[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 4, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S850-S855]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGE

                                 ______
                                 

   REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE UNION DELIVERED TO A JOINT SESSION OF 
                  CONGRESS ON FEBRUARY 4, 2020--PM 43

  The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the following message 
from the President of the United States, together with an accompanying

[[Page S851]]

report; which was ordered to lie on the table:

To the Congress of the United States:
  Madam Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, the First 
Lady of the United States, and my fellow citizens:
  Three years ago, we launched the great American comeback. Tonight, I 
stand before you to share the incredible results. Jobs are booming, 
incomes are soaring, poverty is plummeting, crime is falling, 
confidence is surging, and our country is thriving and highly respected 
again! America's enemies are on the run, America's fortunes are on the 
rise, and America's future is blazing bright.
  The years of economic decay are over. The days of our country being 
used, taken advantage of, and even scorned by other nations are long 
behind us. Gone too are the broken promises, jobless recoveries, tired 
platitudes, and constant excuses for the depletion of American wealth, 
power, and prestige.
  In just 3 short years, we have shattered the mentality of American 
decline, and we have rejected the downsizing of America's destiny. We 
are moving forward at a pace that was unimaginable just a short time 
ago, and we are never going back!
  I am thrilled to report to you tonight that our economy is the best 
it has ever been. Our military is completely rebuilt, with its power 
being unmatched anywhere in the world--and it is not even close. Our 
borders are secure. Our families are flourishing. Our values are 
renewed. Our pride is restored. And for all these reasons, I say to the 
people of our great country, and to the Members of Congress before me: 
The State of our Union is stronger than ever before!
  The vision I will lay out this evening demonstrates how we are 
building the world's most prosperous and inclusive society--one where 
every citizen can join in America's unparalleled success, and where 
every community can take part in America's extraordinary rise.
  From the instant I took office, I moved rapidly to revive the United 
States economy--slashing a record number of jobkilling regulations, 
enacting historic and record-setting tax cuts, and fighting for fair 
and reciprocal trade agreements. Our agenda is relentlessly pro-worker, 
pro-family, pro-growth, and, most of all, pro-American. We are 
advancing with unbridled optimism and lifting high our citizens of 
every race, color, religion, and creed.
  Since my election, we have created 7 million new jobs--5 million more 
than Government experts projected during the previous administration.
  The unemployment rate is the lowest in over half a century.
  Incredibly, the average unemployment rate under my Administration is 
lower than any administration in the history of our country. If we had 
not reversed the failed economic policies of the previous 
administration, the world would not now be witness to America's great 
economic success.
  The unemployment rates for African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, and 
Asian-Americans have reached the lowest levels in history. African-
American youth unemployment has reached an all-time low.
  African-American poverty has declined to the lowest rate ever 
recorded.
  The unemployment rate for women reached the lowest level in almost 70 
years--and last year, women filled 72 percent of all new jobs added.
  The veterans' unemployment rate dropped to a record low.
  The unemployment rate for disabled Americans has reached an all-time 
low.
  Workers without a high school diploma have achieved the lowest 
unemployment rate recorded in United States history.
  A record number of young Americans are now employed.
  Under the last administration, more than 10 million people were added 
to the food stamp rolls. Under my Administration, 7 million Americans 
have come off of food stamps, and 10 million people have been lifted 
off of welfare.
  In 8 years under the last administration, over 300,000 working-age 
people dropped out of the workforce. In just 3 years of my 
Administration, 3.5 million working-age people have joined the 
workforce.
  Since my election, the net worth of the bottom half of wage-earners 
has increased by 47 percent--3 times faster than the increase for the 
top 1 percent. After decades of flat and falling incomes, wages are 
rising fast--and, wonderfully, they are rising fastest for low-income 
workers, who have seen a 16 percent pay-increase since my election. 
This is a blue collar boom.
  Real median household income is now at the highest level ever 
recorded!
  Since my election, United States stock markets have soared 70 
percent, adding more than $12 trillion to our Nation's wealth, 
transcending anything anyone believed was possible--this, as other 
countries are not doing well. Consumer confidence has reached amazing 
new heights.
  All of those millions of people with 40l(k)s and pensions are doing 
far better than they have ever done before with increases of 60, 70, 
80, 90, and even 100 percent.
  Jobs and investment are pouring into 9,000 previously-neglected 
neighborhoods thanks to Opportunity Zones, a plan spearheaded by 
Senator Tim Scott as part of our great Republican tax cuts. In other 
words, wealthy people and companies are pouring money into poor 
neighborhoods or areas that have not seen investment in many decades, 
creating jobs, energy, and excitement. This is the first time that 
these deserving communities have seen anything like this. It is all 
working!

