84 applause lines in this 60 minute speech:
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, the First Lady of the United States, and Citizens of America:
Tonight,
as we mark the conclusion of our celebration of Black History Month, we
are reminded of our Nation's path toward civil rights and the work that
still remains. Recent threats targeting Jewish Community Centers and
vandalism of Jewish cemeteries, as well as last week's shooting in
Kansas City, remind us that while we may be a Nation divided on
policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and
evil in all its forms.
Each American generation passes the
torch of truth, liberty and justice –- in an unbroken chain all the way
down to the present. That torch is now in our hands. And we
will use it to light up the world. I am heretonight to deliver a
message of unity and strength, and it is a message deeply delivered from
my heart.
A new chapter of American Greatness is now beginning.
A new national pride is sweeping across our Nation.
And a new surge of optimism is placing impossible dreams firmly within our grasp.
What we are witnessing today is the Renewal of the American Spirit.
Our allies will find that America is once again ready to lead.
All the nations of the world -- friend or foe -- will find that America is strong, America is proud, and America is free.
In
9 years, the United States will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our
founding -- 250 years since the day we declared our Independence. It will be one of the great milestones in the history of the world.
But what will America look like as we reach our 250th year? What kind of country will we leave for our children? I will not allow the mistakes of recent decades past to define the course of our future.
For too long, we've watched our middle class shrink as we've exported our jobs and wealth to foreign countries.
We've financed and built one global project after another, but ignored
the fates of our children in the inner cities of Chicago, Baltimore,
Detroit -- and so many other places throughout our land.
We've defended the borders of other nations, while leaving our own
borders wide open, for anyone to cross -- and for drugs to pour in at a
now unprecedented rate. And we've spent trillions of dollars overseas, while our infrastructure at home has so badly crumbled.
Then, in 2016, the earth shifted beneath our feet. The Rebellion
started as a quiet protest, spoken by families of all colors and creeds
-– families who just wanted a fair shot for their children, and a fair
hearing for their concerns. But then the quiet voices became a
loud chorus -- as thousands of citizens now spoke out together, from
cities small and large, all across our country. Finally [i.e."in the end" ~ editor], the
chorus became an earthquake – and the people turned out by the tens of
millions, and they were all united by one very simple, but crucial
demand, that America must put its own citizens first ... because only
then, can we truly MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.
Dying industries will come roaring back to life. Heroic veterans will get the care they so desperately need. Our military will be given the resources its brave warriors so richly deserve. Crumbling infrastructure will be replaced with new roads, bridges,
tunnels, airports and railways gleaming across our beautiful land.
Our terrible drug epidemic will slow down and ultimately, stop. And our neglected inner cities will see a rebirth of hope, safety, and opportunity. Above all else, we will keep our promises to the American people.
It's been a little over a month since my inauguration, and I want to
take this moment to update the Nation on the progress I've made in
keeping those promises. Since my election, Ford,
Fiat-Chrysler, General Motors, Sprint, Softbank, Lockheed, Intel,
Walmart, and many others, have announced that they will invest billions
of dollars in the United States and will create tens of thousands of new
American jobs The stock market has gained almost three
trillion dollars in value since the election on November 8th, a record.
We've saved taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars by bringing down
the price of the fantastic new F-35 jet fighter, and will be saving
billions more dollars on contracts all across our Government. We have
placed a hiring freeze on non-military and non-essential Federal
workers.
We have begun to drain the swamp of government
corruption by imposing a 5 year ban on lobbying by executive branch
officials –- and a lifetime ban on becoming lobbyists for a foreign
government.
We have undertaken a historic effort to massively
reduce job‑crushing regulations, creating a deregulation task force
inside of every Government agency; imposing a new rule which mandates
that for every 1 new regulation, 2 old regulations must be eliminated;
and stopping a regulation that threatens the future and livelihoods of
our great coal miners. We have cleared the way for the
construction of the Keystone and Dakota Access Pipelines -- thereby
creating tens of thousands of jobs -- and I've issued a new directive
that new American pipelines be made with American steel. We have withdrawn the United States from the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership.
With the help of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, we have formed a
Council with our neighbors in Canada to help ensure that women
entrepreneurs have access to the networks, markets and capital they need
to start a business and live out their financial dreams.
To protect our citizens, I have directed the Department of Justice to form a Task Force on Reducing Violent Crime.
