyota, the Ambassador of the 
Republic of Palau.
  The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps entered the Hall of the House of 
Representatives and took the seat reserved for him.
  The Assistant to the Sergeant at Arms announced the Chief Justice of 
the United States and the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court.
  The Chief Justice of the United States and the Associate Justices of 
the Supreme Court entered the Hall of the House of Representatives and 
took the seats reserved for them in front of the Speaker's rostrum.
  The Assistant to the Sergeant at Arms announced the Cabinet of the 
President of the United States.
  The members of the Cabinet of the President of the United States 
entered the Hall of the House of Representatives and took the seats 
reserved for them in front of the Speaker's rostrum.
  At 9 o'clock and 3 minutes p.m., the Sergeant at Arms, the Honorable 
Paul D. Irving, announced the President of the United States.
  The President of the United States, escorted by the committee of 
Senators and Representatives, entered the Hall of the House of 
Representatives and stood at the Clerk's desk.
  (Applause, the Members rising.)
  The PRESIDENT. Madam Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of 
Congress, the First Lady of the United States, and my fellow Americans:
  We meet tonight at a moment of unlimited potential. As we begin a new 
Congress, I stand here ready to work with you to achieve historic 
breakthroughs for all Americans.
  Millions of our fellow citizens are watching us now, gathered in this 
great Chamber, hoping that we will govern not as two parties but as one 
nation.
  The agenda I will lay out this evening is not a Republican agenda or

[[Page H1357]]

a Democrat agenda. It is the agenda of the American people.
  Many of us have campaigned on the same core promises: to defend 
American jobs and demand fair trade for American workers; to rebuild 
and revitalize our Nation's infrastructure; to reduce the price of 
healthcare and prescription drugs; to create an immigration system that 
is safe, lawful, modern, and secure; and to pursue a foreign policy 
that puts America's interests first.
  There is a new opportunity in American politics, if only we have the 
courage together to seize it. Victory is not winning for our party. 
Victory is winning for our country.
  This year, America will recognize two important anniversaries that 
show us the majesty of America's mission and the power of American 
pride.
  In June, we mark 75 years since the start of what General Dwight D. 
Eisenhower called The Great Crusade--the Allied liberation of Europe in 
World War II. On D-day, June 6, 1944, 15,000 young American men jumped 
from the sky and 60,000 more stormed in from the sea to save our 
civilization from tyranny.
  Here with us tonight are three of those incredible heroes: Private 
First Class Joseph Reilly, Staff Sergeant Irving Locker, and Sergeant 
Herman Zeitchik. Gentlemen, we salute you.
  In 2019, we also celebrate 50 years since brave young pilots flew a 
quarter of a million miles through space to plant the American flag on 
the face of the moon. Half a century later, we are joined by one of the 
Apollo 11 astronauts who planted that flag: Buzz Aldrin. Thank you, 
Buzz. This year, American astronauts will go back to space on American 
rockets.
  In the 20th century, America saved freedom, transformed science, and 
redefined the middle class. And, when you get down to it, there is 
nothing anywhere in the world that can compete with America.
  Now we must step boldly and bravely into the next chapter of this 
great American adventure, and we must create a new standard of living 
for the 21st century. An amazing quality of life for all of our 
citizens is within reach.
  We can make our communities safer, our families stronger, our culture 
richer, our faith deeper, and our middle class bigger and more 
prosperous than ever before.
  But we must reject the politics of revenge, resistance, and 
retribution and embrace the boundless potential of cooperation, 
compromise, and the common good.
  Together, we can break decades of political stalemate. We can bridge 
old divisions, heal old wounds, build new coalitions, forge new 
solutions, and unlock the extraordinary promise of America's future. 
The decision is ours to make.
  We must choose between greatness or gridlock, results or resistance, 
vision or vengeance, incredible progress or pointless destruction.
  Tonight, I ask you to choose greatness.
  Over the last 2 years, my administration has moved with urgency and 
historic speed to confront problems neglected by leaders of both 
parties over many decades.
  In just over 2 years since the election, we have launched an 
unprecedented economic boom, a boom that has rarely been seen before. 