  Opportunity Zones are helping Americans like Army Veteran Tony 
Rankins from Cincinnati, Ohio. After struggling with drug addiction, 
Tony lost his job, his house, and his family--he was homeless. But then 
Tony found a construction company that invests in Opportunity Zones. He 
is now a top tradesman, drug-free, reunited with his family, and he is 
here tonight. Tony: Keep up the great work.
  Our roaring economy has, for the first time ever, given many former 
prisoners the ability to get a great job and a fresh start. This second 
chance at life is made possible because we passed landmark Criminal 
Justice Reform into law. Everybody said that Criminal Justice Reform 
could not be done, but I got it done, and the people in this room got 
it done.
  Thanks to our bold regulatory reduction campaign, the United States 
has become the number one producer of oil and natural gas in the world, 
by far. With the tremendous progress we have made over the past 3 
years, America is now energy independent, and energy jobs, like so many 
elements of our country, are at a record high. We are doing numbers 
that no one would have thought possible just 3 years ago.
  Likewise, we are restoring our Nation's manufacturing might, even 
though predictions were that this could never be done. After losing 
60,000 factories under the previous two administrations, America has 
now gained 12,000 new factories under my Administration with thousands 
upon thousands of plants and factories being planned or built. We have 
created over half a million new manufacturing jobs. Companies are not 
leaving; they are coming back. Everybody wants to be where the action 
is, and the United States of America is, indeed, where the action is.
  One of the single biggest promises I made to the American people was 
to replace the disastrous NAFTA trade deal. In fact, unfair trade is 
perhaps the single biggest reason that I decided to run for President. 
Following NAFTA's adoption, our Nation lost one in four manufacturing 
jobs. Many politicians came and went, pledging to change or replace 
NAFTA--only to do absolutely nothing. But unlike so many who came 
before me, I keep my promises. Six days ago, I replaced NAFTA and 
signed the brand new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) into 
law.
  The USMCA will create nearly 100,000 new high-paying American auto 
jobs, and massively boost exports for our farmers, ranchers, and 
factory workers. It will also bring trade with Mexico and Canada to a 
much higher degree, but also to a much greater level of fairness and 
reciprocity. This is the first major trade deal in many years to earn 
the strong backing of America's labor unions.
  I also promised our citizens that I would impose tariffs to confront 
China's massive theft of American jobs. Our strategy worked. Days ago, 
we signed the groundbreaking new agreement with China that will defend 
our workers, protect our intellectual property, bring billions of 
dollars into our treasury, and open vast new markets

[[Page S852]]