I have further ordered the Departments of Homeland Security and
Justice, along with the Department of State and the Director of National
Intelligence, to coordinate an aggressive strategy to dismantle the
criminal cartels that have spread across our Nation.
We will
stop the drugs from pouring into our country and poisoning our youth --
and we will expand treatment for those who have become so badly
addicted. At the same time, my Administration has answered
the pleas of the American people for immigration enforcement and border
security. By finally enforcing our immigration laws, we will raise
wages, help the unemployed, save billions of dollars, and make our
communities safer for everyone. We want all Americans to succeed –- but
that can't happen in an environment of lawless chaos. We must restore
integrity and the rule of law to our borders.
For that
reason, we will soon begin the construction of a great wall along our
southern border. It will be started ahead of schedule and, when
finished, it will be a very effective weapon against drugs and crime.
As we speak, we are removing gang members, drug dealers and criminals
that threaten our communities and prey on our citizens. Bad ones are
going out as I speak tonight and as I have promised.
To any
in Congress who do not believe we should enforce our laws, I would ask
you this question: what would you say to the American family that loses
their jobs, their income, or a loved one, because America refused to
uphold its laws and defend its borders?
Our obligation is to
serve, protect, and defend the citizens of the United States. We are
also taking strong measures to protect our Nation from Radical Islamic
Terrorism. According to data provided by the Department of
Justice, the vast majority of individuals convicted for
terrorism-related offenses since 9/11 came here from outside of our
country. We have seen the attacks at home -– from Boston to San
Bernardino to the Pentagon and yes, even the World Trade Center. We have seen the attacks in France, in Belgium, in Germany and all over the world.
It is not compassionate, but reckless, to allow uncontrolled entry from
places where proper vetting cannot occur. Those given the high honor
of admission to the United States should support this country and love
its people and its values. We cannot allow a beachhead of
terrorism to form inside America -- we cannot allow our Nation to become
a sanctuary for extremists. That is why my Administration
has been working on improved vetting procedures, and we will shortly
take new steps to keep our Nation safe -- and to keep out those who
would do us harm.
As promised, I directed the Department of
Defense to develop a plan to demolish and destroy ISIS -- a network of
lawless savages that have slaughtered Muslims and Christians, and men,
women, and children of all faiths and beliefs. We will work with our
allies, including our friends and allies in the Muslim world, to
extinguish this vile enemy from our planet. I have also
imposed new sanctions on entities and individuals who support Iran's
ballistic missile program, and reaffirmed our unbreakable alliance with
the State of Israel.
Finally, I have kept my promise to
appoint a Justice to the United States Supreme Court -- from my list of
20 judges -- who will defend our Constitution. I am honored to have
Maureen Scalia with us in the gallery tonight. Her late, great husband,
Antonin Scalia, will forever be a symbol of American justice. To fill
his seat, we have chosen Judge Neil Gorsuch, a man of incredible skill,
and deep devotion to the law. He was confirmed unanimously to the Court
of Appeals, and I am asking the Senate to swiftly approve his
nomination.
Tonight, as I outline the next steps we must take
as a country, we must honestly acknowledge the circumstances we
inherited.
Ninety-four million Americans are out of the labor force.
Over 43 million people are now living in poverty, and over 43 million Americans are on food stamps.
More than 1 in 5 people in their prime working years are not working.
We have the worst financial recovery in 65 years.
In the last 8 years, the past Administration has put on more new debt than nearly all other Presidents combined.
We've lost more than one-fourth of our manufacturing jobs since NAFTA
was approved, and we've lost 60,000 factories since China joined the
World Trade Organization in 2001.
Our trade deficit in goods with the world last year was nearly $800 billion dollars.
And overseas, we have inherited a series of tragic foreign policy disasters.
Solving these, and so many other pressing problems, will require us to
work past the differences of party. It will require us to tap into the
American spirit that has overcome every challenge throughout our long
and storied history. But to accomplish our goals at home and
abroad, we must restart the engine of the American economy -- making it
easier for companies to do business in the United States, and much
harder for companies to leave. Right now, American companies are taxed at one of the highest rates anywhere in the world.
My economic team is developing historic tax reform that will reduce the
tax rate on our companies so they can compete and thrive anywhere and
with anyone. At the same time, we will provide massive tax relief for
the middle class. We must create a level playing field for American companies and workers.
Currently, when we ship products out of America, many other countries
make us pay very high tariffs and taxes -- but when foreign companies
ship their products into America, we charge them almost nothing.
