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President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget lays out his plan to invest in America and the American people, lower costs for families, protect and strengthen Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and reduce the deficit.

Millions of Americans have been working their whole lives, paying into Social Security and Medicare with every working day, and want to know that they can count on these programs to be there when they need them. The President’s Budget extends the life of the Medicare Hospital Insurance (HI) Trust Fund permanently and reinforces the President’s commitment to protect Social Security and work with Congress to strengthen the program for the long haul, including by asking the highest-income Americans to pay their fair share—while rejecting all proposals to cut benefits.

The President’s Budget Protects and Strengthens Social Security

Social Security is the bedrock of financial security for American seniors and for millions of Americans with disabilities. As detailed in the President’s Budget, President Biden looks forward to working with Congress to protect and strengthen Social Security, based on these key principles:

• No benefit cuts. The President opposes any proposal to cut benefits, as well as proposals to privatize Social Security.

• Extending solvency by asking the highest-income Americans to pay their fair share. Currently, middle-class and lower-income Americans pay Social Security taxes on all of their earnings, but higher-income Americans do not. That’s not fair. The President believes that protecting Social Security should start with asking the highest-income Americans to pay their fair share.

• Improving financial security for seniors and people with disabilities. The President supports efforts to improve Social Security benefits, as well as Supplemental Security Income benefits, for seniors and people with disabilities, especially for those who face the greatest challenges making ends meet.

• Ensuring that Americans can access the benefits they’ve earned. The President supports investments in Social Security Administration (SSA) services so that seniors and people with disabilities can access the benefits they’ve earned.

Consistent with the final principle, the Budget invests in staff, information technology, and other improvements at SSA. The Budget would increase SSA’s funding by 9 percent from the 2023 enacted level, which would improve customer service at SSA’s field offices, State disability determination services, and teleservice centers for retirees, and for individuals with disabilities, and their families.

The President’s Budget Protects and Strengthens Medicare

The President’s Budget extends the life of the Medicare HI trust fund indefinitely, the Medicare Office of the Chief Actuary estimates. It achieves these gains without any benefit cuts—while, in fact, lowering costs for Medicare beneficiaries—by:

Extending Medicare HI trust fund solvency permanently by requiring wealthy people to pay their fair share toward Medicare and reducing prescription drug costs. The Budget extends HI trust fund solvency indefinitely by modestly increasing the Medicare tax rate on incomes above $400,000, closing loopholes in existing Medicare taxes, and directing revenue from the Net Investment Income Tax into the HI Trust Fund as was originally intended. Current law lets certain wealthy business owners avoid Medicare taxes on some of the profits they get from passthrough businesses. The Budget closes this loophole and raises Medicare tax rates on earned and unearned income from 3.8 percent to 5 percent for those with incomes over $400,000. In addition, the Budget directs an amount equivalent to the savings from its proposed Medicare drug reforms into the HI trust fund.

Lowering out-of-pocket costs and payments to Big Pharma. The Inflation Reduction Act gave Medicare the authority for the first time to negotiate prices for high-cost drugs in order to lower costs for seniors and people with disabilities. Medicare has already begun negotiating for lower prices on drugs to treat everything from diabetes, Crohn’s disease, arthritis, heart disease, cancer, and more. The President’s Budget would build on this progress by giving Medicare additional authority to negotiate down prices for more drugs and start negotiating prices sooner after drugs launch—which would not only save billions of dollars annually for the federal government, but would also save billions of dollars in out-of-pocket costs for consumers each year. It would also cap Medicare Part D cost-sharing on certain generic drugs, such as those used to treat chronic conditions like hypertension and high cholesterol, to $2 per monthly prescription. The President’s Budget would also lower behavioral health costs by eliminating cost-sharing for three mental health or other behavioral health visits per year and requiring parity between physical and mental health coverage in Medicare.

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Tonight—as the new crescent moon marks the beginning of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan—Jill and I extend our best wishes and prayers to Muslims across our country and around the world.

The sacred month is a time for reflection and renewal. This year, it comes at a moment of immense pain. The war in Gaza has inflicted terrible suffering on the Palestinian people. More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed, most of them civilians, including thousands of children. Some are family members of American Muslims, who are deeply grieving their lost loved ones today. Nearly two million Palestinians have been displaced by the war; many are in urgent need of food, water, medicine, and shelter. As Muslims gather around the world over the coming days and weeks to break their fast, the suffering of the Palestinian people will be front of mind for many. It is front of mind for me.

The United States will continue to lead international efforts to get more humanitarian assistance into Gaza by land, air, and sea. Earlier this week, I directed our military to lead an emergency mission to establish a temporary pier on the coast of Gaza that can receive large shipments of aid. We are carrying out airdrops of aid, in coordination with our international partners, including Jordan. And we’ll continue to work with Israel to expand deliveries by land, insisting that it facilitate more routes and open more crossings to get more aid to more people.

While we get more life-saving aid to Gaza, the United States will continue working non-stop to establish an immediate and sustained ceasefire for at least six weeks as part of a deal that releases hostages. And we will continue building toward a long-term future of stability, security, and peace. That includes a two-state solution to ensure Palestinians and Israelis share equal measures of freedom, dignity, security, and prosperity. That is the only path toward an enduring peace.

Here at home, we have seen an appalling resurgence of hate and violence toward Muslim Americans. Islamophobia has absolutely no place in the United States, a country founded on freedom of worship and built on the contributions of immigrants, including Muslim immigrants. My Administration is developing the first-ever National Strategy to Counter Islamophobia and Related Forms of Bias and Discrimination, to take on hate against Muslim, Sikh, South Asian, and Arab American communities, wherever it occurs. No one should ever fear being targeted at school, at work, on the street, or in their community because of their background or beliefs.

To Muslims across our country, please know that you are deeply valued members of our American family. To those who are grieving during this time of war, I hear you, I see you, and I pray you find solace in your faith, family, and community. And to all who are marking the beginning of Ramadan tonight, I wish you a safe, healthy, and blessed month. Ramadan kareem.  

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Yesterday, Jill and I learned of the tragic deaths of two National Guardsmen and one U.S. Border Patrol agent whose helicopter crashed while they were conducting routine operations near Rio Grande City, Texas. A third Guardsman was badly injured in the crash and is hospitalized. 
 
These brave Americans dedicated their lives to protecting our nation. They signed up knowing the risks and believing in the mission of serving their fellow Americans by keeping our nation safe. Our gratitude is profound, and their sacrifice will never be forgotten. 
 
We extend our deepest condolences to their families and loved ones, as well as their colleagues in the National Guard and U.S. Border Patrol. We pray for the injured Guardsman’s swift recovery.
 
As we investigate the circumstances of this crash, we continue to stand with our service members, border agents, and their families, whose contributions to our nation are vital to our security.  

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To the Congress of the United States:


     In accordance with section 6 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (H.R. 4366; the “Act”), I hereby designate as emergency requirements all funding (including the transfer and repurposing of funds) so designated by the Congress in the Act pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as outlined in the enclosed list of accounts.
     The details of this action are set forth in the enclosed memorandum from the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. 

                               JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

THE WHITE HOUSE,
    March 9, 2024.

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On Saturday, March 9, 2024, the President signed into law:

H.R. 4366, the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,”
which provides in divisions A through F, full-year funding through September 30, 2024, for departments and agencies of the Federal Government covered by 6 of 12 appropriations bills.  Division G includes extensions for existing authorities.

Thank you to Leaders Schumer and McConnell, Senators Murray and Collins, Speaker Mike Johnson, Leader Jeffries, and Representatives Granger and DeLauro, for their leadership.

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Private Residence
Rose Valley, Pennsylvania

5:08 P.M. EST

Q What did you hear in there, Mr. President?

THE PRESIDENT: Pardon me?

Q What did you hear in there? What did —

THE PRESIDENT: I heard about what —

Q — you hear from these folks?

THE PRESIDENT: — this is like the family I grew up in with how close they were.

The older brother went to school with s- — my son Hunter back in Delaware. And we were talking about the school that he went to — they went to and family connections.

And it was just nice. It was nice to be here.

Q Why did you want to come here?

THE PRESIDENT: Because I wanted to meet with people like I grew up with — (laughs) — like the family that I — although this is a little more uptown than where I grew up.

But it’s a beautiful, beautiful family.

Q Will there be a ceasefire by Ramadan?

THE PRESIDENT: It’s looking tough, but —

Q Are you concerned about violence in East Jerusalem without one?

THE PRESIDENT: I sure am.

5:09 P.M. EST

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This week, senior Biden-Harris Administration officials again met with manufacturers of RSV immunizations including Sanofi and AstraZeneca and their partners. During the meeting, manufacturers discussed recent studies showing significant decreases in hospitalization rates among infants who received Nirsevimab. Senior administration officials and manufacturers also discussed the processes for continuing to update data on the safety and effectiveness of this immunization, as well as efforts to ensure continued availability of infant RSV immunizations in the US for the remainder of this season. At the urging of the Administration and in response to unprecedented requests for these immunizations, RSV manufacturers made 307,000 additional doses available to families, increasing supply and expediting availability. Manufacturers also described their work to ensure availability of RSV doses for infants ahead of the 2024-2025 respiratory season.

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Joint Base Andrews
Prince George’s County, Maryland

2:47 P.M. EST
 
Q    Mr. President, will you commit to a debate with former President Trump?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  It depends on his behavior.
 
Q    Mr. President —
 
Q    Do you regret using the word “illegal” to describe immigrants last night, sir?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I probably — I don’t re- — technically not supposed to be here. 
 
Q    Well, why did — why did Mr. Netanyahu need a “come to Jesus” meeting?  What are you hoping to achieve?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I didn’t say that in the speech.
 
Q    After the speech.
 
Q    But what about after the speech?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  You guys are eavesdropping on things. 
 
Q    But are — does that show your level of frustration with him on humanitarian aid?  Does he need to be doing more?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Yes, he does. 
 
Q    Have you seen Senator Britt’s rebuttal, sir?

THE PRESIDENT:  I just saw a little bit on television. 
 
Q    What did you think?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I thought she was a very talented woman.  I — I didn’t quite understand the connections she was making.
 
Q    Mr. President, do you still support banning TikTok?  Would you sign that bill?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  If they pass it, I’ll sign it. 
 
Q    Mr. President, who is going to provide security for the port you’re planning to build to offer aid to Gaza?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  The Israelis.
 
Q    Is it going to be the I — IDF?  Okay.

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.
 
Q    Are you concerned that Trump is meeting with Viktor Orbán?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I’ve got to go.
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Thanks, everybody.
 
Q    Are you concerned that Trump is meeting with Viktor Orbán and continues to do so?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  If I’m not, you should be.
 
2:49 P.M. EST

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En Route Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

3:13 P.M. EST
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Good afternoon, everybody.  So, before we get started, I wanted to talk about the — the State of the Union last night. 
 
President Biden hit a grand slam, making a strong case to the American people about the future and his vision for an economy that’s centered on the middle class, for protecting our freedoms instead of taking — taking them away, and for making us more secure by acting on the bipartisan border deal and strengthening our alliances.
 
Not a dark di- — vision based on dragging American — American into — America into the past, on passing extreme abortion bans, on an economy by the rich for the rich, on taking revenge and bowing down to dictators.
 
His vision connected, as we keep seeing in front pages across the country and in the live reactions you all have captured.  Now — now we’re taking it on the road, as you can see. 
 
I want to share some of the reactions that stood out to us.  Presidential historian Michael Basch- — Beschloss — pardon me.  He said, “Biden hit the — hit the ball out of the park tonight.” 
 
Senator and Reverend Raphael Warnock: “That was a sermon tonight.”
 
Politico Playbook: “It’s hard to imagine how the State of the Union could have gone much better for Biden.”
 
Larry Sabato: “Yeah, it’s a homerun.”
 
Ian Bremmer: “A good night for American democracy.”
 
Newsweek: “Republicans Complain Joe Biden Had Too Much Energy at SOTU.” 
 
And coming out of the State of the Union, the President, his Cabinet, and senior administration officials will fan out across the country to speak directly to the American people, underscoring the historic progress we have made thanks to the President’s agenda, as well as the clear contrast between competing visions for the country. 
  
Today, the President and the First Lady are headed to the — to the Philadelphia area.  And tomorrow, we’ll be traveling to Atlanta for political events. 
 
On Monday, the President will travel to Manchester, New Hampshire, and share how his administration is lowering costs for American families, as well as — as participate in a political event.
  
On Tuesday, the President will be at the White House to host both the President and Prime Minister of Poland and discuss how we have strengthened the bilateral relationship between our two countries.
  
On Wednesday, the President will head back out on the road to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and then to Michigan on Thursday.
 
And on Friday, the President will host Taoiseach of Ilan- — of Ireland at the White House, which will be followed by a St. Patrick’s Day Celebration at the White House on March 17. 
 
I also want to note that in addition to the President’s post-State-of-the-Union travel, the Vice President and the Cabinet are also traveling far and wide to highlight how the President is building on — an economy from the middle out and bottom up, investing in all of America to make sure the middle class has a fair shot and we leave no one behind.
 
They will al- — also underscore how the President’s investments are keeping communities safe, protecting and expanding access to healthcare, rebuilding America’s infrastructure, creating good-paying jobs, and delivering a future for the American people.
 
The Vice President is kicking her travel off in Phoenix, Arizona, today and will visit Las Vegas on Saturday.  And on Tuesday, March 12th, she will travel on to Denver, Colorado.
 
There is a lot of traveling happening.  And please hold on, because someone is going to fall.  (Laughter.)  But hold on.
 
All right.  What you got, Josh?
 
Q    From last night’s State of the Union, from the rostrum, the President had an exchange with Marjorie Taylor Greene about Laken Riley, and he used the word “illegal” and then later “legals.”  And I was wondering if you could clarify what he was trying to communicate in that exchange?
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  So, I think he was — he was obviously asked about this right before getting on — right before getting on Air Force One. 
 
There’s a couple things I do want to lay out, which I think is important when you look at the entirety of what he said yesterday in his remarks. 
 
The President spoke to the nation, obviously, last night very clearly about not demonizing immigrants.  He talked about the story of our country and families seeking safety and opportunity in a place of possibilities. 
 
President Biden believes in treating everyone humanely, which is — which is why he — he stopped his predecessor’s anti-immigration policies, as you know — all know and have covered back — back in the last administration.  That is really an important message that he wanted to make sure was sent during the State of the Union.
 
In response to what was hurled at him from the House floor, the President made clear that the murder of Laken Hope Riley was horrific and expressed sympathy for her family.  And he once again called on congressional Republicans to stop blocking the toughest, fairest bipartisan border security legislation in modern history. 
 
Again, he was responding to what was being hurled at him, as you all covered, and he was responding to that moment and that exchange.
 
Q    Karine, I just asked him about —
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Yeah.
 
Q    — you know, whether he regrets using the word “illegal,” and he said, “Technically, he wasn’t supposed to be here.”  I’m just wondering if you’ve had a chance to sort of speak to him after his speech and whether he really regrets using the word.
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I saw him a couple of times after that.  I saw him last night after his speech.  That is not what we focused on, obviously. 
 
Look, what we — I think the bottom line to this is that we should not be politiciz- —
 
(A landing alert sound on Air Force One.)  Are you kidding me?  (Laughter.)
 
It should not be pol- — pol- — making this a political football. 
 
Congressional Re- — Republicans need to move forward and not reject a bipartisan bill that came out of the Senate.  It is important to move forward with this bill.  We can’t politicize this.  That’s what we cannot do. 
 
It is important, as we move forward, to — to dealing with the border challenges, as we move forward in buil- — in fixing a broken immigration system. 
 
The President has sa- — said this.  We need to do this in a humane and dignified way.
 
Q    Any — any second guessing among staff about him using that word?
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I —
 
Q    I mean, because it upset a lot of Democrats.
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  No, I — I understand.  I — I mean, I hear what you’re saying, but this is a president who also spent quite a bit of time on this topic and talked about the importance of doing it in a hu- — when we’re talking about immigration and dealing with immigration, dealing with migrants who are coming here, doing it in a humane way and a respectful way. 
 
He was responding to the engagement that he was having about a young woman who was murdered.  And that’s what was happening.  That’s what you saw.
 
Q    Karine, can I —
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Go ahead.
 
Q    — follow on something that happened during the briefing the other day and you didn’t have a chance to respond?   Kyrsten Sinema’s announcement about her resignation.  Has the President spoken with her?  Did he speak with her before that announcement?  And what is their relationship?  Can you —
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  So, I — you know, I don’t have any conver- — a conversation or a call to read out to all of you.  Look, the President said — he congratulated Sinema on a career of service of — to the people of Arizona and the country.  He’s proud of the work that they were able to — to get together — to get done together. 
 