There has been nothing like it. We have created 5.3 million new jobs 
and, importantly, added 600,000 new manufacturing jobs--something which 
almost everyone said was impossible to do, but, the fact is, we are 
just getting started.
  Wages are rising at the fastest pace in decades and growing for blue-
collar workers, who I promised to fight for. They are growing faster 
than anyone else thought possible.
  Nearly 5 million Americans have been lifted off food stamps. The U.S. 
economy is growing almost twice as fast today as when I took office, 
and we are considered far and away the hottest economy anywhere in the 
world--not even close.
  Unemployment has reached the lowest rate in over half a century. 
African American, Hispanic American, and Asian American unemployment 
have all reached their lowest levels ever recorded. Unemployment for 
Americans with disabilities has also reached an all-time low. More 
people are working now than at any time in the history of our country--
157 million people at work.
  We passed a massive tax cut for working families and doubled the 
child tax credit.
  We virtually ended the estate tax, or death tax, as it is often 
called, on small businesses, for ranches, and also for family farms.
  We eliminated the very unpopular ObamaCare individual mandate 
penalty. And to give critically ill patients access to lifesaving 
cures, we passed, very importantly, right to try.
  My administration has cut more regulations in a short period of time 
than any other administration during its entire tenure. Companies are 
coming back to our country in large numbers thanks to our historic 
reductions in taxes and regulations.
  And we have unleashed a revolution in American energy. The United 
States is now the number one producer of oil and natural gas anywhere 
in the world. And now, for the first time in 65 years, we are a net 
exporter of energy.
  After 24 months of rapid progress, our economy is the envy of the 
world; our military is the most powerful on Earth, by far; and 
America--America--is again winning each and every day. Members of 
Congress, the state of our Union is strong.
  That sounds so good.
  Our country is vibrant and our economy is thriving like never before.
  On Friday, it was announced that we added another 304,000 jobs last 
month alone, almost double the number expected. An economic miracle is 
taking place in the United States, and the only thing that can stop it 
are foolish wars, politics, or ridiculous partisan investigations.
  If there is going to be peace and legislation, there cannot be war 
and investigation. It just doesn't work that way. We must be united at 
home to defeat our adversaries abroad.
  This new era of cooperation can start with finally confirming the 
more than 300 highly qualified nominees who are still stuck in the 
Senate, in some cases, years and years, waiting--not right.
  The Senate has failed to act on these nominations, which is unfair to 
the nominees and very unfair to our country. Now is the time for 
bipartisan action. Believe it or not, we have already proven that that 
is possible.
  In the last Congress, both parties came together to pass 
unprecedented legislation to confront the opioid crisis, a sweeping new 
farm bill, historic VA reforms; and after four decades of rejection, we 
passed VA Accountability so that we can finally terminate those who 
mistreat our wonderful veterans.
  And just weeks ago, both parties united for groundbreaking criminal 
justice reform. They said it couldn't be done.
  Last year, I heard, through friends, the story of Alice Johnson. I 
was deeply moved. In 1997, Alice was sentenced to life in prison as a 
first-time nonviolent drug offender. Over the next 22 years, she became 
a prison minister, inspiring others to choose a better path. She had a 
big impact on that prison population--and far beyond.
  Alice's story underscores the disparities and unfairness that can 
exist in criminal sentencing and the need to remedy this total 
injustice. She served almost that 22 years and had expected to be in 
prison for the remainder of her life.
  In June, I commuted Alice's sentence. When I saw Alice's beautiful 
family greet her at the prison gates, hugging and kissing and crying 
and laughing, I knew I did something right.
  Alice is with us tonight, and she is a terrific woman, terrific.
  Alice, please.
  Alice, thank you for reminding us that we always have the power to 
shape our own destiny. Thank you very much, Alice. Thank you very much.
  Inspired by stories like Alice's, my administration worked closely 
with members of both parties to sign the First Step Act into law. Big 
deal. It is a big deal.
  This legislation reformed sentencing laws that have wrongly and 
disproportionately harmed the African American community. The First 
Step Act gives nonviolent offenders the chance to reenter society as 
productive, law-abiding citizens. Now, States across the country are 
following our lead. America is a nation that believes in redemption.