I just met with officials and workers from a great American company,
Harley-Davidson. In fact, they proudly displayed five of their
magnificent motorcycles, made in the USA, on the front lawn of the White
House. At our meeting, I asked them, how are you doing, how
is business? They said that it's good. I asked them further how they
are doing with other countries, mainly international sales. They told
me -- without even complaining because they have been mistreated for so
long that they have become used to it -- that it is very hard to do
business with other countries because they tax our goods at such a high
rate. They said that in one case another country taxed their
motorcycles at 100 percent. They weren't even asking for change. But I am. I believe strongly in free trade but it also has to be fair trade..
The first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, warned that the
"abandonment of the protective policy by the American Government [will]
produce want and ruin among our people." Lincoln was right,
and, it is time we heeded his words. I am not going to let America and
its great companies and workers, be taken advantage of anymore.
I am going to bring back millions of jobs. Protecting our workers also
means reforming our system of legal immigration. The current, outdated
system depresses wages for our poorest workers, and puts great pressure
on taxpayers. Nations around the world, like Canada,
Australia and many others –- have a merit-based immigration system. It
is a basic principle that those seeking to enter a country ought to be
able to support themselves financially. Yet, in America, we do not
enforce this rule, straining the very public resources that our poorest
citizens rely upon. According to the National Academy of Sciences, our
current immigration system costs America's taxpayers many billions of
dollars a year. Switching away from this current system of
lower-skilled immigration, and instead adopting a merit-based system,
will have many benefits: it will save countless dollars, raise workers'
wages, and help struggling families –- including immigrant families –-
enter the middle class. I believe that real and positive
immigration reform is possible, as long as we focus on the following
goals: to improve jobs and wages for Americans, to strengthen our
nation’s security, and to restore respect for our laws. If we are
guided by the well-being of American citizens then I believe Republicans
and Democrats can work together to achieve an outcome that has eluded
our country for decades.
Another Republican President, Dwight
D. Eisenhower, initiated the last truly great national infrastructure
program –- the building of the interstate highway system. The time has
come for a new program of national rebuilding. America has
spent approximately six trillion dollars in the Middle East, all this
while our infrastructure at home is crumbling. With this six trillion
dollars we could have rebuilt our country –- twice. And maybe even
three times if we had people who had the ability to negotiate.
To launch our national rebuilding, I will be asking the Congress to
approve legislation that produces a $1 trillion investment in the
infrastructure of the United States -- financed through both public and
private capital –- creating millions of new jobs. This effort will be guided by two core principles: Buy American, and Hire American.
Tonight,
I am also calling on this Congress to repeal and replace Obamacare with
reforms that expand choice, increase access, lower costs, and at the
same time, provide better Healthcare. Mandating every
American to buy government-approved health insurance was never the right
solution for America. The way to make health insurance available to
everyone is to lower the cost of health insurance, and that is what we
will do. Obamacare premiums nationwide have increased by
double and triple digits. As an example, Arizona went up 116 percent
last year alone. Governor Matt Bevin of Kentucky just said Obamacare is
failing in his State -- it is unsustainable and collapsing. One third of counties have only one insurer on the exchanges –- leaving many Americans with no choice at all. Remember when you were told that you could keep your doctor, and keep your plan? We now know that all of those promises have been broken.
Obamacare is collapsing –- and we must act decisively to protect all
Americans. Action is not a choice, it is a necessity. So I
am calling on all Democrats and Republicans in the Congress to work
with us to save Americans from this imploding Obamacare disaster.
Here are the principles that should guide the Congress as we move to create a better healthcare system for all Americans:
First, we should ensure that Americans with pre-existing conditions
have access to coverage, and that we have a stable transition for
Americans currently enrolled in the healthcare exchanges.
Secondly, we should help Americans purchase their own coverage, through
the use of tax credits and expanded Health Savings Accounts –- but it
must be the plan they want, not the plan forced on them by the
Government. Thirdly, we should give our great State Governors
the resources and flexibility they need with Medicaid to make sure no
one is left out. Fourthly, we should implement legal reforms
that protect patients and doctors from unnecessary costs that drive up
the price of insurance – and work to bring down the artificially high
price of drugs and bring them down immediately. Finally, the
time has come to give Americans the freedom to purchase health insurance
across State lines –- creating a truly competitive national marketplace
that will bring cost way down and provide far better care.