You heard him talk about the bipartisan negotiation that was able to happen that came out of the Senate.  She was one of the negotiators on that.  There’s been other bipartisan bills that the President was able to get through and with her assistance, and that’s now in law — into law.  That’s going to change Americans’ lives. 
 
So, there are ways that they were able to work together.  He appreciates that.  He congr- — congratulates her on her tenure as senator.
 
Q    Karine, has — there were several members of the Democratic Caucus last night, including Rashida Tlaib —
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Yeah.
 
Q    — and several others who didn’t applaud at all during the President’s speech, who didn’t stand at any portion during the President’s speech.  What’s the President’s message to the members of his own party who are — they — they heard his message last night; he spoke about Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there — but who, at the end of the night, are still not satisfied with what the President is doing?
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I mean, look, I think you can see what the President has been trying to do over the past several weeks – this past several months on trying to get that hostage deal.  And what does that mean?  By — 
 
AIR FORCE ONE CREW MEMBER:  You cannot remain standing. 
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Okay.
 
AIR FORCE ONE CREW MEMBER:  I’m so sorry. 
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  All right.  Sorry, guys.  I got to — we got to go.  (Laughs.)
 
Q    Has he met with Rashida Tlaib at all?
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I can’t — I can’t —
 
Q    Has he met with Rashida Tlaib at all? 
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I — I don’t have —
 
Q    Has he spoken to her?
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I don’t have a meeting to read out. 
 
Sorry, guys.  We go to land. 
 
Q    (Inaudible) Nikki Haley?
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  No, I don’t have anything to read out or — or say — to speak to on that.
 
Q    Thank you, Karine.
 
MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  You saw — you saw his text on that.  Sorry, guys. 
 
Thanks.
 
3:22 P.M. EST

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On Friday, March 8, 2024, the President signed into law:

H.R. 7454, the “Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2024,” which extends through May 10, 2024, Federal Aviation Administration authorities and related revenue authorities and extends through May 11, 2024, the authority of the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice to mitigate credible threats posed by unmanned aircraft systems to covered facilities and assets.

Thank you to Representatives Graves and Larson, Senators Cantwell and Cruz, and many others for their leadership.

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WASHINGTON – Today, President Biden announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to serve in key roles:

• Denise Grant, Member, J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board 
• Lynn Tincher-Ladner, Member, J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board 
• Marsha Borin, Member, United States Holocaust Memorial Council
• David Cicilline, Member, United States Holocaust Memorial Council
• Paul R. Fine, Member, United States Holocaust Memorial Council
• Susan E. Lowenberg, Member, United States Holocaust Memorial Council
• Judith Schocken, Member, United States Holocaust Memorial Council
• Cynthia Simon Skjodt, Member, United States Holocaust Memorial Council
• Samantha Vinograd, Member, United States Holocaust Memorial Council
• Mark Wilf, Member, United States Holocaust Memorial Council

J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board

The J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board supervises the Fulbright Program and certain programs authorized by the Fulbright-Hays Act and for the purpose of selecting students, scholars, teachers, trainees, and other persons to participate in the educational exchange programs. Appointed by the President, the 12-member Board meets quarterly in Washington, D.C. The Board establishes worldwide policies and procedures for the Program and issues an annual report on the state of the Program.

Denise Grant, Member, J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board 

Denise Grant, founder and CEO of Overlook Strategies, is a highly regarded counsel to executives and Boards of Directors on complex issues across a range of business, leadership, organizational, governance, and policy matters. She has decades of experience developing strategies and implementing solutions for some of the most high-profile entities in the corporate and nonprofit sectors. She also serves as a Senior Advisor to Heidrick & Struggles, a global leadership and organizational consulting firm.

Her expertise is grounded in an extensive career spanning the global business, legal, and public policy arenas. Grant was Managing Director at Russell Reynolds where she led the Washington office and held other leadership positions. Prior to 2005, Grant was a senior executive at Fannie Mae where she served in a variety of roles including as head of the multi-billion-dollar mortgage-backed securities issuance business. She also was a practicing attorney for a decade, including at Morgan Lewis and on Capitol Hill. In private practice, she provided strategic representation on regulatory, litigation, compliance, and policy matters.

Grant has been active with many nonprofit organizations that promote opportunity, international diplomacy, culture, and education. She has served on numerous boards, including the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts and Transylvania University. Grant has a B.A. from Transylvania University and a law degree from the University of Kentucky. A native of Kentucky, her home base is now Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Lynn Tincher-Ladner, Member, J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board 

Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner serves as President and CEO of Phi Theta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and largest honor society for students seeking associate degrees and credentials from community colleges. With over 30 years in higher education, she has been a community college math, chemistry, and physics instructor; computer programmer; database administrator; institutional researcher; and university faculty member. She has served on national boards for the College Promise Campaign, the Center for Community College Student Engagement, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the Rural Community College Alliance, and the American Association of Community Colleges.

As an advocate for community colleges and community college students, Tincher-Ladner uses data to tell their stories and to advocate for the support of America’s community colleges and their students. Her passion and position have established her as a speaker with engagements crisscrossing the country: she frequently presents her state-of-the-art statistics on student success at national conferences and regularly speaks at college convocations and commencements.

Tincher-Ladner holds a Ph.D. in Community College Leadership from Mississippi State University and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics from the University of Southern Mississippi.

United States Holocaust Memorial Council

The United States Holocaust Memorial Council was established by Congress in 1980 to lead the nation in commemorating the Holocaust and to raise private funds for and build the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Once the Museum opened in 1993, the Council became the governing board of trustees of the Museum, an independent establishment of the United States government operating as a public-private partnership that receives some federal funding to support operations of the Museum building.

Marsha Borin, Member, United States Holocaust Memorial Council

Marsha Borin practiced law in Delaware before directing a professional ballet company composed of Russian dancers trained in renowned ballet schools across the world who were stranded in the United States. She then served as President of a pop ballet company that toured Europe with works set to popular music, and as Executive Director for a celebrity series presenting renowned guests.

In 2000, Borin worked with Celeste Maier of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and The News Journal to develop Why Remember, a year-long program in Delaware that cast light on the hatred of the Holocaust as well as on those who did not turn their backs on humanity. Why Remember presented survivor talks to high school students, a film about the Kindertransport in colleges, extensive histories and interviews of survivors printed in the News Journal, and a book and author luncheon featuring the work of a Holocaust survivor.

Borin has served on many boards, including Delaware Sterling Bank which was acquired by PNC, The United States International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi, The Boston Foundation for Sight in Boston, Massachusetts, and The Irish American University in Dublin, Ireland. In 2021, Borin was the recipient of the Community Service Award presented by the Delaware Bar Association.

Borin is married to beloved Pediatrician, Howard Borin, M.D. They are parents of a daughter, Lisa, who served in then-Senator Biden’s office and the Obama-Biden Administration, parents to their late son, Joshua, and grandparents to Jack, a college sophomore. Borin enjoys teaching ballet, walking, travel, politics, and improving quality of life.

David Cicilline, Member, United States Holocaust Memorial Council

David Cicilline currently serves as President & CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation, one of America’s oldest and largest community Foundations. Prior to this position, Cicilline served for 12 years as a member of the United States Congress representing Rhode Island’s First Congressional District and served on the House Foreign Affairs and Judiciary Committees. While in Congress, Cicilline chaired the LGBTQ Equality Caucus, was vice-chair of the Progressive Caucus, and chaired the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law.

Prior to his Congressional service, Cicilline served as Mayor of Providence and in the state legislature in Rhode Island. Cicilline also served on the Board of the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center in Rhode Island. He is a Senior Fellow at the Brown University Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, a member of the United Nations Foundation Global Leadership Council, the United States Global Leadership National Advisory Council, and the Council on Foreign Relations. Cicilline attended Brown University and Georgetown University Law Center.

Paul R. Fine, Member, United States Holocaust Memorial Council

Paul R. Fine is a longtime Delaware businessman, public servant, and philanthropist. He began his career as a second-generation automobile dealer. From 1989-1997, he was President of Delaware’s State Board of Education, working closely with the Governor’s office and the General Assembly to steer Delaware’s public school system through major education reform.

Fine also served as Chairman of the Board and Campaign Chair of United Way of Delaware. As one of the founding members of the Delaware Community Foundation, Fine also served as its Chairman of the Board. He also served as President of the Jewish Federation of Delaware and later chaired the Annual Campaign for the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach in 2017 and 2018.

Along with his wife, Gloria, he established a “Vision of Hope” scholarship trust for 30 students at Conrad Middle School in Wilmington. These scholarships provided mentorship and full tuition for post-secondary degrees. In 1989, both were recipients of the National Conference of Community and Justice annual award for bringing together diverse groups through education and were awarded the University of Delaware’s Medal of Distinction in 2005: the University’s highest non-academic award bestowed by the Board of Trustees. In 1998, then-Governor Tom Carper presented Fine with Delaware’s highest honor, The Order of the First State.

Susan E. Lowenberg, Member, United States Holocaust Memorial Council

Susan E. Lowenberg is President of the Lowenberg Corporation. A graduate of the University of Oregon with a degree in Finance and Real Estate, Lowenberg is an active member of the real estate industry in Northern California.

Currently, Lowenberg serves as a Gubernatorial Appointee to the California Coastal Commission, Board Member of The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, Board Member of American Jewish World Service, and Board Member of the Jewish Family and Children’s Services Holocaust Center. Lowenberg previously served as a Presidential Appointee to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council from 2012-2020.

Lowenberg lives in San Francisco, California with her spouse Joyce Newstat.

Judith Schocken, Member, United States Holocaust Memorial Council

Judith Schocken is a daughter of survivors of the Holocaust. A member of the Speakers Bureau of the Holocaust Center of Humanity in Seattle, Schocken talks to schoolchildren about the escape from Europe just before World War II. Schocken tells the story of her family in Czechoslovakia as antisemitism increased and their harrowing immigration to the United States.

Schocken and her husband Joe support various philanthropies, nationally and in the Seattle area. They raised four children and have eight grandchildren. They strongly believe in keeping Jewish traditions and religion alive. Schocken, who formerly served as the owner and manager of a restaurant in Seattle, spends time skiing, snowshoeing, and hiking in the Cascades.

Cynthia Simon Skjodt, Member, United States Holocaust Memorial Council

Cindy Simon Skjodt has spent most of her adult life serving the Marion and Hamilton County, Indiana communities. She graduated from Carmel High School in 1976, earned her bachelor’s degree from Indiana University in 1980, and earned her master’s degree in Family & Marriage Therapy from Butler University in 1996. Simon Skjodt continues to dedicate her time, attention, leadership, and financial resources to Central Indiana nonprofit charity boards as well as a few national and international charities. She was a founding director of the Pacer Foundation in 1981 and remains actively involved today. Simon Skjodt also meets the demands of her beloved Samerian Foundation, of which she is Chairman.

Within the last 25 years, Simon Skjodt has served on many local Boards of Directors, Action Committees, and Advisory Councils. Most recently, she was appointed to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council by President Obama. Twice she has been awarded the highest honor in the State of Indiana, the Sagamore of the Wabash, by the Governor. She has also been bestowed with the honor of “Cindy Simon Skjodt Day” by three separate Indianapolis Mayors. Her additional honors include the Herman B Wells Visionary, Profiles in Leadership, Woman of the Year, Anne Frank Award, Living Legacy, and Major Benefactors Award.

Simon Skjodt remains active in civic and cultural organizations, in addition to overseeing the perpetuity of her private family foundation. She continues to lead the philanthropic legacy engrained within her as a child by her parents, for whom she credits her work around the globe. Simon Skjodt and her husband Paul Skjodt live in the Indianapolis area, where they raised their children Erik, Samantha, and Ian.

Samantha Vinograd, Member, United States Holocaust Memorial Council

Samantha Vinograd is the daughter of a Holocaust survivor and has long been an advocate for Holocaust education and confronting antisemitism. Vinograd has dedicated much of her career to public service, working in critical security roles under three presidents.

She most recently served in the Biden-Harris Administration as the Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism, Threat Prevention, and Law Enforcement Policy at the Department of Homeland Security. In that role, she led efforts to address antisemitism and other forms of hate-fueled violence. In the Obama-Biden Administration, she served on the National Security Council as the Senior Advisor to the National Security Advisor, the Director for International Economics and Energy, and the Director for Iraq. She also worked at the Department of the Treasury in the Bush Administration as Deputy U.S. Treasury Attaché to Iraq and as an International Economist.

Currently, Vinograd is a Partner at Brunswick Group where she leads the firm’s U.S. geopolitical practice. She is also a Senior Advisor at the University of Delaware’s Biden Institute, a Trustee at Save the Children U.S., and a contributor at CBS News. Previously, Vinograd led global public policy at Stripe and worked for Goldman Sachs where she focused on building public-private sector partnerships on key policy issues.

Mark Wilf, Member, United States Holocaust Memorial Council

Mark Wilf is President of Garden Homes, his family-owned real estate development firm. He is also Owner/President of the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings and Owner/Chairman of the MLS’ Orlando City Soccer Club and NWSL’s Orlando Pride. He graduated from Princeton University and then received his law degree from NYU School of Law.

As the son of Holocaust survivors, Elizabeth Wilf and Joseph Wilf, z”l, he has drawn upon his parents’ experiences to become an unwavering advocate for the needs of the Jewish people and promote Holocaust education. The Wilf family, through the Wilf Family Foundations, is a longtime supporter of Yad Vashem in Jerusalem.

Wilf serves as the Chair of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency for Israel. He previously served as Chair of the Board of Trustees of The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA). Wilf also chaired JFNA’s national initiative that addresses the needs of impoverished Holocaust survivors living in the United States. He serves on a variety of other educational, philanthropic, and educational boards including the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest, Hillel International, NYU School of Law, Princeton University President’s Advisory Council, Yeshiva University, and Vanderbilt University. Wilf and his wife Jane reside in Livingston, New Jersey and have four children, Steven, Daniel, Rachel, and Andrew.

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Yesterday, Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer, Assistant to the President and Director of the Gender Policy Council Jennifer Klein, and Principal Deputy National Security Advisor to the Vice President Dr. Rebecca Lissner, and other senior National Security Council and Gender Policy Council officials met with the UN Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten.  During the meeting, SRSG Patten detailed the scope and methodology of her team’s January 29 – February 14 mission to Israel and the West Bank and her report on the findings of this travel.  White House officials conveyed President Biden and Vice President Harris’s deep concern about the horrific reports of sexual violence committed by Hamas terrorists on October 7 and reports of ongoing acts of gender-based violence against those in captivity.  Attendees also discussed the need for all credible allegations to be investigated and steps taken, as appropriate, to hold accountable those responsible.

White House officials underscored the importance of preventing harm to Israeli and Palestinian civilians, and shared deep concern about the loss of innocent life in this conflict and about the disturbing reports of sexual violence. They emphasized steps the Biden-Harris Administration has taken to promote accountability for conflict-related sexual violence around the world, including President Biden’s November 2022 Memorandum on Promoting Accountability for Conflict-Related Sexual Violence.

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U.S. Capitol
Washington, D.C.
(March 7, 2024)

9:26 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  (The President presents his prepared remarks to Speaker Johnson.)  Your bedtime reading. 

Tony!  (Applause.)  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Looking for Jill.  (Applause.)

Good evening.  (Applause.)  Good evening.  If I were smart, I’d go home now.  (Laughter and applause.)

Mr. Speaker, Madam Vice President, members of Congress, my fellow Americans.

In January 1941, Franklin Roosevelt came to this chamber to speak to the nation.  And he said, “I address you at a moment unprecedented in the history of the Union”.  Hitler was on the march.  War was raging in Europe.

President Roosevelt’s purpose was to wake up Congress and alert the American people that this was no ordinary time.  Freedom and democracy were under assault in the world.

Tonight, I come to the same chamber to address the nation.  Now it’s we who face an unprecedented moment in the history of the Union. 

And, yes, my purpose tonight is to wake up the Congress and alert the American people that this is no ordinary moment either.  Not since President Lincoln and the Civil War have freedom and democracy been under assault at home as they are today.

What makes our moment rare is that freedom and democracy are under attack at — both at home and overseas at the very same time. 

Overseas, Putin of Russia is on the march, invading Ukraine and sowing chaos throughout Europe and beyond.