for products made and grown right here in the United States of America. 
For decades, China has taken advantage of the United States, now we 
have changed that but, at the same time, we have perhaps the best 
relationship we have ever had with China, including with President Xi. 
They respect what we have done because, quite frankly, they could never 
believe what they were able to get away with year after year, decade 
after decade, without someone in our country stepping up and saying: 
Enough. Now, we want to rebuild our country, and that is what we are 
doing.
  As we restore American leadership throughout the world, we are once 
again standing up for freedom in our hemisphere. That is why my 
Administration reversed the failing policies of the previous 
administration on Cuba. We are supporting the hopes of Cubans, 
Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans to restore democracy. The United States is 
leading a 59-nation diplomatic coalition against the socialist dictator 
of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro. Maduro is an illegitimate ruler, a tyrant 
who brutalizes his people. But Maduro's grip of tyranny will be smashed 
and broken. Here this evening is a man who carries with him the hopes, 
dreams, and aspirations of all Venezuelans. Joining us in the gallery 
is the true and legitimate President of Venezuela, Juan Guaido. Mr. 
President, please take this message back to your homeland. All 
Americans are united with the Venezuelan people in their righteous 
struggle for freedom! Socialism destroys nations. But always remember, 
freedom unifies the soul.
  To safeguard American Liberty, we have invested a record-breaking 
$2.2 trillion in the United States Military. We have purchased the 
finest planes, missiles, rockets, ships, and every other form of 
military equipment--all made in the United States of America. We are 
also finally getting our allies to help pay their fair share. I have 
raised contributions from the other NATO members by more than $400 
billion, and the number of allies meeting their minimum obligations has 
more than doubled.
  And just weeks ago, for the first time since President Truman 
established the Air Force more than 70 years earlier, we created a new 
branch of the United States Armed Forces, the Space Force.
  In the gallery tonight, we have one of the Space Force's youngest 
potential recruits: 13-year-old Iain Lanphier, an eighth grader from 
Arizona. Iain has always dreamed of going to space. He was first in his 
class and among the youngest at an aviation academy. He aspires to go 
to the Air Force Academy, and then, he has his eye on the Space Force. 
As Iain says, ``most people look up at space, I want to look down on 
the world.''
  Sitting beside Iain tonight is his great hero. Charles McGee was born 
in Cleveland, Ohio, one century ago. Charles is one of the last 
surviving Tuskegee Airmen--the first black fighter pilots--and he also 
happens to be Iain's great-grandfather. After more than 130 combat 
missions in World War II, he came back to a country still struggling 
for Civil Rights and went on to serve America in Korea and Vietnam. On 
December 7th, Charles celebrated his 100th birthday. A few weeks ago, I 
signed a bill promoting Charles McGee to Brigadier General. And earlier 
today, I pinned the stars on his shoulders in the Oval Office. General 
McGee: Our Nation salutes you.
  From the pilgrims to our Founders, from the soldiers at Valley Forge 
to the marchers at Selma, and from President Lincoln to the Reverend 
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Americans have always rejected limits on 
our children's future.
  Members of Congress, we must never forget that the only victories 
that matter in Washington are victories that deliver for the American 
people. The people are the heart of our country, their dreams are the 
soul of our country, and their love is what powers and sustains our 