Everything that is broken in our country can be fixed. Every problem
can be solved. And every hurting family can find healing, and hope.
Our citizens deserve this, and so much more –- so why not join forces
to finally get it done? On this and so many other things, Democrats and
Republicans should get together and unite for the good of our country,
and for the good of the American people.
My administration
wants to work with members in both parties to make childcare accessible
and affordable, to help ensure new parents have paid family leave, to
invest in women's health, and to promote clean air and clear water, and
to rebuild our military and our infrastructure. True love for
our people requires us to find common ground, to advance the common
good, and to cooperate on behalf of every American child who deserves a
brighter future.
An incredible young woman is with us this evening who should serve as an inspiration to us all.
Today is Rare Disease day, and joining us in the gallery is a Rare
Disease Survivor, Megan Crowley. Megan was diagnosed with Pompe
Disease, a rare and serious illness, when she was 15 months old. She
was not expected to live past 5. On receiving this news,
Megan's dad, John, fought with everything he had to save the life of his
precious child. He founded a company to look for a cure, and helped
develop the drug that saved Megan's life. Today she is 20 years old --
and a sophomore at Notre Dame. Megan's story is about the unbounded power of a father's love for a daughter.
But our slow and burdensome approval process at the Food and Drug
Administration keeps too many advances, like the one that saved Megan's
life, from reaching those in need. If we slash the
restraints, not just at the FDA but across our Government, then we will
be blessed with far more miracles like Megan. In fact, our children will grow up in a Nation of miracles. But to achieve this future, we must enrich the mind –- and the souls –- of every American child.
Education is the civil rights issue of our time.
I am calling upon Members of both parties to pass an education bill
that funds school choice for disadvantaged youth, including millions of
African-American and Latino children. These families should be free to
choose the public, private, charter, magnet, religious or home school
that is right for them.
Joining us tonight in the gallery is a
remarkable woman, Denisha Merriweather. As a young girl, Denisha
struggled in school and failed third grade twice. But then she was able
to enroll in a private center for learning, with the help of a tax
credit scholarship program. Today, she is the first in her family to
graduate, not just from high school, but from college. Later this year
she will get her masters degree in social work. We want all children to be able to break the cycle of poverty just like Denisha. But to break the cycle of poverty, we must also break the cycle of violence.
The murder rate in 2015 experienced its largest single-year increase in nearly half a century. In Chicago, more than 4,000 people were shot last year alone –- and the murder rate so far this year has been even higher. This is not acceptable in our society.
Every American child should be able to grow up in a safe community, to
attend a great school, and to have access to a high-paying job.
But to create this future, we must work with –- not against -– the men and women of law enforcement. We must build bridges of cooperation and trust –- not drive the wedge of disunity and division.
Police and sheriffs are members of our community. They are friends and
neighbors, they are mothers and fathers, sons and daughters – and they
leave behind loved ones every day who worry whether or not they'll come
home safe and sound. We must support the incredible men and women of law enforcement.
And we must support the victims of crime.
I have ordered the Department of Homeland Security to create an office
to serve American Victims. The office is called V.O.I.C.E. –- Victims Of
Immigration Crime Engagement. We are providing a voice to those who
have been ignored by our media, and silenced by special interests.
Joining us in the audience tonight are four very brave Americans whose government failed them. Their names are Jamiel Shaw, Susan Oliver, Jenna Oliver, and Jessica Davis.
Jamiel's 17-year-old son was viciously murdered by an illegal immigrant
gang member, who had just been released from prison. Jamiel Shaw Jr.
was an incredible young man, with unlimited potential who was getting
ready to go to college where he would have excelled as a great
quarterback. But he never got the chance. His father, who is in the
audiencetonight, has become a good friend of mine. Also with
us are Susan Oliver and Jessica Davis. Their husbands –- Deputy Sheriff
Danny Oliver and Detective Michael Davis –- were slain in the line of
duty in California. They were pillars of their community. These brave
men were viciously gunned down by an illegal immigrant with a criminal
record and two prior deportations. Sitting with Susan is her
daughter, Jenna. Jenna: I want you to know that your father was a
hero, and that tonight you have the love of an entire country supporting
you and praying for you. To Jamiel, Jenna, Susan and
Jessica: I want you to know –- we will never stop fighting for
justice. Your loved ones will never be forgotten, we will always honor
their memory.