  We are also joined tonight by Matthew Charles from Tennessee. In 
1996,

[[Page H1358]]

at the age of 30, Matthew was sentenced to 35 years for selling drugs 
and related offenses. Over the next two decades, he completed more than 
30 Bible studies, became a law clerk, and mentored many of his fellow 
inmates. Now, Matthew is the very first person to be released from 
prison under the First Step Act.
  Matthew, please. Thank you, Matthew. Welcome home.
  Now, Republicans and Democrats must join forces again to confront an 
urgent national crisis. Congress has 10 days left to pass a bill that 
will fund our government, protect our homeland, and secure our very 
dangerous southern border.
  Now is the time for Congress to show the world that America is 
committed to ending illegal immigration and putting the ruthless 
coyotes, cartels, drug dealers, and human traffickers out of business.
  As we speak, large, organized caravans are on the march to the United 
States. We have just heard that Mexican cities, in order to remove the 
illegal immigrants from their communities, are getting trucks and buses 
to bring them up to our country in areas where there is little border 
protection. I have ordered another 3,750 troops to our southern border 
to prepare for this tremendous onslaught.
  This is a moral issue. The lawless state of our southern border is a 
threat to the safety, security, and financial well-being of all 
America. We have a moral duty to create an immigration system that 
protects the lives and jobs of our citizens. This includes our 
obligation to the millions of immigrants living here today who followed 
the rules and respected our laws.
  Legal immigrants enrich our Nation and strengthen our society in 
countless ways. I want people to come into our country in the largest 
numbers ever, but they have to come in legally.
  Tonight, I am asking you to defend our very dangerous southern border 
out of love and devotion to our fellow citizens and to our country.
  No issue better illustrates the divide between America's working 
class and America's political class than illegal immigration. Wealthy 
politicians and donors push for open borders while living their lives 
behind walls and gates and guards. Meanwhile, working-class Americans 
are left to pay the price for mass illegal immigration, reduced jobs, 
lower wages, overburdened schools, hospitals that are so crowded you 
can't get in, increased crime, and a depleted social safety net.
  Tolerance for illegal immigration is not compassionate. It is 
actually very cruel. One in three women is sexually assaulted on the 
long journey north. Smugglers use migrant children as human pawns to 
exploit our laws and gain access to our country.
  Human traffickers and sex traffickers take advantage of the wide-open 
areas between our ports of entry to smuggle thousands of young girls 
and women into the United States and to sell them into prostitution and 
modern-day slavery.
  Tens of thousands of innocent Americans are killed by lethal drugs 
that cross our border and flood into our cities, including meth, 
heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl.
  The savage gang MS-13 now operates in at least 20 different American 
States, and they almost all come through our southern border. Just 
yesterday, an MS-13 gang member was taken into custody for a fatal 
shooting on a subway platform in New York City. We are removing these 
gang members by the thousands, but until we secure our border, they are 
going to keep streaming right back in.
  Year after year, countless Americans are murdered by criminal illegal 
aliens. I have gotten to know many wonderful angel moms and dads and 
families. No one should ever have to suffer the horrible heartache that 
they have had to endure.
  Here tonight is Debra Bissell. Just 3 weeks ago, Debra's parents, 
Gerald and Sharon, were burglarized and shot to death in their Reno, 
Nevada, home by an illegal alien. They were in their 80s, and they are 
survived by four children, 11 grandchildren, and 20 great-
grandchildren. Also here tonight are Gerald and Sharon's granddaughter, 
Heather, and great-granddaughter, Madison.
  To Debra, Heather, Madison, please stand. Few can understand your 
pain. Thank you, and thank you for being here. Thank you very much.
  I will never forget, and I will fight for the memory of Gerald and 
Sharon, that it should never happen again.
  Not one more American life should be lost because our Nation failed 
to control its very dangerous border.
  In the last 2 years, our brave ICE officers made 266,000 arrests of 
criminal aliens, including those charged or convicted of nearly 100,000 
assaults, 30,000 sex crimes, and 4,000 killings or murders.
  We are joined tonight by one of those law enforcement heroes, ICE 
Special Agent Elvin Hernandez. When Elvin was a boy, he and his family 
legally immigrated to the United States from the Dominican Republic. At 
the age of 8, Elvin told his dad he wanted to become a special agent. 