country. We must always remember that our job is to put America first!
  The next step forward in building an inclusive society is making sure 
that every young American gets a great education and the opportunity to 
achieve the American Dream. Yet, for too long, countless American 
children have been trapped in failing government schools. To rescue 
these students, 18 States have created school choice in the form of 
Opportunity Scholarships. The programs are so popular, that tens of 
thousands of students remain on waiting lists. One of those students is 
Janiyah Davis, a fourth grader from Philadelphia. Janiyah's mom 
Stephanie is a single parent. She would do anything to give her 
daughter a better future. But last year, that future was put further 
out of reach when Pennsylvania's Governor vetoed legislation to expand 
school choice for 50,000 children.
  Janiyah and Stephanie are in the gallery this evening. But there is 
more to their story. Janiyah, I am pleased to inform you that your long 
wait is over. I can proudly announce tonight that an Opportunity 
Scholarship has become available, it is going to you, and you will soon 
be heading to the school of your choice!
  Now, I call on the Congress to give 1 million American children the 
same opportunity Janiyah has just received. Pass the Education Freedom 
Scholarships and Opportunity Act--because no parent should be forced to 
send their child to a failing government school.
  Every young person should have a safe and secure environment in which 
to learn and grow. For this reason, our magnificent First Lady has 
launched the ``Be Best'' initiative--to advance a safe, healthy, 
supportive, and drug-free life for the next generation, online, in 
school, and in our communities. Thank you, Melania, for your 
extraordinary love and profound care for America's children.
  My Administration is determined to give our citizens the 
opportunities they need regardless of age or background. Through our 
Pledge to American Workers, over 400 companies will also provide new 
jobs and education opportunities to almost 15 million Americans.
  My Budget also contains an exciting vision for our Nation's high 
schools. Tonight, I ask the Congress to support our students and back 
my plan to offer vocational and technical education in every single 
high school in America.
  To expand equal opportunity, I am also proud that we achieved record 
and permanent funding for our Nation's Historically Black Colleges and 
Universities.
  A good life for American families also requires the most affordable, 
innovative, and high-quality healthcare system on Earth. Before I took 
office, health insurance premiums had more than doubled in just 5 
years. I moved quickly to provide affordable alternatives. Our new 
plans are up to 60 percent less expensive. I have also made an ironclad 
pledge to American families: We will always protect patients with pre-
existing conditions--that is a guarantee. And we will always protect 
your Medicare and your Social Security.
  The American patient should never be blindsided by medical bills. 
That is why I signed an Executive Order requiring price transparency. 
Many experts believe that transparency, which will go into full effect 
at the beginning of next year, will be even bigger than healthcare 
reform. It will save families massive amounts of money for 
substantially better care.
  But as we work to improve Americans' healthcare, there are those who 
want to take away your healthcare, take away your doctor, and abolish 
private insurance entirely. One hundred thirty-two lawmakers in this 
room have endorsed legislation to impose a socialist takeover of our 
healthcare system, wiping out the private health insurance plans of 180 
million Americans. To those watching at home tonight, I want you to 
know: We will never let socialism destroy American healthcare!