If anybody in this room thinks Putin will stop at Ukraine, I assure you: He will not.  (Applause.) 

But Ukraine — Ukraine can stop Putin.  (Applause.)  Ukraine can stop Putin if we stand with Ukraine and provide the weapons that it needs to defend itself.  (Applause.) 

That is all — that is all Ukraine is asking.  They’re not asking for American soldiers.  In fact, there are no American soldiers at war in Ukraine, and I’m determined to keep it that way.  (Applause.) 

But now assistance to Ukraine is being blocked by those who want to walk away from our world leadership.

It wasn’t long ago when a Republican president named Ronald Reagan thundered, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.”  (Applause.) 

Now — now my predecessor, a former Republican president, tells Putin, quote, “Do whatever the hell you want.” 

AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE PRESIDENT:  That’s a quote.

A former president actually said that — bowing down to a Russian leader.  I think it’s outrageous, it’s dangerous, and it’s unacceptable.  (Applause.) 

America is a founding member of NATO, the military alliance of democratic nations created after World War Two prevent — to prevent war and keep the peace.

And today, we’ve made NATO stronger than ever.  We welcomed Finland to the Alliance last year.  (Applause.)  And just this morning, Sweden officially joined, and their minister is here tonight.  Stand up.  (Applause.)  Welcome.  Welcome, welcome, welcome.  (Applause.)  And they know how to fight.

Mr. Prime Minister, welcome to NATO, the strongest military alliance the world has ever seen.

I say this to Congress: We have to stand up to Putin.  (Applause.)  Send me a bipartisan national security bill.  History is literally watching.  History is watching.

If the United States walks away, it will put Ukraine
at risk.  Europe is at risk.  The free world will be at risk, emboldening others to do what they wish to do us harm.

My message to President Putin, who I’ve known for a long time, is simple: We will not walk away.  (Applause.)  We will not bow down.  (Applause.)  I will not bow down.  (Applause.) 

In a literal sense, history is watching.  History is watching — just like history watched three years ago on January 6th — (applause) — when insurrectionists stormed this very Capitol and placed a dagger to the throat of American democracy.

Many of you were here on that darkest of days.  We all saw with our own eyes the insurrectionists were not patriots.  They had come to stop the peaceful transfer of power, to overturn the will of the people.

January 6th lies about the 2020 election and the plots to steal the election posed a great — gravest threat to U.S. democracy since the Civil War. 

But they failed.  (Applause.)  America stood — (applause) — America stood strong and democracy prevailed.  We must be honest: The threat to democracy must be defended [defeated].

My predecessor and some of you here seek to bury the truth about January 6th.  I will not do that.

This is a moment to speak the truth and to bury the lies.  Here’s the simple truth: You can’t love your country only when you win.  (Applause.)

As I’ve done ever since being elected to office, I ask all of you, without regard to party, to join together and defend democracy.  Remember your oath of office to defend against
all threats foreign and domestic.  (Applause.) 

Respect — respect free and fair elections, restore trust in our institutions, and make clear political violence has absolutely no place — no place in America.  Zero place.  (Applause.)

Again, it’s not — it’s not hyperbole to suggest history is watching.  They’re watching.  Your children and grandchildren will read about this day and what we do. 

History is watching another assault on freedom.  Joining us tolight [tonight] is Latorya Beasley, a social worker from Birmingham, Alabama. 

Fourteen months ago — fourteen months ago, she and her husband welcomed a baby girl thanks to the miracle of IVF.  (Applause.)  She scheduled treatments to have that second child, but the Alabama Supreme Court shut down IVF treatments across the state, unleashed by a Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.  She was told her dream would have to wait.

What her family had gone through should never have happened.  Unless Congress acts, it could happen again. 

So, tonight, let’s stand up for families like hers.  To my friends across the aisle — (applause) — don’t keep this waiting any longer.  Guarantee the right to IVF.  (Applause.)  Guarantee it nationwide.

Like most Americans, I believe Roe v. Wade got it right.

I thank Vice President Harris for being an incredible leader defending reproductive freedom and so much more.  (Applause.)  Thank you.

My predecessor came to office determined to see Roe v. Wade overturned.  He’s the reason it was overturned, and he brags about it.  Look at the chaos that has resulted.

Joining us tonight is Kate Cox, a wife and mother
from Dallas.  She’d become pregnant again and had a fetus with a fatal condition.  Her doctor told Kate that her own life and her ability to have future in the fil- — children in the future were at risk if she didn’t act.  Because Texas law banned her ability to act, Kate and her husband had to leave the state to get what she needed.

What her family had gone through should have never happened as well.  But it’s happening to too many others.

There are state laws banning the freedom to choose, criminalizing doctors, forcing survivors of rape and incest to leave their states to get the treatment they need.

Many of you in this chamber and my predecessor are promising to pass a national ban on reproductive freedom.

AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE PRESIDENT:  My God, what freedom else would you take away?

Look, its decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court majority wrote the following — and with all due respect, Justices — “Women are not without electoral — electoral power” — excuse me — “electoral or political power.”

You’re about to realize just how much you were right about that.  (Applause.)

Clearly — (applause) — clearly, those bragging about overturning Roe v. Wade have no clue about the power of women.

But they found out.  When reproductive freedom was on the ballot, we won in 2022 and 2023.  And we’ll win again in 2024.  (Applause.)

If you — if you, the American people, send me a Congress that supports the right to choose, I promise you I will restore Roe v. Wade as the law of the land again.  (Applause.)

Folks, America cannot go back.

I am here to- — tonight to show what I believe is the way forward, because I know how far we’ve come. 

Four years ago next week, before I came to office, the country was hit by the worst pandemic and the worst economic crisis in a century. 

Remember the fear, record losses? 

Remember the spikes in crime and the murder rate?  A raging virus that took more than 1 million American lives of loved ones, millions left behind. 

A mental health crisis of isolation and loneliness. 

A president, my predecessor, failed in the most basic presidential duty that he owes to American people: the duty to care. 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Lies!

THE PRESIDENT:  I think that’s unforgivable.

I came to office determined to get us through one of the toughest periods in the nation’s history.  We have.

It doesn’t make new, but in a — news — in a thousand cities and towns, the American people are writing the greatest comeback story never told.  (Applause.) 

So, let’s tell the story here — tell it here and now.

America’s comeback is building a future of American possibilities; building an economy from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top down; investing in all of America, in all Americans to make every- — sure everyone has a fair shot and we leave no one — no one behind.

The pandemic no longer controls our lives.  The vaccine that saved us from COVID is — are now being used to beat cancer.

Turning setback into comeback.  That’s what America does.  That’s what America does.  (Applause.)

Folks, I inherited an economy that was on the brink.  Now, our economy is literally the envy of the world. 

Fifteen million new jobs in just three years.  A record.  A record.  (Applause.)

Unemployment at 50-year lows.  (Applause.)

A record 16 million Americans are starting small businesses, and each one is a literal act of hope, with historic job growth and small-business growth for Black and Hispanics and Asian Americans.  Eight hundred thousand new manufacturing jobs in America and counting.  (Applause.)

Where is it written we can’t be the manufacturing capital of the world?  We are and we will.  (Applause.)

More people have health insurance today — more people have health insurance today than ever before. 

The racial wealth gap is the smallest it’s been in 20 years. 

Wages keep going up.  Inflation keeps coming down.  Inflation has dropped from 9 percent to 3 percent — the lowest in the world and tending [trending] lower.  (Applause.)

The landing is and will be soft.  And now, instead of aporting — importing foreign products and exporting American jobs, we’re exporting American products and creating American jobs — (applause) — right here in America, where they belong. 

And it takes time, but the American people are beginning to feel it.  Consumer studies show consumer confidence is soaring.  

“Buy America” has been the law of the land since the 1930s.  Past administrations, including my predecessor — including some Democrats, as well, in the past — failed to buy American.  Not anymore. 

On my watch, federal projects that you fund — like helping build American roads, bridges, and highways — will be made with American products and built by American workers — (applause) — creating good-paying American jobs.  (Applause.) 

And thanks to our CHIPS and Science Act — (applause) — the United States is investing more in research and development than ever before.  During the pandemic, a shortage of semiconductors, chips that drove up the price of everything from cell phones to automobiles — and, by the way, we invented those chips right here in America.

Well, instead of having to import them, instead of — private companies are now investing billions of dollars to build new chip factories here in America — (applause) — creating tens of thousands of jobs, many of those jobs paying $100,000 a year and don’t require a college degree.  (Applause.)

In fact, my policies have attracted $650 billion in private-sector investment in clean energy, advanced manufacturing, creating tens of thousands of jobs here in America.  (Applause.)

And thanks — and thanks to our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, 46,000 new projects have been announced all across your communities. 

And, by the way, I noticed some of you who’ve strongly voted against it are there cheering on that money coming in.  (Laughter and applause.)  And I like it.  I’m with you.  I’m with you.

And if any of you don’t want that money in your district, just let me know.  (Laughter.)

Modernizing our roads and bridges, ports and airports, public transit systems.  Removing poi- — poisonous lead pipes so every child can drink clean water without risk of brain damage.  (Applause.) 

Providing affordable — affordable high-speed Internet for every American, no matter where you live — urban, suburban, or rural communities in red states and blue states. 

Record investments in Tribal communities. 

Because of my investment in family farms — (applause) — because I invested in family farms — led by my Secretary of Agriculture, who knows more about this anybody I know — we’re better able to stay in the family for the — those farms so their — and their children and grandchildren won’t have to leave — leave home to make a living.  It’s transformative. 

The great comeback story is Belvidere, Illinois.  Home to an auto plant for nearly 60 years.  Before I came to office, the plant was on its way to shutting down.  Thousands of workers feared for their livelihoods.  Hope was fading. 

Then, I was elected to office, and we raised Belvidere repeatedly with auto companies, knowing unions would make all the difference.  The UAW worked like hell to keep the plant open and get these jobs back.  And together, we succeeded. 

Instead of auto factories shutting down, auto factories are reopening and a new state-of-the-art battery factory is being built to power those cars there at the same.  (Applause.)   

To the folks — to the folks of Belvidere, I’d say: Instead of your town being left behind, your community is moving forward again.  Because instead of watching auto ja- — jobs of the future go overseas, 4,000 union jobs with higher wages are building a future in Belvidere right here in America.  (Applause.)

Here tonight is UAW President Shawn Fain, a great friend and a great labor leader.  Shawn, where are you?  (Applause.)  Stand up. 

And — and Dawn — and Dawn Simms, a third-generation worker — UAW worker at Belvidere. 

Shawn, I was proud to be the first President to stand in the picket line.  And today, Dawn has a good job in her hometown, providing stability for her family and pride and dignity as well. 

Showing once again Wall Street didn’t build America.  They’re not bad guys.  They didn’t build it, though.  The middle class built the country, and unions built the middle class.  (Applause.)

I say to the American people: When America gets knocked down, we get back up.  (Applause.)  We keep going.  That’s America.  (Applause.)  That’s you, the American people. 

It’s because of you America is coming back.  It’s because of you our future is brighter.  It’s because of you that tonight we can proudly say the state of our Union is strong and getting stronger.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!

THE PRESIDENT:  Tonight — tonight, I want to talk about the future of possibilities that we can build together — a future where the days of trickle-down economics are over and the wealthy and the biggest corporations no longer get the — all the tax breaks. 

And, by the way, I understand corporations.  I come from a state that has more corporations invested than every one of your states in the state — the United States combined.  And I represented it for 36 years.  I’m not anti-corporation.

But I grew up in a home where trickle-down economics didn’t put much on my dad’s kitchen table.  That’s why I’m determined to turn things around so the middle class does well. When they do well, the poor have a way up and the wealthy still do very well.  We all do well. 

And there’s more to do to make sure you’re feeling the benefits of all we’re doing. 

Americans pay more for prescription drugs than anywhere in the world.  It’s wrong, and I’m ending it.  (Applause.)

With a law that I proposed and signed — and not one of your Republican buddies work- — voted for it — we finally beat Big Pharma. 

Instead of paying $400 a month or thereabouts for insulin with diabetes — and it only costs 10 bucks to make — they only get paid $35 a month now and still make a healthy profit.  (Applause.)

And I want to — and what to do next, I want to cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month for every American who needs it — everyone.  (Applause.) 

For years, people have talked about it.  But finally, we got it done and gave Medicare the power to negotiate lower prices on prescription drugs, just like the VA is able to do for veterans.  (Applause.)

That’s not just saving seniors money.  It’s saving taxpayers money.  We cut the federal deficit by $160 billion — (applause) — because Medicare will no longer have to pay those exorbitant prices to Big Pharma. 

This year, Medicare is negotiating lower prices for some of the costliest drugs on the market that treat everything from heart disease to arthritis.  It’s now time to go further and give Medicare the power to negotiate lower prices for 500 different drugs over the next decade.  (Applause.) 

They’re making a lot of money, guys.  And they’ll still be extremely profitable.  It will not only save lives; it will save taxpayers another $200 billion.  (Applause.)

Starting next year, the same law caps total prescription drug costs for seniors on Medicare at $200 — at $2,000 a year, even for expensive cancer drugs that cost $10-, $12-, $15,000.  Now I want to cap prescription drug costs at $2,000 a year for everyone.  (Applause.)

Folks, I’m going to get in trouble for saying that, but any of you want to get in Air Force One with me and fly to Toronto, Berlin, Moscow — I mean, excuse me.  (Laughter.)  Well, even Moscow, probably.  (Laughter.)  And bring your prescription with you, and I promise you, I’ll get it for you for 40 percent the cost you’re paying now.  Same company, same drug, same place.

Folks, the Affordable Care Act — the old “Obamacare” — (applause) — is still a very big deal.  (Laughter and applause.) 

Over 100 million of you can no longer be denied health insurance because of a preexisting condition.  But my predecessor and many in this chamber want to take the — that prescription drug away by repealing Affordable Care Act.

AUDIENCE:  Booo —  

THE PRESIDENT:  I’m not going to let that happen.  (Applause.)  We stopped you 50 times before, and we’ll stop you again.  (Applause.) 

In fact, I’m not only protecting it, I’m expanding it.  The — we enacted tax credits of $800 per person per year [to] reduce healthcare costs for millions of working families. That tax credit expires next year.  I want to make that savings permanent.  (Applause.)

To state the obvious: Women are more than half of our population, but research on women’s health has always been underfunded. 

That’s why we’re launching the first-ever White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research, led by Jill — (applause) — doing an incredible job as First Lady — (applause) — to pa- — to pass my plan for $12 billion to transform women’s health research and benefit millions of lives all across America.

I know the cost of housing is so important to you.  Inflation keeps coming down.  Mortgage rates will come down as well, and the Fed acknowledges that. 

But I’m not waiting.  I want to provide an annual tax credit that will give Americans $400 a month for the next two years as mortgage rates come down to put toward their mortgages when they buy their first home or trade up for a little more space.  (Applause.)  That’s for two years.  

And my administration is also eliminating title insurance [fees] on federally backed mortgages.  (Applause.)  When you refinance your home, you can save $1,000 or more as a consequence.  (Applause.)  

For millions of renters, we’re cracking down on big landlords who use antitrust law — using antitrust — who break antitrust laws — (applause) — by price-fixing and driving up rents.  (Applause.) 

We’ve cut red tape so builders can get federally financing, which is already helping build a record 1.7 million new house u- — housing units nationwide.

Now pass — now pass [my plan] and build and renovate 2 million affordable homes and bring those rents down.  (Applause.)

To remain the strongest economy in the world, we need to have the best education system in the world.  (Applause.)  And I, like I suspect all of you, want to give a child — every child a good start by providing access to preschool for three- and four-years-old.  (Applause.) 

You know, I think I pointed out last year — (applause) — I think I pointed out last year that children coming from broken homes where there’s no books, they’re not read to, they’re not spoken to very often start school — kindergarten or first grade hearing — having heard a million fewer words spoken. 

Well, studies show that children who go to preschool are nearly 50 percent more likely to finish high school and go on to earn a two- and four-year degree no matter what their background is.  (Applause.)

I met a year and a half ago with the leaders of the Business Roundtable.  They were mad that I was ever — angry — I — well, they were discussing — (laughter) — why I wanted to spend money on education. 

I pointed out to them: As Vice President, I met with over 8- — I think it was 182 of those folks — don’t hold me to the exact number — and I asked them what they need most — the CEOs.  And you’ve had the same experience on both sides of the aisle.  They say, “A better-educated workforce,” right? 