Today, he leads investigations into the scourge of international sex 
trafficking. Elvin says: ``If I can make sure these young girls get 
their justice, I've really done my job.'' Thanks to his work and that 
of his incredible colleagues, more than 300 women and girls have been 
rescued from the horror of this terrible situation, and more than 1,500 
sadistic traffickers have been put behind bars.
  Thank you, Elvin.
  We will always support the brave men and women of law enforcement, 
and I pledge to you tonight that I will never abolish our heroes from 
ICE. Thank you.
  My administration has sent to Congress a commonsense proposal to end 
the crisis on the southern border. It includes humanitarian assistance, 
more law enforcement, drug detection at our ports, closing loopholes 
that enable child smuggling, and plans for a new physical barrier, or 
wall, to secure the vast areas between our ports of entry.
  In the past, most of the people in this room voted for a wall, but 
the proper wall never got built. I will get it built.
  This is a smart, strategic, see-through steel barrier, not just a 
simple concrete wall. It will be deployed in the areas identified by 
the border agents as having the greatest need, and these agents will 
tell you, where walls go up, illegal crossings go way, way down.
  San Diego used to have the most illegal border crossings in our 
country. In response, a strong security wall was put in place. This 
powerful barrier almost completely ended illegal crossings.
  The border city of El Paso, Texas, used to have extremely high rates 
of violent crime, one of the highest in the entire country, and was 
considered one of our Nation's most dangerous cities. Now, immediately 
upon its building, with a powerful barrier in place, El Paso is one of 
the safest cities in our country.
  Simply put, walls work and walls save lives. So let's work together, 
compromise, and reach a deal that will truly make America safe.
  As we work to defend our people's safety, we must also ensure our 
economic resurgence continues at a rapid pace.
  No one has benefited more from our thriving economy than women, who 
have filled 58 percent of the newly created jobs last year.
  You weren't supposed to do that. Thank you very much. Thank you very 
much.
  All Americans can be proud that we have more women in the workforce 
than ever before--don't sit yet; you are going to like this--and 
exactly one century after Congress passed the constitutional amendment 
giving women the right to vote, we also have more women serving in 
Congress than at any time before.
  That is great, very great. And congratulations. That is great.
  As part of our commitment to improving opportunity for women 
everywhere, this Thursday we are launching the first ever 
governmentwide initiative focused on economic empowerment for women in 
developing countries.
  To build on our incredible economic success, one priority is 
paramount: reversing decades of calamitous trade policies--so bad.
  We are now making it clear to China that after years of targeting our 
industries and stealing our intellectual property, the theft of 
American jobs and wealth has come to an end.
  Therefore, we recently imposed tariffs on $250 billion of Chinese 
goods, and now our Treasury is receiving billions and billions of 
dollars. But I don't

[[Page H1359]]

blame China for taking advantage of us. I blame our leaders and 
representatives for allowing this travesty to happen.
  I have great respect for President Xi, and we are now working on a 
new trade deal with China, but it must include real structural change 
to end unfair trade practices, reduce our chronic trade deficit, and 
protect American jobs.
  Thank you.
  Another historic trade blunder was the catastrophe known as NAFTA. I 
have met the men and women of Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, 
New Hampshire, and many other states whose dreams were shattered by the 
signing of NAFTA.
  For years, politicians promised them they would renegotiate for a 
better deal, but no one ever tried until now.
  Our new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement--the USMCA--will replace NAFTA 
and deliver for American workers, like they haven't had delivered to 
for a long time.
  I hope you can pass the USMCA into law so that we can bring back our 
manufacturing jobs in even greater numbers, expand American 
agriculture, protect intellectual property, and ensure that more cars 
are proudly stamped with our four beautiful words: Made in the USA.
  Tonight, I am also asking you to pass the United States Reciprocal 
Trade Act, so that if another country places an unfair tariff on an 
American product, we can charge them the exact same tariff on the exact 
same product that they sell to us.
  Both parties should be able to unite for a great rebuilding of 
America's crumbling infrastructure.
  I know that Congress is eager to pass an infrastructure bill, and I 
am eager to work with you on legislation to deliver new and important 
infrastructure investment, including investments in the cutting-edge 
industries of the future. This is not an option. This is a necessity.