  Over 130 legislators in this chamber have endorsed legislation that 
would bankrupt our Nation by providing free taxpayer-funded healthcare 
to millions of illegal aliens, forcing taxpayers to subsidize free care 
for anyone in the world who unlawfully crosses our borders. These 
proposals would raid the Medicare benefits our seniors depend on, while 
acting as a powerful lure for illegal immigration. This is what is 
happening in California and other States--their systems are totally out 
of control, costing taxpayers vast and unaffordable amounts of money. 
If forcing American taxpayers to provide unlimited free healthcare to 
illegal aliens sounds fair to you, then stand with the radical left. 
But if you believe

[[Page S853]]

that we should defend American patients and American seniors, then 
stand with me and pass legislation to prohibit free Government 
healthcare for illegal aliens!
  This will be a tremendous boon to our already very-strongly guarded 
southern border where, as we speak, a long, tall, and very powerful 
wall is being built. We have now completed over 100 miles and will have 
over 500 miles fully completed by early next year.
  My Administration is also taking on the big pharmaceutical companies. 
We have approved a record number of affordable generic drugs, and 
medicines are being approved by the FDA at a faster clip than ever 
before. I was pleased to announce last year that, for the first time in 
51 years, the cost of prescription drugs actually went down.
  And working together, the Congress can reduce drug prices 
substantially from current levels. I have been speaking to Senator 
Chuck Grassley of Iowa and others in the Congress in order to get 
something on drug pricing done, and done properly. I am calling for 
bipartisan legislation that achieves the goal of dramatically lowering 
prescription drug prices. Get a bill to my desk, and I will sign it 
into law without delay.
  With unyielding commitment, we are curbing the opioid epidemic--drug 
overdose deaths declined for the first time in nearly 30 years. Among 
the States hardest hit, Ohio is down 22 percent, Pennsylvania is down 
18 percent, Wisconsin is down 10 percent--and we will not quit until we 
have beaten the opioid epidemic once and for all.
  Protecting Americans' health also means fighting infectious diseases. 
We are coordinating with the Chinese government and working closely 
together on the Coronavirus outbreak in China. My Administration will 
take all necessary steps to safeguard citizens from this threat.
  We have launched ambitious new initiatives to substantially improve 
care for Americans with kidney disease, Alzheimer's, and those 
struggling with mental health challenges. And because the Congress 
funded my request, we are pursuing new cures for childhood cancer, and 
we will eradicate the AIDS epidemic in America by the end of the 
decade.
  Almost every American family knows the pain when a loved one is 
diagnosed with a serious illness. Here tonight is a special man, 
someone beloved by millions of Americans who just received a Stage 4 
advanced cancer diagnosis. This is not good news, but what is good news 
is that he is the greatest fighter and winner that you will ever meet. 
Rush Limbaugh: Thank you for your decades of tireless devotion to our 
country. Rush, in recognition of all that you have done for our Nation, 
the millions of people a day that you speak to and inspire, and all of 
the incredible work that you have done for charity, I am proud to 
announce tonight that you will be receiving our country's highest 
civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. I will now ask the 
First Lady of the United States to please stand and present you with 
the honor. Rush, Kathryn, congratulations!
  As we pray for all who are sick, we know that America is constantly 
achieving new medical breakthroughs. In 2017, doctors at St. Luke's 
hospital in Kansas City delivered one of the earliest premature babies 
ever to survive. Born at just 21 weeks and 6 days, and weighing less 
than a pound, Ellie Schneider was born a fighter. Through the skill of 
her doctors--and the prayers of her parents--little Ellie kept on 
winning the battle for life. Today, Ellie is a strong, healthy 2-year-
old girl sitting with her amazing mother Robin in the gallery. Ellie 
and Robin: We are so glad you are here.
  Ellie reminds us that every child is a miracle of life. Thanks to 
modern medical wonders, 50 percent of very premature babies delivered 
at the hospital where Ellie was born now survive. Our goal should be to 
ensure that every baby has the best chance to thrive and grow just like 
Ellie. That is why I am asking the Congress to provide an additional 
$50 million to fund neo-natal research for America's youngest patients. 
That is also why I am calling upon the Members of Congress here tonight 
to pass legislation finally banning the late-term abortion of babies. 
Whether we are Republican, Democrat, or Independent, surely we must all 
agree that every human life is a sacred gift from God!