So, I looked at them.  And I say, “I come from Delaware.  DuPont used to be the eighth-largest corporation in the world.  And every new enter- — enterprise they bought, they educated the workforce to that enterprise.  But none of you do that anymore.  Why are you angry with me providing you the opportunity for the best-educated workforce in the world?” 

And they all looked at me and said, “I think you’re right.”  (Applause.)

I want to expand high-quality tutoring and summer learning to see that every child learns to read by third grade.  (Applause.) 

I’m also connecting local businesses and high schools so students get hands-on experience and a path to a good-paying job whether or not they go to college.  (Applause.)

And I want to make sure that college is more affordable.  Let’s continue increasing the Pell Grants to working- and middle-class families and increase record investments in HBCUs and minority-serving institutions, including Hispanic institutions.  (Applause.)

When I was told I couldn’t universally just change the way in which we did — dealt with student loans, I fixed two student loan programs that already existed to reduce the burden of student debt for nearly 4 million Americans, including nurses, firefighters — (applause) — and others in public service.

Like Keenan Jones, a public educator in Minnesota, who’s here with us tonight.  Keenan, where are you?  (Applause.)  Keenan, thank you.

He’s educated hundreds of students so they can go to college.  Now he’s able to help, after debt forgiveness, get his own daughter to college.  (Applause.)

And, folks, look, such relief is good for the economy because folks are now able to buy a home, start a business, start a family.  

And while we’re at it, I want to give public school teachers a raise.  (Applause.)

And, by the way, the first couple of years, we cut the deficit.

Now let me speak to the question of fundamental fairness for all Americans.  I’ve been delivering real results in fiscally responsible ways.  We’ve already cut the federal deficit — we’ve already cut the federal deficit by over $1 trillion.  (Applause.) 

I signed a bipartisan deal to cut another trillion dollars in the next decade.  (Applause.) 

It’s my goal to cut the federal deficit another $3 trillion by making big corporations and the very wealthy finally beginning to pay their fair share.  (Applause.)

Look, I’m a capitalist.  If you want to make or can make a million or millions of bucks, that’s great.  Just pay your fair share in taxes.  (Applause.) 

A fair tax code is how we invest in things that make this country great: healthcare, education, defense, and so much more. 

But here’s the deal.  The last administration enacted a $2 trillion tax cut overwhelmingly benefit the top 1 percent — the very wealthy —

AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE PRESIDENT:  — and the biggest corporations — and exploded the federal deficit.  (Applause.) 

They added more to the national debt than any presidential term in American history.  Check the numbers.

Folks at home, does anybody really think the tax code is fair? 

AUDIENCE:  No!

THE PRESIDENT:  Do you really think the wealthy and big corporations need another $2 trillion tax break? 

AUDIENCE:  No!

THE PRESIDENT:  I sure don’t.  I’m going to keep fighting like hell to make it fair.  Under my plan, nobody earning less than $400,000 a year will pay an additional penny in federal taxes — (applause) — nobody — not one penny.  And they haven’t yet.

In fact, the Child Tax Credit I passed during the pandemic cut taxes for millions of working families and cut child poverty in half.  (Applause.)

Restore that Child Tax Credit.  No child should go hungry in this country.  (Applause.)

The way to make the tax code fair is to make big corporations and the very wealthy begin to pay their share.  Remember in 2020, 55 of the biggest companies in America made $40 billion and paid zero in federal income tax.  Zero. 

AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE PRESIDENT:  Not anymore.

Thanks to the law I wrote and we signed, big companies now have to pay a minimum of 15 percent.  But that’s still less than working people pay in federal taxes.

It’s time to raise the corporate minimum tax to at least 21 percent — (applause) — so every big corporation finally begins to pay their fair share.

I also want to end tax breaks for Big Pharma, Big Oil, private jets, massive executive pay when it was only supposed to be a million bal- — a million dollars that could be deducted.  They can pay them $20 million if they want, but deduct a million.

End it now.

 You know, there are 1,000 billionaires in America.  You know what the average federal tax is for those billionaires?

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Zero!

THE PRESIDENT:  No.  (Laughter.) 

They’re making great sacrifices — 8.2 percent. 

AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE PRESIDENT:  That’s far less than the vast majority of Americans pay.

No billionaire should pay a lower federal tax rate than a teacher, a sanitation worker, or a nurse.  (Applause.)

I proposed a minimum tax for billionaires of 25 percent — just 25 percent.  You know what that would raise?  That would raise $500 billion over the next 10 years.  (Applause.)

And imagine what that could do for America.  Imagine a future with affordable childcare, millions of families can get what they need to go to work to help grow the economy.  (Applause.)

Imagine a future with paid leave, because no one should have to choose between working and taking care of their sick family member.  (Applause.)

Imagine — imagine a future with home care and eldercare, and people living with disabilities so they can stay in their homes and family caregivers can finally get the pay they deserve.

Tonight, let’s all agree once again to stand up for seniors.  (Applause.)

Many of my friends on the other side of the aisle want to put Social Security on the chopping block.

If anyone here tries to cut Social Security or Medicare or raise the retirement age, I will stop you.  (Applause.)

The working people — the working people who built this country pay more into Social Security than millionaires and billionaires do.  It’s not fair.

We have two ways to go.  Republicans can cut Social Security and give more tax breaks to the wealthy.  I will —

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  (Inaudible.)

THE PRESIDENT:  That’s the proposal.  Oh, no?  You guys don’t want another $2 trillion tax cut?

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Liar!

THE PRESIDENT:  I kind of thought that’s what your plan was.  (Laughter.)  Well, that’s good to hear.  You’re not going to cut another $2 trillion for the super-wealthy?  That’s good to hear.

I’ll protect and strengthen Social Security and make the wealthy pay their fair share.  (Applause.)

Look, too many corporations raise prices to pad their profits, charging more and more for less and less.

That’s why we’re cracking down on corporations that engage in price gouging and deceptive pricing, from food to healthcare to housing.

In fact, the snack companies think you won’t notice if they change the size of the bag and put a hell of a lot fewer — (laughter) — same — same size bag — put fewer chips in it.  No, I’m not joking.  It’s called “shrink-flation.”

Pass Bobby Casey’s bill and stop this.  (Applause.)  I really mean it.

You probably all saw that commercial on Snickers bars.  (Laughter.)  And you get — you get charged the same amount, and you got about, I don’t know, 10 percent fewer Snickers in it.  (Laughter.)

Look, I’m also getting rid of junk fees — those hidden fees — (applause) — at the end of your bill that are there without your knowledge.  My administration announced we’re cutting credit card late fees from $32 to $8.  (Applause.)

Banks and credit card companies are allowed to charge what it costs them to in- — to instigate the collection.  And that’s more — a hell of a lot like $8 than 30-some dollars.

 But they don’t like it.  The credit card companies don’t like it, but I’m saving American families $20 billion a year with all of the junk fees I’m eliminating.  (Applause.)

Folks at home, that’s why the banks are so mad.  It’s $20 billion in profit.

I’m not stopping there.

My administration has proposed rules to make cable, travel,
utilities, and online ticket sellers tell you the total price up front so there are no surprises.  (Applause.)

It matters.  It matters.

And so does this.  In November, my team began serious negotiations with a bipartisan group of senators.  The result was a bipartisan bill with the toughest set of border security reforms we’ve ever seen.

AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE PRESIDENT:  Oh, you don’t think so?

AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE PRESIDENT:  Oh, you don’t like that bill — huh? — that conservatives got together and said was a good bill?  I’ll be darned.  That’s amazing.

That bipartisan bill would hire 1,500 more security agents and officers, 100 more immigration judges to help tackle the backload of 2 million cases, 4,300 more asylum officers, and new policies so they can resolve cases in six months instead of six years now.  (Applause.)  What are you against?

One hundred more high-tech drug detection machines to significantly increase the ability to screen and stop vehicles smuggling fentanyl into America that’s killing thousands of children.  (Applause.)

This bill would save lives and bring order to the border.  (Applause.)

It would also give me and any new president new emergency authority to temporarily shut down the border when the number of migrants at the border is overwhelming. 

The Border Patrol union has endorsed this bill.

(Cross-talk.)

The federal Chamber of Commerce has — yeah, yeah.  You’re saying “no.”  Look at the facts.  (Laughter and applause.)  I know — I know you know how to read. 

I believe that given the opportunity — for — a majority in the House and Senate would endorse the bill as well — a majority right now.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Yes!

THE PRESIDENT:  But unfortunately, politics have derailed this bill so far.

I’m told my predecessor called members of Congress in the Senate to demand they block the bill.  He feels political win — he viewed it as a — it would be a political win for me and a political loser for him.  It’s not about him.  It’s not about me.  I’d be a winner — not really.  I —

REPRESENTATIVE GREENE:  What about Laken Riley?

(Cross-talk.)

AUDIENCE:  Booo —

REPRESENTATIVE GREENE:  Say her name!

THE PRESIDENT:  (The President holds up a pin reading “Say Her Name, Laken Riley.”)  Lanken — Lanken [Laken] Riley, an innocent young woman who was killed.

REPRESENTATIVE GREENE:  By an illegal!

THE PRESIDENT:  By an illegal.  That’s right.  But how many of thousands of people are being killed by legals?

(Cross-talk.)

To her parents, I say: My heart goes out to you.  Having lost children myself, I understand.

But, look, if we change the dynamic at the border — people pay people — people pay these smugglers 8,000 bucks to get across the border because they know if they get by — if they get by and let into the country, it’s six to eight years before they have a hearing.  And it’s worth the — taking the chance of the $8,000.

(Cross-talk.)

But — but if it’s only six mon- — six weeks, the idea is it’s highly unlikely that people will pay that money and come all that way knowing that they’ll be — able to be kicked out quickly.  (Applause.)

Folks, I would respectfully su- — suggest to my friend in — my Republican friends owe it to the American people.  Get this bill done.  We need to act now.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE:  Get it done!  Get it done!  Get it done!

THE PRESIDENT:  And if my predecessor is watching: Instead of paying [playing] politics and pressuring members of Congress to block the bill, join me in telling the Congress to pass it.

We can do it together.

But that’s what he apparently — here’s what he will not do.

I will not demonize immigrants, saying they are “poison in the blood of our country.”  (Applause.)

I will not separate families.  (Applause.)

I will not ban people because of their faith.

Unlike my predecessor, on my first day in office, I introduced a comprehensive bill to fix our immigration system.  Take a look at it.  It has all these and more: secure the border, provide a pathway to citizenship for DREAMers, and so much more.  (Applause.)

But unlike my predecessor, I know who we are as Americans.  We’re the only nation in the world with a heart and soul that draws from old and new. 

Home to Native Americans whose ancestors have been here for thousands of years.  Home to people of every pla- — from every place on Earth. 

They came freely.  Some came in chains.  Some came when famine struck, like my ancestral family in Ireland.  Some to flee persecution, to chase dreams that are impossible anywhere but here in America.

That’s America.  (Applause.)  And we all come from somewhere, but we’re all Americans.

Look, folks, we have a simple choice: We can fight about fixing the border or we can fix it.  (Applause.)  I’m ready to fix it.  Send me the border bill now.

AUDIENCE:  Fix it!  Fix it!  Fix it!

THE PRESIDENT:  A transformational his- — moment in history happened 58 — 59 years ago today in Selma, Alabama.  Hundreds of foot soldiers for justice marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, named after the Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan, to claim their fundamental right to vote.

They were beaten.  They were bloodied and left for dead.  Our late friend and former colleague John Lewis was on that march.  We miss him.  (Applause.) 

But joining us tonight are other marchers, both in the gallery and on the floor, including Bettie Mae Fikes, known as the “Voice of Selma.” 

The daughter of gospel singers and preachers, she sang songs of prayer and protest on that Bloody Sunday to help shake the nation’s conscience. 

Five months later, the Voting Rights Act passed and was signed into law.  (Applause.)

Thank you.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  (Applause.)

But 59 years later, there are forces taking us back in time: voter suppression, election subversion, unlimited dark money, extreme gerrymandering.

John Lewis was a great friend to many of us here.  But if you truly want to honor him and all the heroes who marched with him, then it’s time to do more than talk.  (Applause.)

Pass the Freedom to Vote Act, the John Lewis Voting Right[s] Act.  (Applause.) 

And stop — stop denying another core value of America: our diversity across American life.  Banning books is wrong.  Instead of erasing history, let’s make history.  (Applause.) 

I want to protect fundamental rights. 

Pass the Equality Act.  (Applause.) 

And my message to transgender Americans: I have your back.  (Applause.)

Pass the PRO Act for workers’ rights.  (Applause.) 

Raise the federal minimum wage, because every worker has the right to a decent living more than eig- — seven bucks an hour.  (Applause.)

We’re also making history by confronting the climate crisis, not denying it.  I don’t think any of you think there’s no longer a climate crisis.  At least, I hope you don’t.  (Laughter.)

I’m taking the most significant action ever on climate in the history of the world.  (Applause.) 

I’m cutting our carbon emissions in half by 2030; creating tens of thousands of clean energy jobs, like the IBEW workers building and installing 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations — (applause); conserving 30 percent of America’s lands and waters by 2030; and taking action on environmental justice — fence-line communities smothered by the legacy of pollution.

And patterned after the Peace Corps and AmericaCorps [AmeriCorps], I launched the Climate Corps — (applause) — to put 20,000 young people to work in the forefront of our clean energy future.  I’ll triple that number in a decade.  (Applause.)

To state the obvious, all Americans deserve the freedom to be safe.  And America is safer today than when I took office.

The year before I took office, murder rates went up 30 percent.

MR. NIKOUI:  Remember Abbey Gate!

THE PRESIDENT:  Thirty percent, they went up — 

MR. NIKOUI:  United States Marines!  Kareem Mae’Lee Nikoui!

THE PRESIDENT:  — the biggest increase in history.

MR. NIKOUI:  (Inaudible.)

THE PRESIDENT:  It was then, through no — through my American Rescue Plan — which every American [Republican] voted against, I might add — we made the largest investment in public safety ever.

Last year, the murder rate saw the sharpest decrease in history.  Violent crime fell to one of its lowest levels in more than 50 years. 

But we have more to do.  We have to help cities invest in more community police officers, more mental health workers, more community violence intervention. (Applause.)

Give communities the tools to crack down on gun crime, retail crime, and carjacking.  Keep building trust, as I’ve been doing, by taking executive action on police reform and calling for it to be the law of the land.

Directing my Cabinet to review the federal classification of marijuana and expunging thousands of convictions for the mere possession, because no one should be jailed for simply using or have it on their record.  (Applause.)

Take on crimes of domestic violence.  I’m ramping up the federal enforcement of the Violence Against Women Act that I proudly wrote when I was a senator so we can finally — finally end the scourge against women in America.  (Applause.) 

There are other kinds of violence I want to stop.

With us tonight is Jasmine, whose nine-year-old sister Jackie was murdered with 21 classmates and teachers in her elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. 

Very soon after that happened, Jill and I went to Uvalde for a couple days.  We spent hours and hours with each of the families.  We heard their message so everyone in this room, in this chamber could hear the same message.

The constant refrain — and I was there for hours, meeting with every family.  They said, “Do something.”  “Do something.”

Well, I did do something by establishing the first-ever Office of Gun Violence Prevention in the White House, that the Vice President is leading the charge.  Thank you for doing it.  (Applause.)

Meanwhile — (applause) — meanwhile, my predecessor told the NRA he’s proud he did nothing on guns when he was President.

AUDIENCE:  Booo —

THE PRESIDENT:  After another shooting in Iowa recently, he said — when asked what to do about it, he said, just “get over it.”  That was his quote.  Just “get over it.”

I say stop it.  Stop it, stop it, stop it.  (Applause.)

I’m proud we beat the NRA when I signed the most significant gun safety law in nearly 30 years because of this Congress.  We now must beat the NRA again.

I’m demanding a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.  (Applause.)  Pass universal background checks.  (Applause.) 

None of this — none of this — I taught the Second Amendment for 12 years.  None of this violates the Second Amendment or vilifies responsible gun owners.

(Cross-talk.)

You know, as we manage challenges at home, we’re also managing crises abroad, including in the Middle East.

I know the last five months have been gut-wrenching for so many people — for the Israeli people, for the Palestinian people, and so many here in America. 

This crisis began on October 7th with a massacre by a terrorist group called Hamas, as you all know.  One thousand two hundred innocent people — women and girls, men and boys — slaughtered after enduring sexual violence.  The deadliest day of the — for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.  And 250 hostages taken.

Here in this chamber tonight are families whose loved ones are still being held by Hamas.  I pledge to all the families that we will not rest until we bring every one of your loved ones home.