  The next major priority for me, and for all of us, should be to lower 
the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs and to protect patients 
with preexisting conditions.
  Already, as a result of my administration's efforts, in 2018, drug 
prices experienced their single largest decline in 46 years. But we 
must do more. It is unacceptable that Americans pay vastly more than 
people in other countries for the exact same drugs, often made in the 
exact same place. This is wrong; this is unfair; and, together, we will 
stop it, and we will stop it fast.
  I am asking Congress to pass legislation that finally takes on the 
problem of global freeloading and delivers fairness and price 
transparency for American patients--finally.
  We should also require drug companies, insurance companies, and 
hospitals to disclose real prices to foster competition and bring costs 
way down.
  No force in history has done more to advance the human condition than 
American freedom. In recent years, we have made remarkable progress in 
the fight against HIV and AIDS. Scientific breakthroughs have brought a 
once-distant dream within reach.
  My budget will ask Democrats and Republicans to make the needed 
commitment to eliminate the HIV epidemic in the United States within 10 
years. We have made incredible strides--incredible. Together, we will 
defeat AIDS in America and beyond.
  Tonight, I am also asking you to join me in another fight that all 
Americans can get behind: The fight against childhood cancer.
  Joining Melania in the gallery this evening is a very brave 10-year 
old girl, Grace Eline.
  Hi, Grace.
  Every birthday since she was 4, Grace asked her friends to donate to 
St. Jude Children's Hospital. She did not know that one day she might 
be a patient herself. That is what happened.
  Last year, Grace was diagnosed with brain cancer. Immediately, she 
began radiation treatment. At the same time, she rallied her community 
and raised more than $40,000 for the fight against cancer.
  When Grace completed treatment last fall, her doctors and nurses 
cheered--they loved her; they still love her--with tears in their eyes 
as she hung up a poster that read: ``Last day of chemo.''
  Thank you very much, Grace. You are a great inspiration to everyone 
in this room. Thank you very much.
  Many childhood cancers have not seen new therapies in decades. My 
budget will ask Congress for $500 million over the next 10 years to 
fund this critical life-saving research.
  To help support working parents, the time has come to pass school 
choice for America's children. I am also proud to be the first 
President to include in my budget a plan for nationwide paid family 
leave, so that every new parent has the chance to bond with their 
newborn child.
  There could be no greater contrast to the beautiful image of a mother 
holding her infant child than the chilling displays our Nation saw in 
recent days. Lawmakers in New York cheered with delight upon the 
passage of legislation that would allow a baby to be ripped from the 
mother's womb moments before birth. These are living, feeling, 
beautiful babies who will never get the chance to share their love and 
their dreams with the world. And then, we had the case of the Governor 
of Virginia where he stated he would execute a baby after birth.
  To defend the dignity of every person, I am asking Congress to pass 
legislation to prohibit the late-term abortion of children who can feel 
pain in the mother's womb.
  Let us work together to build a culture that cherishes innocent life. 
And let us reaffirm a fundamental truth: All children, born and unborn, 
are made in the holy image of God.
  The final part of my agenda is to protect America's national 
security. Over the last 2 years, we have begun to fully rebuild the 
United States military with $700 billion last year and $716 billion 
this year. We are also getting other nations to pay their fair share, 
finally. Finally.
  For years, the United States was being treated very unfairly by 
friends of ours, members of NATO, but now we have secured, over the 
last couple of years, more than $100 billion of increase in defense 
spending from our NATO allies. They said it couldn't be done.
  As part of our military buildup, the United States is developing a 
state-of-the-art missile defense system. Under my administration, we 
will never apologize for advancing America's interests.
  For example, decades ago, the United States entered into a treaty 
with Russia in which we agreed to limit and reduce our missile 
capability. While we followed the agreement and the rules to the 
letter, Russia repeatedly violated its terms. It has been going on for 
many years.
  That is why I announced that the United States is officially 
withdrawing from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, or INF 
Treaty. We really have no choice.
  Perhaps we can negotiate a different agreement, adding China and 
others, or perhaps we can't. In which case, we will outspend and out-
innovate all others by far.