  As we support America's moms and dads, I was recently proud to sign 
the law providing new parents in the Federal workforce paid family 
leave, serving as a model for the rest of the country. Now, I call on 
the Congress to pass the bipartisan Advancing Support for Working 
Families Act, extending family leave to mothers and fathers all across 
the Nation.
  Forty million American families have an average $2,200 extra thanks 
to our child tax credit. I have also overseen historic funding 
increases for high-quality childcare, enabling 17 States to serve more 
children, many of which have reduced or eliminated their waitlists 
altogether. And I sent the Congress a plan with a vision to further 
expand access to high-quality childcare and urge you to act 
immediately.
  To protect the environment, days ago, I announced that the United 
States will join the One Trillion Trees Initiative, an ambitious effort 
to bring together Government and the private sector to plant new trees 
in America and around the world.
  We must also rebuild America's infrastructure. I ask you to pass 
Senator Barrasso's highway bill--to invest in new roads, bridges, and 
tunnels across our land.
  I am also committed to ensuring that every citizen can have access to 
high-speed internet, including rural America.
  A better tomorrow for all Americans also requires us to keep America 
safe. That means supporting the men and women of law enforcement at 
every level, including our Nation's heroic ICE officers.
  Last year, our brave ICE officers arrested more than 120,000 criminal 
aliens charged with nearly 10,000 burglaries, 5,000 sexual assaults, 
45,000 violent assaults, and 2,000 murders.
  Tragically, there are many cities in America where radical 
politicians have chosen to provide sanctuary for these criminal illegal 
aliens. In Sanctuary Cities, local officials order police to release 
dangerous criminal aliens to prey upon the public, instead of handing 
them over to ICE to be safely removed.
  Just 29 days ago, a criminal alien freed by the Sanctuary City of New 
York was charged with the brutal rape and murder of a 92-year-old 
woman. The killer had been previously arrested for assault, but under 
New York's sanctuary policies, he was set free. If the city had honored 
ICE's detainer request, his victim would be alive today.
  The State of California passed an outrageous law declaring their 
whole State to be a sanctuary for criminal illegal immigrants--with 
catastrophic results.
  Here is just one tragic example. In December 2018, California police 
detained an illegal alien with five prior arrests, including 
convictions for robbery and assault. But as required by California's 
Sanctuary Law, local authorities released him.
  Days later, the criminal alien went on a gruesome spree of deadly 
violence. He viciously shot one man going about his daily work; he 
approached a woman sitting in her car and shot her in the arm and the 
chest. He walked into a convenience store and wildly fired his weapon. 
He hijacked a truck and smashed into vehicles, critically injuring 
innocent victims. One of the victims of his bloody rampage was a 51-
year-old American named Rocky Jones. Rocky was at a gas station when 
this vile criminal fired eight bullets at him from close range, 
murdering him in cold blood. Rocky left behind a devoted family, 
including his brothers who loved him more than anything. One of his 
grieving brothers is here with us tonight. Jody, would you please 
stand? Jody, our hearts weep for your loss--and we will not rest until 
you have justice.
  Senator Thom Tillis has introduced legislation to allow Americans 
like Jody to sue Sanctuary Cities and States when a loved one is hurt 
or killed as a result of these deadly policies. I ask the Congress to 
pass the Justice for Victims of Sanctuary Cities Act immediately. The 
United States of America should be a sanctuary for law-abiding 
Americans--not criminal aliens!
  In the last 3 years, ICE has arrested over 5,000 wicked human 
traffickers--

[[Page S854]]

and I have signed 9 pieces of legislation to stamp out the menace of 
human trafficking, domestically and around the globe.
  My Administration has undertaken an unprecedented effort to secure 
the southern border of the United States.
  Before I came into office, if you showed up illegally on our southern 
border and were arrested, you were simply released and allowed into our 
country, never to be seen again. My Administration has ended Catch-and-
Release. If you come illegally, you will now be promptly removed. We 
entered into historic cooperation agreements with the Governments of 
Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. As a result of our 
unprecedented efforts, illegal crossings are down 75 percent since 
May--dropping 8 straight months in a row. And as the wall goes up, drug 
seizures rise, and border crossings go down.
  Last year, I traveled to the border in Texas and met Chief Patrol 
Agent Raul Ortiz. Over the last 24 months, Agent Ortiz and his team 
have seized more than 200,000 pounds of poisonous narcotics, arrested 
more than 3,000 human smugglers, and rescued more than 2,000 migrants. 
Days ago, Agent Ortiz was promoted to Deputy Chief of Border Patrol--
and he joins us tonight. Chief Ortiz: Please stand--a grateful Nation 
thanks you and all the heroes of Border Patrol.