We also — (applause) — we will also work around the clock to bring home Evan and Paul — Americans being unjustly detained by the Russians — and others around the world.

Israel has a right to go after Hamas.  Hamas ended this conflict by releasing the hostages, laying down arms — could end it by — by releasing the hostages, laying down arms, and s- — surrendering those responsible for October 7th.

But Israel has a h- — excuse me.  Israel has a added burden because Hamas hides and operates among the civilian population like cowards — under hospitals, daycare centers, and all the like. 

Israel also has a fundamental responsibility, though, to protect innocent civilians in Gaza.  (Applause.)

This war has taken a greater toll on innocent civilians than all previous wars in Gaza combined.  More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed —

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Says who?

THE PRESIDENT:  — most of whom are not Hamas.  Thousands and thousands of innocents — women and children.  Girls and boys also orphaned. 

Nearly 2 million more Palestinians under bombardment or displacement.  Homes destroyed, neighborhoods in rubble, cities in ruin.  Families without food, water, medicine. 

It’s heartbreaking.  

I’ve been working non-stop to establish an immediate ceasefire that would last for six weeks to get all the prisoners released — all the hostages released and to get the hostages home and to ease the intolerable an- — humanitarian crisis and build toward an enduring — a more — something more enduring.

The United States has been leading international efforts to get more humanitarian assistance into Gaza.  Tonight, I’m directing the U.S. military to lead an emergency mission to establish a temporary pier in the Mediterranean on the coast of Gaza that can receive large shipments carrying food, water, medicine, and temporary shelters. 

No U.S. boots will be on the ground. 

A temporary pier will enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance getting into Gaza every day.  (Applause.)  

And Israel must also do its part.  Israel must allow more aid into Gaza and ensure humanitarian workers aren’t caught in the crossfire.  (Applause.) 

And they’re announcing they’re going to — they’re going to ca- — have a crossing in Northern Gaza.

To the leadership of Israel, I say this: Humanitarian assistance cannot be a secondary consideration or a bargaining chip.  Protecting and saving innocent lives has to be a priority. 

As we look to the future, the only real solution to the situation is a two-state solution over time.  (Applause.)

And I say this as a lifelong supporter of Israel, my entire career.  No one has a stronger record with Israel than I do.  I challenge any of you here.  I’m the only American president to visit Israel in wartime. 

But there is no other path that guarantees Israel’s security and democracy.  There is no other path that guarantees Pa- — that Palestinians can live in peace with po- — with peace and dignity. 

And there is no other path that guarantees peace between Israel and all of its neighbors — including Saudi Arabia, with whom I’m talking.    

Creating stability in the Middle East also means containing the threat posed by Iran.  That’s why I built a coalition of more than a dozen countries to defend international shipping and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. 

I’ve ordered strikes to degrade the Houthi capability and defend U.S. forces in the region. 

As Commander-in-Chief, I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and our military personnel.  (Applause.)

For years, I’ve heard many of my Republican and Democratic friends say that China is on the rise and America is falling behind.  They’ve got it backwards.  I’ve been saying it for over four years, even when I wasn’t president. 

America is rising.  We have the best economy in the world.  And since I’ve come to office, our GTB [GDP] is up, our trade deficit with China is down to the lowest point in over a decade.  (Applause.)  

And we’re standing up against China’s unfair economic practices. 

We’re standing up for peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits. 

I’ve revitalized our partnership and alliance in the Pacific: India, Australia, Japan, South Korea, the Pacific Islands.  I’ve made sure that the most advanced American technologies can’t be used in China — not allowing to trade them there.  

Frankly, for all his tough talk on China, it never occurred to my predecessor to do any of that.  (Applause.)  

I want competition with China, not conflict.  And we’re in a stronger position to win the conflict [competition] of the 21st century against China than anyone else for that matter — than at any time as well.

Here at home, I’ve signed over 400 bipartisan bills.  But there’s more to pass my Unity Agenda.

Strengthen penalties on fentanyl trafficking.  You don’t want to do that, huh? 

Pass bipartisan privacy legislation to protect our children online.  (Applause.)

Harness — harness the promise of AI to protect us from peril.  Ban AI voice impersonations and more. 

And keep our truly sacred obligation to train and equip those we send into harm’s way and care for them and their families when they come home and when they don’t.  (Applause.) 

That’s why, with the strong support and help of Denis and the VA, I signed the PACT Act — (applause) — one of the most significant laws ever, helping millions of veterans exposed to toxins who now are battling more than 100 different cancers.   Many of them don’t come home, but we owe them and their families support.  

And we owe it to ourselves to keep supporting our new health research agency called ARPA-H — (applause) — and remind us — to remind us that we can do big things, like end cancer as we know it.  And we will.  (Applause.)  

Let me close with this.  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Yay!  (Applause and laughter.)

I know you don’t want to hear anymore, Lindsey, but I got to say a few more things.  (Laughter.)  

I know I may not look like it, but I’ve been around a while.  (Laughter and applause.)  When you get to be my age, certain things become clearer than ever. 

I know the American story.  Again and again, I’ve seen the contest between competing forces in the battle for the soul of our nation, between those who want to pull America back to the past and those who want to move America into the future. 

My lifetime has taught me to embrace freedom and democracy, a future based on core values that have defined America — honesty, decency, dignity, and equality — (applause); to respect everyone; to give everyone a fair shot; to give hate no safe harbor.  (Applause.)

Now, other people my age see it differently.  (Laughter.)  The American story of resentment, revenge, and retribution.

That’s not me.  I was born amid World War Two, when America stood for the freedom of the world.  I grew up in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Claymont, Delaware, among working-class people who built this country.  

I watched in horror as two of my heroes — like many of you did — Dr. King and Bobby Kennedy, were assassinated.  And their legacies inspired me to pur- — pursue a car- — a career in service. 

I left a law firm and became a public defender because my city of Wilmington was the only city in America occupied by the National Guard after Dr. King was assassinated because of the riots.  And I became a county councilman almost by accident.

I got elected to the United States Senate when I had no intention of running, at age 29. 

Then vice president to our first Black president.  Now a president to the first woman vice president.  (Applause.)

In my career, I’ve been told I was too young.  (Laughter.)  By the way, they didn’t let me on the Senate elevators for votes sometimes.  They — not a joke.  (Laughter.)

And I’ve been told I am too old.  (Laughter.) 

Whether young or old, I’ve always been known — I’ve always known what endures.  I’ve known our North Star.  The very idea of America is that we’re all created equal, deserves to be treated equally throughout our lives. 

We’ve never fully lived up to that idea, but we’ve never walked away from it either.  And I won’t walk away from it now.  (Applause.) 

I’m optimistic.  I really am.  I’m optimistic, Nancy.  (Applause.) 

AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!

THE PRESIDENT:  My fellow Americans, the issue facing our nation isn’t how old we are; it’s how old are our ideas.  (Applause.)  

Hate, anger, revenge, retribution are the oldest of ideas.  But you can’t lead America with ancient ideas that only take us back.  To lead America, the land of possibilities, you need a vision for the future and what can and should be done.  (Applause.)  

Tonight, you’ve heard mine. 

I see a future where [we’re] defending democracy, you don’t diminish it.

I see a future where we restore the right to choose and protect our freedoms, not take them away.  (Applause.)

I see a future where the middle class has — finally has a fair shot and the wealthy have to pay their fair share in taxes.  (Applause.)  

I see a future where we save the planet from the climate crisis and our country from gun violence.  (Applause.)  

Above all, I see a future for all Americans.  I see a country for all Americans.  And I will always be President for all Americans because I believe in America.  I believe in you, the American people.  (Applause.)  You’re the reason we’ve never been more optimistic about our future than I am now. 

So, let’s build the future together.  Let’s remember who we are. 

We are the United States of America.  (Applause.)  And there is nothing — nothing beyond our capacity when we act together.  (Applause.) 

God bless you all.  And may God protect our troops.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  (Applause.)

10:33 P.M. EST

The post Remarks by President Biden in State of the Union Address appeared first on The White House.

The day he took office, President Biden pledged to be a president for all Americans. Since then, he has worked tirelessly to keep that promise by advancing a Unity Agenda for the Nation.  The Unity Agenda calls for solving big challenges that unite all Americans—beating the opioid epidemic, tackling the mental health crisis, holding Big Tech accountable, meeting our sacred obligation to veterans, and ending cancer as we know it.

So far, President Biden has signed into law more than 400 bipartisan bills to support his Unity Agenda. That includes the bipartisan MAT Act, which has allowed over 1.8 million more medical practitioners across America to provide life-saving treatment for opioid use disorder; the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which is revolutionizing mental health services in American schools; the PACT Act, the most significant expansion of benefits and services for veterans in more than 30 years; and bipartisan legislation to launch ARPA-H and drive breakthroughs against deadly diseases such as cancer.

In his State of the Union Address, President Biden called on Congress to come together, unite the country, and work with him to build on this progress.

Beating the Opioid Epidemic

America is facing the deadliest drug threat in our history. More Americans between the ages of 18 and 49 die from opioid overdoses than any other cause. In tonight’s State of the Union Address, President Biden will discuss his commitment to beating the opioid epidemic – a key priority in his Unity Agenda for the Nation – and renew his call for Republicans and Democrats to work together to stop fentanyl from flowing into our communities, to bring to justice those who put it there, and to deliver life-saving medication and care across America.

• Seizing Deadly Drugs to Save American Lives. President Biden believes that ending the opioid epidemic starts with stopping fentanyl at our border.  Under his leadership,federal law enforcement agents are keeping more deadly drugs out of our communities than ever before.  Officials have stopped more fentanyl at ports of entry over the last two years than in the previous five years combined.  Last year, federal agents seized enough fentanyl powder and fentanyl-laced pills to kill every American.  The President has prioritized deploying cutting-edge drug detection technology across our southwest border.  And tonight, he will call on Congress to strengthen penalties on fentanyl trafficking and pass the bipartisan border security bill, which would deliver 100 more high-tech drug detection machines to stop fentanyl from entering through ports of entry and give the United States additional tools to crack down on the global criminal networks fueling American overdose deaths.

• Cracking Down on the Global Criminal Networks that Fuel American Overdose Deaths.  President Biden has cracked down on the global criminal networks fueling American overdose deaths.  That means attacking the epidemic where it often begins: with China-based companies that manufacture and distribute chemicals for making the fentanyl that fuels American overdose deaths.  After years of refusing to cooperate with the United States on counternarcotics, President Biden convinced Beijing to deliver on concrete steps that will save American lives: they are shutting down companies that produce deadly drugs, placing controls on dangerous chemicals, and sharing information with U.S. authorities.  The United States has also criminally charged leaders of the world’s largest and most powerful drug cartel – including Ovidio Guzman Lopez, the son of “El Chapo” – and thousands of drug traffickers distributing fentanyl on our streets and on social media.  The Treasury Department also sanctioned more than 250 people and organizations involved in the global illicit drug trade.  And the United States stepped up counternarcotics cooperation with other key governments – including India, Mexico, and Canada – and launched the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats, which unites more than 140 countries in the fight against drug trafficking cartels and illicit finance.

• Delivering Life-Saving Medication and Care Across America.  President Biden has taken bold action to treat addiction and save American lives – including by expanding access to life-saving medications like naloxone – and to prevent drug use, delivering a 15-fold increase in the number of health care providers who can prescribe medications for opioid use disorder.  Under the Biden Administration, historic investments in the State Opioid Response (SOR) program have delivered free, life-saving medications across America, preventing more than 600,000 overdose deaths and delivering nearly 10 million naloxone kits.  The Biden Administration has also acted to make naloxone available over-the-counter at grocery stores and pharmacies, to increase naloxone at all federal facilities across America, and, through opioid treatment programs, to allow Americans with opioid use disorder to access the medications they need at home and through telehealth visits.  Building on this progress, this week the Administration will announce the White House Challenge to Save Lives from Overdose – a nationwide call to increase training on and access to life-saving opioid overdose reversal medications.  To continue this progress, the President calls on Congress to approve his budget, which includes more than $22 billion for substance use treatment to help more Americans achieve recovery.

Tackling the Mental Health Crisis

President Biden believesthat health care is a right, not a privilege, and that mental health care is health care – period.  But for millions of Americans, mental health care is out of reach.  In 2020, less than half of all adults with mental illness received treatment.  For children, the numbers are even worse: nearly 70 percent of our kids who seek care for mental health or substance use cannot get it.  We can and must do better.  To advance his Unity Agenda, President Biden has taken bold steps to transform how mental health is understood, accessed, treated, and integrated in and out of health care settings aiming to make mental health care more affordable and accessible for all Americans.

• Taking on Health Insurers to Expand Access to Mental Health Care for All Americans.  Today, too many Americans struggle to access and afford the mental health care they need.  Health insurers make accessing it far too difficult, often forcing people to find mental health care from out-of-network providers – even though bipartisan legislation requires insurers to cover care for mental health and substance use at the same levels as physical health care.  The promise of mental health parity for all has united Republicans and Democrats for decades, and the President is committed to taking on health insurers and making it a reality.  To that end, the Administration is working to advance mental health parity rules, which would close loopholes by requiring insurers to evaluate access to mental health care in their networks and make changes to ensure equivalent access.  The President is also calling on Congress to enact strong bipartisan legislation to expand coverage in Medicare and private insurance, apply the same mental health parity protections to Medicare beneficiaries, strengthen the Administration’s parity enforcement capabilities, and extend workforce development and incentive programs to address shortages in mental health providers.

• Delivering the Largest Investment in School-Based Mental Health Ever.  Thanks to the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the Biden Administration is delivering the largest investment in school-based mental health services in American history, providing more than $280 million to help schools across America.  These investments will help bring 14,000 mental health professionals into America’s schools – a 35% increase nationwide.  In the coming weeks, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will award $50 million in grant funding for Medicaid school-based health services, while issuing guidance to help ensure children receive the behavioral health care they are entitled to under Medicaid.  HHS and the Department of Education (ED) will continue to provide technical assistance to states and schools seeking to deliver critical mental health care services. And, later this year, ED will award $38 million to help increase the pipeline of school based mental health professionals.

• Expanding Mental Health Services for Veterans.  President Biden is working to protect America’s veterans and believes that every American veteran deserves access to timely, high quality mental health services.  Military service raises the risk of mental health problems while causing other adjustment challenges, and the President has worked to expand peer mental health counseling programs to help veterans live safe and healthy lives after their service.  Under his Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has hired – and will continue to hire – new Veteran Peer Specialists to serve in VA medical centers and in critical outreach roles nationwide.  These Specialists are trained and certified mental health professionals whose lived experiences help them connect fellow veterans to services. 

• Expanding America’s Mental Health Workforce and Clinics.  America’s shortage of qualified mental health professionals and facilities makes it harder for people to get the care they need.  More than 122 million Americans live in communities with severe shortages of mental health providers.  President Biden has taken bold steps to address these shortages.  He has delivered tens of billions to expand federal and state mental health and substance use services across America and called for permanent funding for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, which provide 24/7 crisis care and treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, regardless of individuals’ ability to pay. And, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act will help expand these clinics to all states across the United States.  The Biden Administration also launched 988, the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which has connected millions of Americans in crisis to immediate, confidential, and free care from trained counselors, as well as the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline, which helps mothers navigate mental health issues by dialing 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262).  And this summer, the Administration will release a roadmap for growing and diversifying the workforce trained to address mental health and substance use issues.  This work builds on recent actions to advance mental health careers, including AmeriCorps’s first-of-its-kind partnership launched last month to support service-to-career pathways into behavioral health.

Holding Big Tech Accountable

President Biden believes that the American tech industry is the most innovative in the world.  Although tech platforms can help share ideas, stay connected, and access new products and services, they can also divide us and wreak serious real-world harms.  Like most Americans, the President has long been concerned about how some in the tech industry collect, share, and exploit sensitive personal data, tilt our economy’s playing field, violate the civil rights of women and minorities, and even put our children at risk.  The President also recognizes that recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), while carrying enormous promise, also exacerbate these risks, introduce new ones, and threaten to increase the influence that some tech companies wield over our lives.  Since his first State of the Union Address, President Biden has called on Congress to pass strong bipartisan legislation holding tech companies accountable for the harms they cause, and he renewed these calls. 