  As part of a bold, new diplomacy, we continue our historic push for 
peace on the Korean Peninsula. Our hostages have come home; nuclear 
testing has stopped; and there has not been a missile launch in more 
than 15 months.
  If I had not been elected President of the United States, we would, 
right now, in my opinion, be in a major war with North Korea. Much work 
remains to be done, but my relationship with Kim Jong-un is a good one. 
Chairman Kim and I will meet again on February 27 and 28 in Vietnam.
  Two weeks ago, the United States officially recognized the legitimate 
Government of Venezuela and its new President, Juan Guaido. We stand 
with the Venezuelan people in their noble quest for freedom, and we 
condemn the brutality of the Maduro regime, whose socialist policies 
have turned that nation from being the wealthiest in South America into 
a state of abject poverty and despair.
  Here in the United States, we are alarmed by the new calls to adopt 
socialism in our country. America was founded on liberty and 
independence and not government coercion, domination, and control. We 
are born free, and we will stay free.
  Tonight, we renew our resolve that America will never be a Socialist 
country.
  One of the most complex set of challenges we face--and have for many 
years--is in the Middle East. Our approach is based on principled 
realism,

[[Page H1360]]

not discredited theories that have failed for decades to yield 
progress. For this reason, my administration recognized the true 
capital of Israel and proudly opened the American Embassy in Jerusalem.
  Our brave troops have now been fighting in the Middle East for almost 
19 years. In Afghanistan and Iraq, nearly 7,000 American heroes have 
given their lives. More than 52,000 Americans have been badly wounded. 
We have spent more than $7 trillion in fighting wars in the Middle 
East.
  As a candidate for President, I loudly pledged a new approach. Great 
nations do not fight endless wars.
  When I took office, ISIS controlled more than 20,000 square miles in 
Iraq and Syria--just 2 years ago. Today, we have liberated virtually 
all of the territory from the grip of these bloodthirsty monsters.
  Now, as we work with our allies to destroy the remnants of ISIS, it 
is time to give our brave warriors in Syria a warm welcome home.
  I have also accelerated our negotiations to reach, if possible, a 
political settlement in Afghanistan. The opposing side is also very 
happy to be negotiating. Our troops have fought with unmatched valor, 
and thanks to their bravery, we are now able to pursue a possible 
political solution to this long and bloody conflict.
  In Afghanistan, my administration is holding constructive talks with 
a number of Afghan groups, including the Taliban. As we make progress 
in these negotiations, we will be able to reduce our troop presence and 
focus on counterterrorism. We will indeed focus on counterterrorism. We 
do not know whether we will achieve an agreement, but we do know that 
after two decades of war, the hour has come to at least try for peace, 
and the other side would like to do the same thing. It is time.
  Above all, friend and foe alike must never doubt this Nation's power 
and will to defend our people. Eighteen years ago, violent terrorists 
attacked the USS Cole, and last month, American forces killed one of 
the leaders of that attack.
  We are honored to be joined tonight by Tom Wibberley, whose son, Navy 
Seaman Craig Wibberley, was one of the 17 sailors we tragically lost.
  Tom, we vow to always remember the heroes of the USS Cole.
  My administration has acted decisively to confront the world's 
leading state sponsor of terror: the radical regime in Iran. It is a 
radical regime. They do bad, bad things.
  To ensure this corrupt dictatorship never acquires nuclear weapons, I 
withdrew the United States from the disastrous Iran nuclear deal. And 
last fall, we put in place the toughest sanctions ever imposed by us on 
a country.
  We will not avert our eyes from a regime that chants ``death to 
America'' and threatens genocide against the Jewish people. We must 
never ignore the vile poison of anti-Semitism or those who spread its 
venomous creed. With one voice, we must confront this hatred anywhere 
and everywhere it occurs.
  Just months ago, 11 Jewish Americans were viciously murdered in an 
anti-Semitic attack on the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. SWAT 
officer Timothy Matson raced into the gunfire and was shot seven times 
chasing down the killer. He was very successful. Timothy has just had 
his 12th surgery. He is going in for many more, but he made the trip to 
be here with us tonight.
  Officer Matson, thank you. We are forever grateful. Thank you very 
much.