  To build on these historic gains, we are working on legislation to 
replace our outdated and randomized immigration system with one based 
on merit, welcoming those who follow the rules, contribute to our 
economy, support themselves financially, and uphold our values.
  With every action, my Administration is restoring the rule of law and 
re-asserting the culture of American freedom. Working with Senate 
Majority Leader McConnell and his colleagues in the Senate, we have 
confirmed a record number of 187 new Federal judges to uphold our 
Constitution as written. This includes two brilliant new Supreme Court 
Justices, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh.
  My Administration is also defending religious liberty, and that 
includes the Constitutional right to pray in public schools. In 
America, we do not punish prayer. We do not tear down crosses. We do 
not ban symbols of faith. We do not muzzle preachers and pastors. In 
America, we celebrate faith. We cherish religion. We lift our voices in 
prayer, and we raise our sights to the Glory of God!
  Just as we believe in the First Amendment, we also believe in another 
Constitutional right that is under siege all across our country. So 
long as I am President I will always protect your Second Amendment 
right to keep and bear arms.
  In reaffirming our heritage as a free Nation, we must remember that 
America has always been a frontier nation. Now we must embrace the next 
frontier, America's manifest destiny in the stars. I am asking the 
Congress to fully fund the Artemis program to ensure that the next man 
and the first woman on the moon will be American astronauts--using this 
as a launching pad to ensure that America is the first nation to plant 
its flag on Mars.
  My Administration is also strongly defending our national security 
and combating radical Islamic terrorism. Last week, I announced a 
groundbreaking plan for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. 
Recognizing that all past attempts have failed, we must be determined 
and creative in order to stabilize the region and give millions of 
young people the change to realize a better future.
  Three years ago, the barbarians of ISIS held over 20,000 square miles 
of territory in Iraq and Syria. Today, the ISIS territorial caliphate 
has been 100 percent destroyed, and the founder and leader of ISIS--the 
bloodthirsty killer Al-Baghdadi--is dead!
  We are joined this evening by Carl and Marsha Mueller. After 
graduating from college, their beautiful daughter Kayla became a 
humanitarian aid worker. Kayla once wrote, ``Some people find God in 
church. Some people find God in nature. Some people find God in love; I 
find God in suffering. I've known for some time what my life's work is, 
using my hands as tools to relieve suffering.'' In 20l3, while caring 
for suffering civilians in Syria, Kayla was kidnapped, tortured, and 
enslaved by ISIS, and kept as a prisoner of Al-Baghdadi himself. After 
more than 500 horrifying days of captivity, Al-Baghdadi murdered young 
Kayla. She was just 26 years old.
  On the night that United States Special Forces Operators ended Al-
Baghdadi's miserable life, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 
General Mark Milley, received a call in the Situation Room. He was told 
that the brave men of the elite Special Forces team, that so perfectly 
carried out the operation, had given their mission a name--``Task Force 
8-14.'' It was a reference to a special day: August 14th--Kayla's 
birthday. Carl and Marsha, America's warriors never forgot Kayla--and 
neither will we.
  Every day, America's men and women in uniform demonstrate the 
infinite depths of love that dwells in the human heart.
  One of these American heroes was Army Staff Sergeant Christopher 
Hake. On his second deployment to Iraq in 2008, Sergeant Hake wrote a 
letter to his 1-year-old son, Gage: ``I will be with you again,'' he 
wrote to Gage. ``I will teach you to ride your first bike, build your 
first sand box, watch you play sports and see you have kids also. I 
love you son, take care of your mother. I am always with you. Dad.'' On 
Easter Sunday of 2008, Chris was out on patrol in Baghdad when his 
Bradley Fighting Vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb. That night, he 
made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Sergeant Hake now rests in 
eternal glory in Arlington, and his wife Kelli is in the gallery 
tonight, joined by their son, who is now 13 years old. To Kelli and 
Gage: Chris will live in our hearts forever.
  The terrorist responsible for killing Sergeant Hake was Qasem 
Soleimani, who provided the deadly roadside bomb that took Chris's 
life. Soleimani was the Iranian Regime's most ruthless butcher, a 
monster who murdered or wounded thousands of American service members 
in Iraq. As the world's top terrorist, Soleimani orchestrated the 
deaths of countless men, women, and children. He directed the December 
assault on United States Forces in Iraq, and was actively planning new 
attacks. That is why, last month, at my direction, the United States 
Military executed a flawless precision strike that killed Soleimani and 
terminated his evil reign of terror forever.