• Protecting Americans’ Privacy and Safety Online, Especially Our Kids.  Consistent with his commitment to tackle the mental health crisis, President Biden has acted to address the compelling and growing evidence that social media and other tech platforms harm mental health and wellbeing of all Americans especially our kids.  In each of his State of the Union Addresses, President Biden has called for strong federal protections for Americans’ privacy, including clear limits on how companies collect, use and share highly personal data – your internet history, your personal communications, your location, and your health, genetic and biometric data.  Disclosure is not enough – President Biden believes much of that data should not be collected in the first place and that young people, who are especially vulnerable online, need even stronger protections.  Last month, President Biden took the most significant federal action any President has ever taken to protect Americans’ data security.  His Executive Order begins a process that will stop the large-scale transfer of this data—which includes intimate insights into Americans’ health, location, and finances—to countries like China and Russia.  But Congress must act.  Strong bipartisan legislation is necessary to regulate the types of data that is collected, protect kids online, and ensure the privacy of all Americans, including legislation that limits targeted advertising and bans it altogether for children. 

• Holding Companies Accountable for the Harms They Cause.  President Biden believes that all companies – including technology companies – should be held accountable for the harms they cause, including the content they spread and the algorithms they use.  For this reason, President Biden has long called on Congress for fundamental reform to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which absolves tech companies from legal responsibility for content posted on their sites.  The President has also called on Congress to stop tech platforms from being used for criminal conduct, including sales of dangerous drugs like fentanyl.  The Biden Administration has also used all its authorities to crack down on algorithmic discrimination and algorithmic collusion and to bring more competition back to the tech sector.  The President’s vision for our economy is one in which everyone – small and midsized businesses, mom-and-pop shops, entrepreneurs – can compete on a level playing field with the biggest companies, including and perhaps especially in the tech sector. That’s why he has also worked with Congress to pass bipartisan legislation to boost funding for federal antitrust enforcers.

• Making Sure AI is Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy.  Since taking office, President Biden has moved swiftly to seize the promise and manage the risks of AI.  Last year, he issued a landmark Executive Order on AI to ensure that America leads the way toward responsible AI innovation.  The Order directed federal agencies to establish new high standards for AI safety and security, protect Americans’ privacy, advance equity and civil rights, stand up for workers and consumers, and much more.  In January, the White House announced that agencies had completed on schedule all of the 90-day actions tasked by the Order.  These actions included using the Defense Production Act to compel developers of the most powerful AI systems to report vital safety information, assessing the risks from AI’s use in every critical infrastructure sector, and launching a pilot of the National AI Research Resource to catalyze innovation and competition. Since then, agencies have completed other vital work.  For example, the Federal Trade Commission proposed a new rule to provide for penalties and redress when AI is used to impersonate an individual for commercial purposes. Meanwhile, the National Science Foundation and Department of Energy announced funding to support a research network that will enable the development of more secure and privacy-safeguarding approaches in AI.  And the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published guidance clarifying questions at the intersection of AI and intellectual property law—encouraging the use of AI to keep America at the frontlines of innovation while ensuring AI will not be used to create a minefield of patents to stifle competition.

Delivering on our Sacred Obligation to America’s Veterans and their Families

President Biden believes there is no more sacred obligation than taking care of our nation’s military service members, veterans, and their families, caregivers, and survivors.  Simply put, we owe them a debt we can never fully repay.  Delivering on our sacred obligation to those who have worn the uniform is a commitment that unites all Americans and that is why the President has made supporting our veterans a core pillar in his Unity Agenda for the nation.  President Biden has signed into law more than 30 bipartisan bills addressing critical issues facing veterans today, including the PACT Act, which is most significant expansion of benefits and services for toxic exposed veterans in more than 30 years.  And the President and Congress have worked together to address veteran homelessness, improve access to child and long-term care, and support education and workforce opportunity for veterans and their families. 

• Delivering Historic Expansion of Veterans’ Health Care under the PACT Act.  President Biden believes that every veteran deserves access to quality health care.  This week, in one of the largest expansions of veterans’ health care in American history, President Biden delivered on the promise that any veteran exposed to toxins can enroll directly in VA health care—nearly a decade ahead of schedule.  Millions of veterans — including all veterans who served in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, and any combat zone after 9/11 — can enroll directly in VA health.  President Biden encourages all eligible veterans to visit VA.gov/PACT or call 1-800-MYVA411 to learn more and apply.  This week’s historic expansion builds on the other Administration work to deliver more benefits and health care more quickly to more veterans than ever before.  Since its 2022 enactment, VA has screened more than 5.25 million veterans for toxic exposure, received more than 1.43 million PACT Act claims, and granted toxic exposure benefits to more than 720,000 veterans and survivors.  Over 114,000 veterans eligible under the PACT Act also have newly enrolled in VA health care.  In addition, just last year, VA delivered $163 billion in earned benefits to 6.3 million veterans and survivors, and processed a record 1.98 million disability claims.  VA delivered more than 116 million health care appointments, over 5.5 million dental procedures, and provided services and assistance to more than 74,000 family caregivers. 

• Expanding Cancer Care for Veterans.  Under the PACT Act, the Biden Administration is making care and benefits available to veterans battling over 300 medical conditions, including more than 100 cancers.  With President Biden’s leadership, VA is expanding the types of cancers for which veterans can get disability benefits if exposed to radiation, burn pits, or water contamination.  In addition, this year VA will offer genetic testing to every veteran who may need it and make lung cancer screenings available in every VA facility nationwide, which will help save the lives of the nearly 5,000 veterans who die from lung cancer every year.  VA is also taking action to expand at-home screenings for colorectal cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death in America.

• Ensuring Access to Affordable, Stable Housing.  President Biden believes that every veteran should have a roof over their head.  But housing costs are too high, and significant investments are needed to address the large shortage of affordable homes that has been growing for more than a decade.  Tonight, President Biden will discuss his plan to lower housing costs, including by building and preserving over 2 million new homes to lower rents and the cost of buying a home.  At the same time, the Biden Administration is taking steps to ensure access to affordable and stable housing for all veterans.  Last year alone, VA helped more than 145,000 Veterans and their families retain their homes or otherwise avoid foreclosure and permanently housed more than 46,000 Veterans.  The Biden Administration awarded more than $1 billion in grant funding to help homeless veterans.  The Administration also launched first-of-its-kind funding for legal services for veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness. 

• Lowering Costs for Veterans and Cracking Down on Fraud.  President Biden is doing everything in his power to lower costs for all Americans, including America’s veterans, and to combat fraud and scams that target veterans, service members, and their families.  Fraud against veterans and service members is widespread. From 2015-2019, the Federal Trade Commission received 163,000 fraud reports from veterans and nearly 13,000 from active-duty service members.  Veterans face particularly high risks of fraud with the median loss for veterans from fraud 44% higher than for other civilians.  President Biden launched the Veteran Scam and Fraud Evasion (VSAFE) Task Force to crack down on these fraud and scams.  And today, VA is launching a new National Veterans Financial Resource Center to promote financial stability, literacy, and debt management for veterans.

• Reducing Veteran Suicide.  President Biden is working to protect America’s veterans and released a comprehensive strategy for reducing military and veteran suicide that directs bold and comprehensive action.  Alongside the Administration’s expansion of peer mental health counseling programs for Veterans, VA has expanded its Veteran Justice Outreach Specialist workforce by over 20 percent and will launch a new $10 million program to support states and territories in their efforts to prevent veteran suicide this spring.  In addition, building on the success of KeepItSecure.net, VA will launch a nationwide lethal means safety campaign which will include toolkits, technical assistance and training, and public service assets for veterans, providers, caregivers, and community organizations.

• Supporting Military and Veteran Families, Caregivers, and Survivors.  As a military family, President Biden and the First Lady recognize the commitment and resilience of military-connected families as essential to the recruitment, retention, and readiness of our Armed Forces.  In June 2023, the President, alongside Dr. Biden, signed an Executive Order on Advancing Economic Security for Military and Veteran Spouses, Military Caregivers, and Survivors.  This Executive Order is the most comprehensive set of administrative actions any President has directed to support military spouses, and it included nearly 20 new actions aimed at enhancing career stability, expanding employment resources, and improving transition assistance support for military-connected spouses.  Last month, the Biden Administration launched new tools designed to ensure the Federal government is a leader among employers, modeling approaches to hiring and retaining military spouse talent.

Ending Cancer as We Know It

Cancer has touched nearly every American family.  It is the second leading cause of death in the United States.  Each year, more than 600,000 Americans die from cancer and nearly 1.8 million Americans are diagnosed.  Beating cancer brings Americans together no matter where they are, and President Biden made ending cancer as we know it a central part of the Unity Agenda. 

Two years ago, the President and First Lady reignited the Cancer Moonshot with the goals of reducing the cancer death rate in the United States by at least half – preventing more than 4 million cancer deaths by 2047 – and improving the experience of people who are touched by cancer.  The President also established a Cancer Cabinet to mobilize action in advancing these goals.  In the time since, the Cancer Moonshot has announced more than 60 new programs, policies, and resources, and more than 120 private companies, non-profit organizations, patient groups, and academic institutions have stepped up with new actions in support of these goals.  In his State of the Union Address, President Biden will announce a new advance in the fight to end cancer as we know it:

• A New Revolutionary Treatment Program to Transform Outcomes for Americans Facing Cancer.  Two years ago, President Biden and Congress worked together on a bipartisan basis to launch ARPA-H, the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, with an initial investment of $2.5 billion to drive breakthroughs in cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and other diseases.  Today, ARPA-H launched of a revolutionary treatment program that will improve outcomes for people facing cancers that lead to a vast majority of cancer deaths in the United States each year.  Far too often, doctors lack the tools to determine when a tumor has changed to the point where a different or additional treatment is needed and struggle to accurately predict which treatment will be most effective at a particular point. As a result, people, especially those facing an advanced cancer, may receive treatments that are not effective.  ARPA-H’s Advanced Analysis for Precision cancer Therapy (ADAPT) program will develop next-generation tools that predict the optimal treatment for each person facing advanced cancer, monitor tumors and determine precisely when they change, ensure patients receive the right treatment at the right time, and ultimately, save and extend lives. Today’s announcement builds on other recent progress, including the launch of the National Cancer Institute’s Clinical Trials Innovation Unit, which is accelerating clinical testing of cutting-edge cancer prevention, diagnostic, treatment, and survivorship approaches.

• Lowering Costs and Delivering Patient Navigation Support.  Cancer is one of the costliest diagnoses a person can face in the United States.  Patient out-of-pocket costs for cancer care total more than $16 billion each year and approximately 40 percent of cancer patients fully deplete their assets by the second year of their diagnosis.  President Biden believes that access to health care is a right, not a privilege, and more Americans have health insurance today than under any President.  Starting next year, millions of seniors on Medicare will save up to tens of thousands a year when the $2,000 out-of-pocket cap on prescription drugs goes into effect, especially those receiving cancer drugs, which are among the most expensive drugs for Medicare beneficiaries.  This week, President Biden announced new steps to lower drug and health care costs, including for Americans facing cancer, and to deliver support to people with a cancer diagnosis through expanded patient navigation services.  Cancer navigation is personalized assistance to patients, caregivers, and families to help identify and resolve barriers to high-quality and timely cancer care through care coordination and advocacy.  Because these services improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and advance health equity, President Biden has prioritized increasing access to navigation service and last year the Biden Cancer Moonshot announced new steps to deliver cancer navigation services across America.  With the First Lady’s leadership, today the Administration announced new commitments from seven leading insurance companies which cover more than 150 million Americans to reimburse for navigation services and new actions from 40 comprehensive cancer centers and community oncology practices to bring effective navigation support to more communities.

• Tackling the Drivers of Cancer and Cancer Deaths.  The Biden Administration is working to tackle the drivers of cancer in America, including by making the largest investment in clean water in America history thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.  The President is committed to ensuring every community has access to clean drinking water, free of PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” that can cause cancer.  President Biden is delivering funding to every single state and territory in the country to expand access to clean drinking water, replace lead pipes, improve wastewater and sanitation infrastructure, and remove PFAS contamination in water.  And with billions of dollars of additional investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Biden-Harris Administration is cleaning up toxic Superfund sites, an important step toward environmental justice and cancer prevention.  In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services is releasing a Framework to Support and Accelerate Smoking Cessation, setting out an agenda and actions to expand equitable access and effectiveness of smoking cessation services to more Americans.  As an early step in the execution of this roadmap, CMS is supporting efforts to reach Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries with effective support to quit smoking and the Department of Veterans Affairs is expanding its capacity to offer tobacco-use treatment to Veterans receiving lung cancer screening and through outreach.

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The great American comeback continues.

Last night, I put forward my vision for America’s future: one where we build the economy from the middle out and the bottom up, where we invest in all Americans, and where the middle class has a fair shot and we leave no one behind.

Three years ago, I inherited an economy on the brink. Now, our economy is the envy of the world. We added 275,000 jobs last month—nearly 15 million since I took office. Unemployment has been under 4% for the longest stretch in more than 50 years. Wages keep going up. Inflation keeps coming down. And I’m taking action to continue lowering costs by taking on Big Pharma, getting rid of hidden junk fees, and making housing more affordable.

Across the country, the American people are writing the greatest comeback story never told. The days of trickle-down are over.

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     Today — and every day — the United States reaffirms our sacred pledge to American hostages and detainees wrongfully held abroad:  We see you.  We stand with you.  We will not stop working until you are home and reunited with your family.

     This has been a priority for my Administration since day one — and we have made important progress.  Over the last 3 years, we have brought home more than 60 Americans being held hostage or wrongfully detained around the world, including from Afghanistan, Burma, Gaza, Haiti, Iran, Russia, Rwanda, Venezuela, West Africa, and more.  But we have much more work to do.  Too many Americans remain illegally and wrongfully detained, fearing for their lives and not knowing what tomorrow will bring.  Too many families remain ripped apart, living in agony and uncertainty every day their loved one remains wrongfully held abroad.  No family — and no American — should have to endure this suffering and separation.

     That is why my Administration has taken unprecedented action to secure the release of all Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad.  In 2022, I signed an Executive Order to strengthen our efforts to address the scourge of hostage-taking and wrongful detention, including issuing more severe consequences for actors that illegally detain American citizens and attempt to use human beings as bargaining chips.  Last year, we issued the first-ever sanctions against actors — including in Russia and Iran — for engaging in this abhorrent practice.  My Administration has also focused on preventing these cases from occurring in the first place.  We have joined 74 nations around the world and the European Union in endorsing the Declaration Against Arbitrary Detention.  Finally, we have focused on providing families with loved ones held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad with the resources and support services they deserve.

     Here at home, the Department of State launched a risk indictor that warns travelers if there is a high threat of wrongful detention at their destination.  For more information on travel advisories, go to travel.state.gov.

     As President, I have no higher duty than ensuring the safety and security of my fellow Americans — including all those who remain held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad.  I will continue to work to bring them home.  I will continue to leverage every resource to punish and deter actors who engage in this despicable and unacceptable practice.  I will not stop these efforts until every American is accounted for and safely back home.  Today — and every day — that is my pledge.

     The Congress, by Public Law 118-31 approved December 22, 2023, has designated March 9 of each year as “U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day.”

     NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim March 9, 2024, as U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day.  On this day, as we fly the Hostage and Wrongful Detainee flag at the White House, I call upon the people of the United States to observe this day with relevant programs, ceremonies, and activities. 

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-eighth.
 

                             JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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The humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire, with innocent Palestinian families and children desperate for basic necessities.  That is why today, the European Commission, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, the Republic of Cyprus, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States announce our intent to open a maritime corridor to deliver much-needed additional amounts of humanitarian assistance by sea.

Cyprus’ leadership in establishing the Amalthea Initiative—which outlines a mechanism for securely shipping aid from Cyprus to Gaza via sea—was integral to enabling this joint effort to launch a maritime corridor.  Together, our nations intend to build on this model to deliver significant additional aid by sea, working in coordination with UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza Sigrid Kaag — who is charged with facilitating, coordinating, monitoring, and verifying the flow of aid into Gaza under UN Security Council Resolution 2720.  The dedicated efforts of the UAE to mobilize support for the Initiative will result in the initial shipment of food by sea to the people of Gaza. 

Cyprus will soon convene senior officials to discuss how we can accelerate this maritime channel supporting those in need, supplementing land and air routes, including from Egypt and Jordan.  The United States announced an emergency mission led by the U.S. military to establish a temporary pier in Gaza, in coordination with humanitarian partners and other countries, to enable the delivery of significant quantities of assistance by sea. These efforts will be closely coordinated with the Government of Israel.  