Finally, to keep America safe, we must provide
the men and women of the United States military with the tools they need
to prevent war and –- if they must –- to fight and to win. I
am sending the Congress a budget that rebuilds the military, eliminates
the Defense sequester, and calls for one of the largest increases in
national defense spending in American history. My budget will also increase funding for our veterans. Our veterans have delivered for this Nation –- and now we must deliver for them.
The challenges we face as a Nation are great. But our people are even greater. And none are greater or braver than those who fight for America in uniform.
We are blessed to be joined tonight by Carryn Owens, the widow of a
U.S. Navy Special Operator, Senior Chief William "Ryan" Owens. Ryan
died as he lived: a warrior, and a hero –- battling against terrorism
and securing our Nation. I just spoke to General Mattis, who
reconfirmed that, and I quote, "Ryan was a part of a highly successful
raid that generated large amounts of vital intelligence that will lead
to many more victories in the future against our enemies." Ryan's
legacy is etched into eternity. For as the Bible teaches us, there is
no greater act of love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.
Ryan laid down his life for his friends, for his country, and for our
freedom –- we will never forget him.
To those allies who wonder what kind of friend America will be, look no further than the heroes who wear our uniform.
Our foreign policy calls for a direct, robust and meaningful engagement
with the world. It is American leadership based on vital security
interests that we share with our allies across the globe.
We
strongly support NATO, an alliance forged through the bonds of two World
Wars that dethroned fascism, and a Cold War that defeated communism. But our partners must meet their financial obligations. And now, based on our very strong and frank discussions, they are beginning to do just that.
We expect our partners, whether in NATO, in the Middle East, or the
Pacific –- to take a direct and meaningful role in both strategic and
military operations, and pay their fair share of the cost. We will respect historic institutions, but we will also respect the sovereign rights of nations.
Free nations are the best vehicle for expressing the will of the people
–- and America respects the right of all nations to chart their own
path. My job is not to represent the world. My job is to represent the
United States of America. But we know that America is better off, when
there is less conflict -- not more.
We must learn from the mistakes of the past –- we have seen the war and destruction that have raged across our world. The only long-term solution for these humanitarian disasters is to
create the conditions where displaced persons can safely return home and
begin the long process of rebuilding.
America is willing to
find new friends, and to forge new partnerships, where shared interests
align. We want harmony and stability, not war and conflict.
We want peace, wherever peace can be found. America is friends today
with former enemies. Some of our closest allies, decades ago, fought on
the opposite side of these World Wars. This history should give us all
faith in the possibilities for a better world.
Hopefully, the 250th year for America will see a world that is more peaceful, more just and more free.
On our 100th anniversary, in 1876, citizens from across our Nation came
to Philadelphia to celebrate America's centennial. At that
celebration, the country's builders and artists and inventors showed off
their creations. Alexander Graham Bell displayed his telephone for the first time. Remington unveiled the first typewriter. An early attempt was made at electric light. Thomas Edison showed an automatic telegraph and an electric pen.
Imagine the wonders our country could know in America's 250th year. Think of the marvels we can achieve if we simply set free the dreams of our people. Cures to illnesses that have always plagued us are not too much to hope.
American footprints on distant worlds are not too big a dream. Millions lifted from welfare to work is not too much to expect.
And streets where mothers are safe from fear -- schools where children
learn in peace -- and jobs where Americans prosper and grow -- are not
too much to ask.
When we have all of this, we will have made America greater than ever before. For all Americans. This is our vision. This is our mission. But we can only get there together. We are one people, with one destiny. We all bleed the same blood. We all salute the same flag. And we are all made by the same God.
And when we fulfill this vision; when we celebrate our 250 years of
glorious freedom, we will look back on tonight as when this new chapter
of American Greatness began.
The time for small thinking is over. The time for trivial fights is behind us. We just need the courage to share the dreams that fill our hearts. The bravery to express the hopes that stir our souls. And the confidence to turn those hopes and dreams to action. From now on, America will be empowered by our aspirations, not burdened by our fears, inspired by the future, not bound by the failures of the past and guided by our vision, not blinded by our doubts.
I am asking all citizens to embrace this Renewal of the American
Spirit. I am asking all members of Congress to join me in dreaming big,
and bold and daring things for our country. And I am asking everyone
watching tonight to seize this moment and believe in yourselves; Believe in your future, and, believe, once more, in America.
Thank you, God bless you, and God Bless these United States.