  Our message to the terrorists is clear: You will never escape 
American justice. If you attack our citizens, you forfeit your life!
  In recent months, we have seen proud Iranians raise their voices 
against their oppressive rulers. The Iranian regime must abandon its 
pursuit of nuclear weapons, stop spreading terror, death, and 
destruction, and start working for the good of its own people. Because 
of our powerful sanctions, the Iranian economy is doing very poorly. We 
can help them make it very good in a short period of time, but perhaps 
they are too proud or too foolish to ask for that help. We are here. 
Let's see which road they choose. It is totally up to them.
  As we defend American lives, we are working to end America's wars in 
the Middle East.
  In Afghanistan, the determination and valor of our warfighters has 
allowed us to make tremendous progress, and peace talks are underway. I 
am not looking to kill hundreds of thousands of people in Afghanistan, 
many of them innocent. It is also not our function to serve other 
nations as a law enforcement agency. These are warfighters, the best in 
the world, and they either want to fight to win or not fight at all. We 
are working to finally end America's longest war and bring our troops 
back home!
  War places a heavy burden on our Nation's extraordinary military 
families, especially spouses like Amy Williams from Fort Bragg, North 
Carolina, and her 2 children--6-year-old Elliana and 3-year-old Rowan. 
Amy works full time, and volunteers countless hours helping other 
military families. For the past 7 months, she has done it all while her 
husband, Sergeant First Class Townsend Williams, is in Afghanistan on 
his fourth deployment to the Middle East. Amy's kids have not seen 
their father's face in many months. Amy, your family's sacrifice makes 
it possible for all of our families to live in safety and peace--we 
thank you.

[[Page S855]]

  But Amy, there is one more thing. Tonight, we have a very special 
surprise. I am thrilled to inform you that your husband is back from 
deployment, he is here with us tonight, and we could not keep him 
waiting any longer. America proudly welcomes home Sergeant Townsend 
Williams!
  As the world bears witness tonight, America is a land of heroes. This 
is the place where greatness is born, where destinies are forged, and 
where legends come to life. This is the home of Thomas Edison and Teddy 
Roosevelt, of many great Generals, including Washington, Pershing, 
Patton, and MacArthur. This is the home of Abraham Lincoln, Frederick 
Douglass, Amelia Earhart, Harriet Tubman, the Wright Brothers, Neil 
Armstrong, and so many more. This is the country where children learn 
names like Wyatt Earp, Davy Crockett, and Annie Oakley. This is the 
place where the pilgrims landed at Plymouth and where Texas patriots 
made their last stand at the Alamo.
  The American Nation was carved out of the vast frontier by the 
toughest, strongest, fiercest, and most determined men and women ever 
to walk the face of the Earth. Our ancestors braved the unknown; tamed 
the wilderness; settled the Wild West; lifted millions from poverty, 
disease, and hunger; vanquished tyranny and fascism; ushered the world 
to new heights of science and medicine; laid down the railroads, dug 
out canals, raised up the skyscrapers--and, ladies and gentlemen, our 
ancestors built the most exceptional Republic ever to exist in all of 
human history. And we are making it greater than ever before!
  This is our glorious and magnificent inheritance.
  We are Americans. We are the pioneers. We are the pathfinders. We 
settled the new world, we built the modern world, and we changed 
history forever by embracing the eternal truth that everyone is made 
equal by the hand of Almighty God.
  America is the place where anything can happen! America is the place 
where anyone can rise. And here, on this land, on this soil, on this 
continent, the most incredible dreams come true!
  This Nation is our canvas, and this country is our masterpiece. We 
look at tomorrow and see unlimited frontiers just waiting to be 
explored. Our brightest discoveries are not yet known. Our most 
thrilling stories are not yet told. Our grandest journeys are not yet 
made. The American Age, the American Epic, the American Adventure, has 
only just begun!
  Our spirit is still young; the sun is still rising; God's grace is 
still shining; and my fellow Americans, the best is yet to come!
  Thank you. God Bless You. God Bless America.
                                                     Donald J. Trump.  
The White House, February 4, 2020.

                          ____________________