The delivery of humanitarian assistance directly to Gaza by sea will be complex, and our nations will continue to assess and adjust our efforts to ensure we deliver aid as effectively as possible.  This maritime corridor can—and must—be part of a sustained effort to increase the flow of humanitarian aid and commercial commodities into Gaza through all possible routes.  We will continue to work with Israel to expand deliveries by land, insisting that it facilitate more routes and open additional crossings to get more aid to more people.  We affirm that protecting civilian lives is a key element of international humanitarian law that must be respected. And together, we must all do more to ensure aid gets to people who desperately need it.

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The United States Capitol

Good evening. 

Mr. Speaker. Madam Vice President. Members of Congress. My Fellow Americans. 

In January 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt came to this chamber to speak to the nation. 

He said, “I address you at a moment unprecedented in the history of the Union.” 

Hitler was on the march. War was raging in Europe. 

President Roosevelt’s purpose was to wake up the Congress and alert the American people that this was no ordinary moment.   

Freedom and democracy were under assault in the world. 

Tonight I come to the same chamber to address the nation. 

Now it is we who face an unprecedented moment in the history of the Union. 

And yes, my purpose tonight is to both wake up this Congress, and alert the American people that this is no ordinary moment either. 

Not since President Lincoln and the Civil War have freedom and democracy been under assault here at home as they are today. 

What makes our moment rare is that freedom and democracy are under attack, both at home and overseas, at the very same time. 

Overseas, Putin of Russia is on the march, invading Ukraine and sowing chaos throughout Europe and beyond. 

If anybody in this room thinks Putin will stop at Ukraine, I assure you, he will not. 

But Ukraine can stop Putin if we stand with Ukraine and provide the weapons it needs to defend itself. That is all Ukraine is asking. They are not asking for American soldiers. 

In fact, there are no American soldiers at war in Ukraine. And I am determined to keep it that way. 

But now assistance for Ukraine is being blocked by those who want us to walk away from our leadership in the world. 

It wasn’t that long ago when a Republican President, Ronald Reagan, thundered, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” 

Now, my predecessor, a former Republican President, tells Putin, “Do whatever the hell you want.” 

A former American President actually said that, bowing down to a Russian leader. 

It’s outrageous. It’s dangerous. It’s unacceptable. 

America is a founding member of NATO the military alliance of democratic nations created after World War II to prevent war and keep the peace.  

Today, we’ve made NATO stronger than ever. 

We welcomed Finland to the Alliance last year, and just this morning, Sweden officially joined NATO, and their Prime Minister is here tonight. 

Mr. Prime Minister, welcome to NATO, the strongest military alliance the world has ever known. 

I say this to Congress: we must stand up to Putin. Send me the Bipartisan National Security Bill. 

History is watching. 

If the United States walks away now, it will put Ukraine at risk. 

Europe at risk. The free world at risk, emboldening others who wish to do us harm. 
 
 

My message to President Putin is simple.  

We will not walk away. We will not bow down. I will not bow down. 

History is watching, just like history watched three years ago on January 6th. 

Insurrectionists stormed this very Capitol and placed a dagger at the throat of American democracy. 

Many of you were here on that darkest of days. 

We all saw with our own eyes these insurrectionists were not patriots. 
 

They had come to stop the peaceful transfer of power and to overturn the will of the people. 

January 6th and the lies about the 2020 election, and the plots to steal the election, posed the gravest threat to our democracy since the Civil War. 

But they failed. America stood strong and democracy prevailed. 

But we must be honest the threat remains and democracy must be defended. 

My predecessor and some of you here seek to bury the truth of January 6th. 

I will not do that. 

This is a moment to speak the truth and bury the lies. 

And here’s the simplest truth. You can’t love your country only when you win. 

As I’ve done ever since being elected to office, I ask you all, without regard to party, to join together and defend our democracy! 

Remember your oath of office to defend against all threats foreign and domestic. 

Respect free and fair elections! Restore trust in our institutions! And make clear –political violence  

has absolutely no place in America! 

History is watching. 

And history is watching another assault on freedom.  

Joining us tonight is Latorya Beasley, a social worker from Birmingham, Alabama. 14 months ago tonight, she and her husband welcomed a baby girl thanks to the miracle of IVF. 

She scheduled treatments to have a second child, but the Alabama Supreme Court shut down IVF treatments across the state, unleashed by the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. 

She was told her dream would have to wait. 

What her family has gone through should never have happened. And unless Congress acts, it could happen again. 

So tonight, let’s stand up for families like hers! 

To my friends across the aisle, don’t keep families waiting any longer. Guarantee the right to IVF nationwide! 

Like most Americans, I believe Roe v. Wade got it right. And I thank Vice President Harris for being an incredible leader, defending reproductive freedom and so much more. 

But my predecessor came to office determined  

to see Roe v. Wade overturned. 

He’s the reason it was overturned. In fact, he brags about it. 

Look at the chaos that has resulted. 

Joining us tonight is Kate Cox, a wife and mother  

from Dallas. 

When she became pregnant again, the fetus had a fatal condition. 

Her doctors told Kate that her own life and her ability to have children in the future were at risk if she didn’t act. 

Because Texas law banned abortion, Kate and her husband had to leave the state to get the care she needed. 

What her family has gone through should never have happened as well. But it is happening to so many others. 

There are state laws banning the right to choose, criminalizing doctors, and forcing survivors of rape and incest to leave their states as well to get the care they need. 

Many of you in this Chamber and my predecessor are promising to pass a national ban on reproductive freedom. 

My God, what freedoms will you take away next? 

In its decision to overturn Roe v. Wade the Supreme Court majority wrote, “Women are not without – 

electoral or political power.” 

No kidding. 

Clearly, those bragging about overturning Roe v. Wade have no clue about the power of women in America. 

They found out though when reproductive freedom   

was on the ballot and won in 2022, 2023, and they will find out again, in 2024. 

If Americans send me a Congress that supports the right to choose, I promise you, I will restore Roe v. Wade as the law of the land again! 

America cannot go back. I am here tonight to show the way forward. Because I know how far we’ve come. 

Four years ago next week, before I came to office, our country was hit by the worst pandemic and the worst economic crisis in a century. 

Remember the fear. Record job losses. Remember the spike in crime. And the murder rate. 

A raging virus that would take more than 1 million American lives and leave millions of loved ones behind. 

A mental health crisis of isolation and loneliness. 

A president, my predecessor, who failed the most basic duty. Any President owes the American people the duty to care. 

That is unforgivable. 

I came to office determined to get us through one of the toughest periods in our nation’s history. 

And we have. It doesn’t make the news but in thousands of cities and towns the American people are writing the greatest comeback story never told. 

So let’s tell that story here and now. 

America’s comeback is building a future of American possibilities, building an economy from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top down, investing in all of America, in all Americans to make sure everyone has a fair shot and we leave no one behind! 

The pandemic no longer controls our lives. The vaccines that saved us from COVID are now being used to help beat cancer. 

Turning setback into comeback. 

That’s America! 

I inherited an economy that was on the brink. Now our economy is the envy of the world! 

15 million new jobs in just three years – that’s a record! 

Unemployment at 50-year lows. 

A record 16 million Americans are starting small businesses and each one is an act of hope. 

With historic job growth and small business growth for Black, Hispanic, and Asian-Americans. 

800,000 new manufacturing jobs in America and counting. 

More people have health insurance today than ever before. 

The racial wealth gap is the smallest it’s been in 20 years. 

Wages keep going up and inflation keeps coming down! 

Inflation has dropped from 9% to 3% – the lowest in the world! 

And trending lower. 

And now instead of importing foreign products and exporting American jobs, we’re exporting American products and creating American jobs – right here in America where they belong! 
 
 

And the American people are beginning to feel it. 

Consumer studies show consumer confidence is soaring. 

Buy American has been the law of the land since the 1930s.  
 

Past administrations including my predecessor failed to Buy American. 

Not any more. 

On my watch, federal projects like helping to build American roads bridges and highways will be made with American products built by American workers creating good-paying American jobs! 

Thanks to my Chips and Science Act the United States is investing more in research and development than ever before. 

During the pandemic a shortage of semiconductor chips drove up prices for everything from cell phones to automobiles.  

Well instead of having to import semiconductor chips, which America invented I might add, private companies are now investing billions of dollars to build new chip factories here in America! 

Creating tens of thousands of jobs many of them paying over $100,000 a year and don’t require a college degree. 

In fact my policies have attracted $650 Billion of private sector investments in clean energy and advanced manufacturing creating tens of thousands of jobs here in America! 

Thanks to our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, 46,000 new projects have been announced across your communities – modernizing our roads and bridges, ports and airports, and public transit systems. 

Removing poisonous lead pipes so every child can drink clean water without risk of getting brain damage. 

Providing affordable high speed internet for every American no matter where you live. 

Urban, suburban, and rural communities — in red states and blue. 

Record investments in tribal communities. 

Because of my investments, family farms are better be able to stay in the family and children and grandchildren won’t have to leave home to make a living.  

It’s transformative.  

 
A great comeback story is Belvidere, Illinois. Home to an auto plant for nearly 60 years.  
 

Before I came to office the plant was on its way to shutting down. 

 
Thousands of workers feared for their livelihoods. Hope was fading. 
 

Then I was elected to office and we raised Belvidere repeatedly with the auto company knowing unions make all the difference. 

The UAW worked like hell to keep the plant open and get those jobs back. And together, we succeeded! 

Instead of an auto factory shutting down an auto factory is re-opening and a new state-of-the art battery factory is being built to power those cars. 

Instead of a town being left behind it’s a community moving forward again! 

Because instead of watching auto jobs of the future go overseas 4,000 union workers with higher wages will be building that future, in Belvidere, here in America! 

Here tonight is UAW President, Shawn Fain, a great friend, and a great labor leader. 

And Dawn Simms, a third generation UAW worker  in Belvidere. 

Shawn, I was proud to be the first President in American history to walk a picket line. 

And today Dawn has a job in her hometown providing stability for her family and pride and dignity. 

Showing once again, Wall Street didn’t build this country! 

The middle class built this country! And unions built the middle class! 

When Americans get knocked down, we get back up! 

We keep going! 

That’s America! That’s you, the American people! 

It’s because of you America is coming back!  

It’s because of you, our future is brighter! 

And it’s because of you that tonight we can proudly say the State of our Union is strong and getting stronger!  
 

Tonight I want to talk about the future of possibilities that we can build together. 

A future where the days of trickle-down economics are over and the wealthy and biggest corporations no longer get all the breaks. 

I grew up in a home where not a lot trickled down on my Dad’s kitchen table. 

That’s why I’m determined to turn things around so the middle class does well the poor have a way up and the wealthy still does well. 

We all do well. 

And there’s more to do to make sure you’re feeling the benefits of all we’re doing. 

Americans pay more for prescription drugs than anywhere else. 

It’s wrong and I’m ending it. 

With a law I proposed and signed and not one Republican voted for we finally beat Big Pharma! 

Instead of paying $400 a month for insulin seniors with diabetes only have to pay $35 a month! 

And now I want to cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month for every American who needs it! 

For years people have talked about it but I finally got it done and gave Medicare the power to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs just like the VA does for our veterans. 

That’s not just saving seniors money. 

It’s saving taxpayers money cutting the federal deficit by $160 Billion because Medicare will no longer have to pay exorbitant prices to Big Pharma. 

This year Medicare is negotiating lower prices for some of the costliest drugs on the market that treat everything from heart disease to arthritis. 

Now it’s time to go further and give Medicare the power to negotiate lower prices for 500 drugs over the next decade. 

That will not only save lives it will save taxpayers another $200 Billion! 

Starting next year that same law caps total prescription drug costs for seniors on Medicare at $2,000 a year even for expensive cancer drugs that can cost $10,000, $12,000, $15,000 a year. 

Now I want to cap prescription drug costs at $2,000 a year for everyone! 

Folks Obamacare, known as the Affordable Care Act is still a very big deal. 

Over one hundred million of you can no longer be denied health insurance because of pre-existing conditions. 

But my predecessor and many in this chamber want to take that protection away by repealing the Affordable Care Act I won’t let that happen! 

We stopped you 50 times before and we will stop you again! 

In fact I am protecting it and expanding it. 

I enacted tax credits that save $800 per person per year reducing health care premiums for millions of working families. 

Those tax credits expire next year. 

I want to make those savings permanent! 

Women are more than half of our population but research on women’s health has always been underfunded.  

That’s why we’re launching the first-ever White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research, led by Jill who is doing an incredible job as First Lady. 

Pass my plan for $12 Billion to transform women’s health research and benefit millions of lives across America! 

I know the cost of housing is so important to you.  

If inflation keeps coming down mortgage rates will come down as well. 

But I’m not waiting. 

I want to provide an annual tax creditthat will give Americans $400 a month for the next two years as mortgage rates come down to put toward their mortgage when they buy a first home or trade up for a little more space. 

My Administration is also eliminating title insurance fees for federally backed mortgages. 

When you refinance your home this can save you $1,000 or more. 

For millions of renters, we’re cracking down on big landlords who break antitrust laws by price-fixing and driving up rents.  

I’ve cut red tape so more builders can get federal financing, which is already helping build a record 1.7 million housing units nationwide. 

Now pass my plan to build and renovate 2 million  affordable homes and bring those rents down! 

To remain the strongest economy in the world we need the best education system in the world. 

I want to give every child a good start by providing access to pre-school for 3- and 4-year-olds. 

Studies show that children who go to pre-school are nearly 50% more likely to finish high school and go on to earn a 2- or 4-year degree no matter their background. 

I want to expand high-quality tutoring and summer learning time and see to it that every child learns to read by third grade. 

I’m also connecting businesses and high schools so students get hands-on experience and a path to a good-paying job whether or not they go to college. 

And I want to make college more affordable. 

Let’s continue increasing Pell Grants for working- and middle-class families and increase our record investments in HBCUs and Hispanic and Minority-serving Institutions 

I fixed student loan programs to reduce the burden  of student debt for nearly 4 Million Americans including nurses firefighters and others in public service like Keenan Jones a public-school educator in Minnesota who’s here with us tonight. 

He’s educated hundreds of students so they can go to college now he can help his own daughter pay for college.  

Such relief is good for the economy because folks are now able to buy a home start a business even start a family. 

While we’re at it I want to give public school teachers a raise! 

Now let me speak to a question of fundamental fairness for all Americans. 

I’ve been delivering real results in a fiscally responsible way. 

I’ve already cut the federal deficit by over one trillion dollars. 

I signed a bipartisan budget deal that will cut another trillion dollars over the next decade. 

And now it’s my goal to cut the federal deficit $3 trillion more by making big corporations and the very wealthy finally pay their fair share.  

Look, I’m a capitalist. 

If you want to make a million bucks – great! 

Just pay your fair share in taxes. 

A fair tax code is how we invest in the things –  

that make a country great, health care, education, defense, and more. 

But here’s the deal. 

The last administration enacted a $2 Trillion tax cut that overwhelmingly benefits the very wealthy and the biggest corporations and exploded the federal deficit. 

They added more to the national debt than in any presidential term in American history. 

For folks at home does anybody really think the tax code is fair? 

Do you really think the wealthy and big corporations need another $2 trillion in tax breaks? 

I sure don’t. I’m going to keep fighting like hell to make it fair! 

Under my plan nobody earning less than $400,000 will pay an additional penny in federal taxes. 

Nobody. Not one penny. 

In fact the Child Tax Credit I passed during the pandemic cut taxes for millions of working families and cut child poverty in HALF. 

Restore the Child Tax Credit because no child should go hungry in this country! 

The way to make the tax code fair is to make big corporations and the very wealthy finally pay their share. 

In 2020 55 of the biggest companies in America made $40 Billion in profits and paid zero in federal income taxes.  

Not any more! 

Thanks to the law I wrote and signed big companies  now have to pay a minimum of 15%.  

But that’s still less than working people pay in federal taxes. 

It’s time to raise the corporate minimum tax to at least 21% so every big corporation finally begins to pay their fair share. 

I also want to end the tax breaks for Big Pharma, Big Oil, private jets, and massive executive pay! 

End it now! 

There are 1,000 billionaires in America.  

You know what the average federal tax rate for these billionaires is? 8.2 percent! 

That’s far less than the vast majority of Americans pay.  

No billionaire should pay a lower tax rate than a teacher, a sanitation worker, a nurse! 

That’s why I’ve proposed a minimum tax of 25% for billionaires. Just 25%. 

That would raise $500 Billion over the next 10 years. 

Imagine what that could do for America. Imagine a future with affordable child care so millions of families can get the care they need and still go to work and help grow the economy. 

Imagine a future with paid leave because no one should have to choose between working and taking care of yourself or a sick family member.   