  Tonight, we are also joined by Pittsburgh survivor Judah Samet. He 
arrived at the synagogue as the massacre began. But not only did Judah 
narrowly escape death last fall, more than seven decades ago he 
narrowly survived the Nazi concentration camps. Today is Judah's 81st 
birthday.
  They wouldn't do that for me, Judah.
  Judah says he can still remember the exact moment, nearly 75 years 
ago, after 10 months in a concentration camp, when he and his family 
were put on a train and told they were going to another camp. Suddenly, 
the train screeched to a very strong halt. A soldier appeared. Judah's 
family braced for the absolute worst. Then his father cried out with 
joy: ``It's the Americans. It's the Americans.''
  Thank you.
  A second Holocaust survivor who is here tonight, Joshua Kaufman, was 
a prisoner at Dachau. He remembers watching through a hole in the wall 
of a cattle car as American soldiers rolled in with tanks.
  ``To me,'' Joshua recalls, ``the American soldiers were proof that 
God exists, and they came down from the sky.'' They came down from 
heaven.
  I began this evening by honoring three soldiers who fought on D-day 
in the Second World War. One of them was Herman Zeitchik, but there is 
more to Herman's story. A year after he stormed the beaches of 
Normandy, Herman was one of the American soldiers who helped liberate 
Dachau. He was one of the Americans who helped rescue Joshua from that 
hell on Earth. Almost 75 years later, Herman and Joshua are both 
together in the gallery tonight, seated side by side, here in the home 
of American freedom.
  Herman and Joshua, your presence this evening is very much 
appreciated. Thank you very much. Thank you.
  When American soldiers set out beneath the dark skies over the 
English Channel in the early hours of D-day 1944, they were just young 
men of 18 and 19, hurtling on fragile landing craft toward the most 
momentous battle in the history of war. They did not know if they would 
survive the hour. They did not know if they would grow old. But they 
knew that America had to prevail. Their cause was this Nation and 
generations yet unborn.
  Why did they do it? They did it for America. They did it for us. 
Everything that has come since--our triumph over communism, our giant 
leaps of science and discovery, our unrivaled progress toward equality 
and justice--all of it is possible thanks to the blood and tears and 
courage and vision of the Americans who came before.
  Think of this Capitol. Think of this very Chamber, where lawmakers 
before you voted to end slavery, to build the railroads and the 
highways and defeat fascism, to secure civil rights and to face down 
evil empires.
  Here tonight, we have legislators from across this magnificent 
Republic. You have come from the rocky shores of Maine and the volcanic 
peaks of Hawaii, from the snowy woods of Wisconsin and the red deserts 
of Arizona, from the green farms of Kentucky and the golden beaches of 
California. Together, we represent the most extraordinary Nation in all 
of history.
  What will we do with this moment? How will we be remembered?
  I ask the men and women of this Congress: Look at the opportunities 
before us. Our most thrilling achievements are still ahead. Our most 
exciting journeys still await. Our biggest victories are still to come. 
We have not yet begun to dream.
  We must choose whether we are defined by our differences or whether 
we dare to transcend them. We must choose whether we squander our great 
inheritance or whether we proudly declare that we are Americans. We do 
the incredible. We defy the impossible. We conquer the unknown.
  This is the time to reignite the American imagination. This is the 
time to search for the tallest summit and set our sights on the 
brightest star. This is the time to rekindle the bonds of love and 
loyalty and memory that link us together as citizens, as neighbors, as 
patriots.
  This is our future--our fate--and our choice to make. I am asking you 
to choose greatness.
  No matter the trials we face, no matter the challenges to come, we 
must go forward together.
  We must keep America first in our hearts. We must keep freedom alive 
in our souls. And we must always keep faith in America's destiny, that 
one nation, under God, must be the hope and the promise and the light 
and the glory among all the nations of the world.
  Thank you. God bless you, and God bless America. Thank you very much.
  (Applause, the Members rising.)
  At 10 o'clock and 34 minutes p.m., the President of the United 
States, accompanied by the committee of escort, retired from the Hall 
of the House of Representatives.
  The Assistant to the Sergeant at Arms escorted the invited guests 
from the Chamber in the following order:
  The members of the President's Cabinet; the Chief Justice of the 
United States and the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court; the Dean 
of the Diplomatic Corps.

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