Imagine a future with home care and elder care so seniors and people living with disabilities can stay in their homes and family caregivers get paid what they deserve! 

Tonight, let’s all agree once again to stand up for seniors! 

Many of my Republican friends want to put Social Security on the chopping block.  

If anyone here tries to cut Social Security or Medicare or raise the retirement age I will stop them! 

Working people who built this country pay more into Social Security than millionaires and billionaires do. It’s not fair. 

We have two ways to go on Social Security. 

Republicans will cut Social Security and give more tax cuts to the wealthy. 

I will protect and strengthen Social Security and make the wealthy pay their fair share! 

Too many corporations raise their prices to pad their profits charging you more and more for less and less. 

That’s why we’re cracking down on corporations that engage in price gouging or deceptive pricing from food to health care to housing. 

In fact, snack companies think you won’t notice when they charge you just as much for the same size bag  

but with fewer chips in it. 

Pass Senator Bob Casey’s bill to put a stop to shrinkflation! 

I’m also getting rid of junk fees those hidden fees added at the end of your bills without your knowledge. My administration just announced we’re cutting credit card late fees from $32 to just $8. 

The banks and credit card companies don’t like it. 

Why? 

I’m saving American families $20 billion a year with all of the junk fees I’m eliminating. 

And I’m not stopping there. 

My Administration has proposed rules to make cable travel utilities and online ticket sellers tell you the total price upfront so there are no surprises. 

It matters. 

And so does this. 

In November, my team began serious negotiations with a bipartisan group of Senators. 

The result was a bipartisan bill with the toughest set of border security reforms we’ve ever seen  

in this country. 

That bipartisan deal would hire 1,500 more border security agents and officers.  

100 more immigration judges to help tackle a backload of 2 million cases. 

4,300 more asylum officers and new policies so they can resolve cases in 6 months instead of 6 years. 

100 more high-tech drug detection machines to significantly increase the ability to screen and stop vehicles from smuggling fentanyl into America. 

This bill would save lives and bring order to the border. 

It would also give me as President new emergency authority to temporarily shut down the border  when the number of migrants at the border is overwhelming.  

The Border Patrol Union endorsed the bill. 

The Chamber of Commerce endorsed the bill. 

I believe that given the opportunity a majority of the House and Senate would endorse it as well. 

But unfortunately, politics have derailed it so far. 

I’m told my predecessor called Republicans in Congress and demanded they block the bill. He feels it would be a political win for me and a political loser for him. 

It’s not about him or me.  

It’d be a winner for America! 

My Republican friends you owe it to the American people to get this bill done.   

We need to act. 

And if my predecessor is watching instead of playing politics and pressuring members of Congress to block this bill, join me in telling Congress to pass it! 

We can do it together. But here’s what I will not do. 

I will not demonize immigrants saying they “poison the blood of our country” as he said in his own words. 

I will not separate families. 

I will not ban people from America because of their faith. 

Unlike my predecessor, on my first day in office I introduced a comprehensive plan to fix our immigration system, secure the border, and provide a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and so much more. 

Because unlike my predecessor, I know who we are  

as Americans. 

We are the only nation in the world with a heart and soul that draws from old and new. 

Home to Native Americans whose ancestors have been here for thousands of years. Home to people from every place on Earth. 

Some came freely. 

Some chained by force. 

Some when famine struck, like my ancestral family in Ireland. 

Some to flee persecution. 

Some to chase dreams that are impossible anywhere but here in America. 

That’s America, where we all come from somewhere, but we are all Americans. 

We can fight about the border, or we can fix it. I’m ready to fix it. 

Send me the border bill now! 

A transformational moment in our history happened 59 years ago today in Selma, Alabama. 

Hundreds of foot soldiers for justice marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, named after a Grand Dragon of the KKK, to claim their fundamental right to vote.  

They were beaten bloodied and left for dead. 

Our late friend and former colleague John Lewis was at the march.  

We miss him. 

Joining us tonight are other marchers who were there including Betty May Fikes, known as the “Voice of Selma”. 

A daughter of gospel singers and preachers, she sang songs of prayer and protest on that Bloody Sunday, 

to help shake the nation’s conscience. Five months later, the Voting Rights Act was signed into law.   
 

But 59 years later, there are forces taking us back in time. 

Voter suppression. Election subversion. Unlimited dark money. Extreme gerrymandering.  

John Lewis was a great friend to many of us here. But if you truly want to honor him and all the heroes who marched with him, then it’s time for more than just talk. 

Pass and send me the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act! 

And stop denying another core value of America our diversity across American life. 

Banning books. 

It’s wrong! 

Instead of erasing history, let’s make history!  

I want to protect other fundamental rights! 

Pass the Equality Act, and my message to transgender Americans: I have your back! 

Pass the PRO Act for workers rights! And raise the federal minimum wage because every worker has the right to earn a decent living! 

We are also making history by confronting the climate crisis, not denying it. 

I’m taking the most significant action on climate ever in the history of the world. 

I am cutting our carbon emissions in half by 2030. 

Creating tens of thousands of clean-energy jobs, like the IBEW workers building and installing 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations. 

Conserving 30% of America’s lands and waters  by 2030. 

Taking historic action on environmental justice for fence-line communities smothered by the legacy of pollution.  

And patterned after the Peace Corps and Ameri Corps, I’ve launched a Climate Corps to put 20,000 young people to work at the forefront of our clean energy future. 

I’ll triple that number this decade. 

All Americans deserve the freedom to be safe, and America is safer today than when I took office. 

The year before I took office, murders went up 30% nationwide the biggest increase in history. 

That was then. 

Now, through my American Rescue Plan, which every Republican voted against, I’ve made the largest investment in public safety ever. 

Last year, the murder rate saw the sharpest decrease in history, and violent crime fell to one of the lowest levels in more than 50 years.  

But we have more to do. 

Help cities and towns invest in more community police officers, more mental health workers, and more community violence intervention.  

Give communities the tools to crack down on gun crime, retail crime, and carjacking. 

Keep building public trust, as I’ve been doing by taking executive action on police reform, and calling for it to be the law of the land, directing my Cabinet to review the federal classification of marijuana, and expunging thousands of convictions  for mere possession, because no one should be jailed for using or possessing marijuana! 

To take on crimes of domestic violence, I am ramping up federal enforcement of the Violence Against Women Act, that I proudly wrote, so we can finally end the scourge of violence against women in America!  

And there’s another kind of violence I want to stop. 

With us tonight is Jasmine, whose 9-year-old sister Jackie was murdered with 21 classmates and teachers at her elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. 

Soon after it happened, Jill and I went to Uvalde and spent hours with the families. 

We heard their message, and so should everyone in this chamber do something. 

I did do something by establishing the first-ever Office of Gun Violence Prevention in the White House that Vice President Harris is leading. 

Meanwhile, my predecessor told the NRA he’s proud he did nothing on guns when he was President. 

After another school shooting in Iowa he said we should just “get over it.” 

I say we must stop it.  

I’m proud we beat the NRA when I signed the most significant gun safety law in nearly 30 years! 

Now we must beat the NRA again! 

I’m demanding a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines! 

Pass universal background checks! 

None of this violates the Second Amendment or vilifies responsible gun owners. 

As we manage challenges at home, we’re also managing crises abroad including in the Middle East. 

I know the last five months have been gut-wrenching for so many people, for the Israeli people, the Palestinian people, and so many here in America. 

This crisis began on October 7th with a massacre by the terrorist group Hamas. 

1,200 innocent people women and girls men and boys slaughtered, many enduring sexual violence. 

The deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. 

250 hostages taken. 

Here in the chamber tonight are American families whose loved ones are still being held by Hamas. 

I pledge to all the families that we will not rest until we bring their loved ones home. 

We will also work around the clock to bring home Evan and Paul, Americans being unjustly detained all around the world. 

Israel has a right to go after Hamas. 

Hamas could end this conflict today by releasing the hostages, laying down arms, and surrendering those responsible for October 7th. 

Israel has an added burden because Hamas hides and operates among the civilian population. But Israel also has a fundamental responsibility to protect innocent civilians in Gaza. 

This war has taken a greater toll on innocent civilians than all previous wars in Gaza combined. 

More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed. 

Most of whom are not Hamas. 

Thousands and thousands are innocent women and children. 

Girls and boys also orphaned. 

Nearly 2 million more Palestinians under bombardment or displaced. 

Homes destroyed, neighborhoods in rubble, cities in ruin. 

Families without food, water, medicine. 

It’s heartbreaking. 

We’ve been working non-stop to establish an immediate ceasefire that would last for at least six weeks. 

It would get the hostages home, ease the intolerable humanitarian crisis, and build toward something more enduring. 

The United States has been leading international efforts to get more humanitarian assistance into Gaza. 

Tonight, I’m directing the U.S. military to lead an emergency mission to establish a temporary pier in the Mediterranean on the Gaza coast that can receive large ships carrying food, water, medicine and temporary shelters. 

No U.S. boots will be on the ground. 

This temporary pier would enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance getting into Gaza every day. 

But Israel must also do its part. 

Israel must allow more aid into Gaza and ensure that humanitarian workers aren’t caught in the cross fire. 

To the leadership of Israel I say this. 

Humanitarian assistance cannot be a secondary consideration or a bargaining chip. 

Protecting and saving innocent lives has to be a priority. 

As we look to the future, the only real solution is a two-state solution. 

I say this as a lifelong supporter of Israel and the only American president to visit Israel in wartime. 

There is no other path that guarantees Israel’s security and democracy. 

There is no other path that guarantees Palestinians can live with peace and dignity. 

There is no other path that guarantees peace between Israel and all of its Arab neighbors, including Saudi Arabia.  

Creating stability in the Middle East also means containing the threat posed by Iran.  

That’s why I built a coalition of more than a dozen countries to defend international shipping and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. 

I’ve ordered strikes to degrade Houthi capabilities and defend U.S. Forces in the region. 

As Commander in Chief, I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and military personnel.  

For years, all I’ve heard from my Republican friends and so many others is China’s on the rise and America is falling behind. 

They’ve got it backward. 

America is rising. 

We have the best economy in the world. 

Since I’ve come to office, our GDP is up. 

And our trade deficit with China is down to the lowest point in over a decade. 

We’re standing up against China’s unfair economic practices. 

And standing up for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. 

I’ve revitalized our partnerships and alliances in the Pacific. 

I’ve made sure that the most advanced American technologies can’t be used in China’s weapons. 

Frankly for all his tough talk on China, it never occurred to my predecessor to do that. 

We want competition with China, but not conflict.  

And we’re in a stronger position to win the competition for the 21st Century against China or anyone else for that matter. 

Here at home I’ve signed over 400 bipartisan bills.  

But there’s more to do to pass my Unity Agenda. 

Strengthen penalties on fentanyl trafficking. 

Pass bipartisan privacy legislation to protect our children online. 

Harness the promise of A.I. and protect us from its peril.  

Ban A.I. voice impersonation and more! 

And keep our one truly sacred obligation, to train and equip those we send into harm’s way and care for them and their families when they come home, and when they don’t.  

That’s why I signed the PACT Act, one of the most significant laws ever, helping millions of veterans who were exposed to toxins and who now are battling more than 100 cancers. 

Many of them didn’t come home. 

We owe them and their families. 

And we owe it to ourselves to keep supporting our new health research agency called ARPA-H and remind us that we can do big things like end cancer as we know it! 

Let me close with this. 

I know I may not look like it, but I’ve been around a while. 

And when you get to my age certain things become clearer than ever before. 

I know the American story. 

Again and again I’ve seen the contest between competing forces in the battle for the soul of our nation. 

Between those who want to pull America back to the past and those who want to move America into the future. 

My lifetime has taught me to embrace freedom and democracy. 

A future based on the core values that have defined America. 

Honesty. Decency. Dignity. Equality. 

To respect everyone. To give everyone a fair shot. To give hate no safe harbor.  

Now some other people my age see a different story.  

An American story of resentment, revenge, and retribution. 

That’s not me. 

I was born amid World War II when America stood for freedom in the world. 

I grew up in Scranton, Pennsylvania and Claymont, Delaware among working people who built this country. 

I watched in horror as two of my heroes, Dr. King and Bobby Kennedy, were assassinated and their legacies inspired me to pursue a career in service. 

A public defender, county councilman, elected United States Senator at 29, then Vice President, to our first Black President, now President, with our first woman Vice President. 

In my career I’ve been told I’m too young and I’m too old. 

Whether young or old, I’ve always known what endures. 

Our North Star. 

The very idea of America, that we are all created equal and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives. 

We’ve never fully lived up to that idea, but we’ve never walked away from it either. 

And I won’t walk away from it now. 

My fellow Americans the issue facing our nation isn’t how old we are it’s how old our ideas are? 

Hate, anger, revenge, retribution are among the oldest of ideas. 

But you can’t lead America with ancient ideas that only take us back. 

To lead America, the land of possibilities, you need a vision for the future of what America can and should be. 

Tonight you’ve heard mine. 

I see a future where we defend democracy not diminish it. 

I see a future where we restore the right to choose and protect other freedoms not take them away. 

I see a future where the middle class finally has a fair shot and the wealthy finally have to pay their fair share in taxes. 

I see a future where we save the planet from the climate crisis and our country from gun violence. 

Above all, I see a future for all Americans! 

I see a country for all Americans! 

And I will always be a president for all Americans! 

Because I believe in America! 

I believe in you the American people. 

You’re the reason I’ve never been more optimistic about our future! 

So let’s build that future together! 

Let’s remember who we are! 

We are the United States of America. 

There is nothing beyond our capacity when we act together! 

May God bless you all. 

May God protect our troops.
  

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Today, the White House announced the delegation for the Presidential Trade and Investment Mission to the Philippines from March 11-12, 2024.

The Honorable Gina Raimondo, Secretary of the United States Department of Commerce, will lead the delegation.

Presidential Trade and Investment Mission Delegation:

Steven Brown, President, GreenFire Energy, Inc.

Sapna Chadha, Vice President, Southeast Asia and South Asia Frontier, Google Asia Pacific

Narsingh Chaudhary, President, Asia Pacific and India, Black & Veatch Corp.

Chris Clark, Chairman, Asia Pacific, Visa Inc.

Mark Ein, Chairman, President’s Export Council

Charlie Ergen, Co-Founder/Chairman of the Board, EchoStar/DISH

Kimberly Getgen, Founder and CEO, InnovationForce

Brett Hart, President, United Airlines

Laura Lane, Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer, United Parcel Service (UPS)

Rich Lesser, Global Chair, Boston Consulting Group

David Luboff, Partner, Head of Asia Pacific Infrastructure and Co-Head of KKR Asia Pacific, KKR

Thomas L. Marquis, Co-Founder, Vice President and Director of Marketing, Marquis

Scott McHugo, CEO and Chairman of the Board, Sol-Go

Sara Murphy, President, Capital One Philippines

Ted Osius, President and CEO, U.S.-ASEAN Business Council

Anne-Marie Padgett, Regional President, East Asia and Pacific, Bechtel

Allan Pineda (aka Apl.de.Ap), Founder, Apl.de.Ap Foundation International

Kawal Preet, President of Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa Region, FedEx

Shamina Singh, Founder and President, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and Executive Vice President, Sustainability, Mastercard

Mary Snapp, Vice President, Global Strategic Initiatives, Office of the President, Microsoft Corp.

Eric Starr, Co-Founder and CEO, UltraPass ID

Francesco Venneri, Founder and CEO, Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp.

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In its decision to overturn Roe v. Wade the Supreme Court majority wrote “Women are not without electoral or political power.” No kidding. Clearly those bragging about overturning Roe v. Wade have no clue about the power of women in America. But they found out when reproductive freedom was on the ballot and won in 2022, 2023, and they will find out again in 2024. If Americans send me a Congress that supports the right to choose I promise you: I will restore Roe v. Wade as the law of the land again.

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I came to office determined to get us through one of the toughest periods in our nation’s history. And we have. It doesn’t make the news, but in thousands of cities and towns the American people are writing the greatest comeback story never told. So let’s tell that story here and now. America’s comeback is building a future of American possibilities, building an economy from the middle out and the bottom up – not the top down, investing in all of America – in all Americans – to make sure everyone has a fair shot and we leave no one behind.

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My lifetime has taught me to embrace freedom and democracy. A future based on the core values that have defined America: honesty, decency, dignity, equality. To respect everyone. To give everyone a fair shot. To give hate no safe harbor. Now some other people my age see a different story: an American story of resentment, revenge, and retribution. That’s not me.

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