(The President presents his prepared remarks to Speaker Johnson.) Your bedtime reading.
Tony! Thank you. Looking for Jill.
Good evening. Good evening. If I were smart, I’d go home now.
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.
But Ukraine — Ukraine can stop Putin. Ukraine can stop Putin if we stand with Ukraine and provide the weapons that it needs to defend itself.
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.
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.”
Now — now my predecessor, a former Republican president, tells Putin, quote, “Do whatever the hell you want.”
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.
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. And just this morning, Sweden officially joined, and their minister is here tonight. Stand up. Welcome. Welcome, welcome, welcome. 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. 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. We will not bow down. I will not bow down.
In a literal sense, history is watching. History is watching — just like history watched three years ago on January 6th — 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. America stood — America stood strong and democracy prevailed. We must be honest: The threat to democracy must be [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.
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.
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.
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 [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. 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 — don’t keep this waiting any longer. Guarantee the right to IVF. 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. 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.
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.
Clearly — 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Unemployment at 50-year lows.
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.
Where is it written we can’t be the manufacturing capital of the world? We are and we will.
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 [trending] lower.
The landing is and will be soft. 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 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 — creating good-paying American jobs.
And thanks to our CHIPS and Science Act — 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 — creating tens of thousands of jobs, many of those jobs paying $100,000 a year and don’t require a college degree.
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.
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. 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.
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.
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 — 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.
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.
Here tonight is UAW President Shawn Fain, a great friend and a great labor leader. Shawn, where are you? 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.
I say to the American people: When America gets 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. It’s because of you that tonight we can proudly say the state of our Union is strong and getting stronger.
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.
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.
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.
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.
That’s not just saving seniors money. It’s saving taxpayers money. We cut the federal deficit by $160 billion — 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.
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.
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.
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. Well, even Moscow, probably. 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” — is still a very big deal.
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.
THE PRESIDENT: I’m not going to let that happen. We stopped you 50 times before, and we’ll stop you again.
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.
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 — doing an incredible job as First Lady — 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. That’s for two years.
And my administration is also eliminating title insurance [fees] on federally backed mortgages. When you refinance your home, you can save $1,000 or more as a consequence.
For millions of renters, we’re cracking down on big landlords who use antitrust law — using antitrust — who break antitrust laws — — by price-fixing and driving up rents.
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.
To remain the strongest economy in the world, we need to have the best education system in the world. 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.
You know, I think I pointed out last year — — 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.
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 — — 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.”
I want to expand high-quality tutoring and summer learning to see that every child learns to read by third grade.
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.
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.
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 — — and others in public service.
Like Keenan Jones, a public educator in Minnesota, who’s here with us tonight. Keenan, where are you? 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.
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.
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.
I signed a bipartisan deal to cut another trillion dollars in the next decade.
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.
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.
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 —
THE PRESIDENT: — and the biggest corporations — and exploded the federal deficit.
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?
THE PRESIDENT: Do you really think the wealthy and big corporations need another $2 trillion tax break?
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 — — 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.
Restore that Child Tax Credit. 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 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.
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 — — 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?
THE PRESIDENT: No.
They’re making great sacrifices — 8.2 percent.
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.
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.
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.
Imagine a future with paid leave, because no one should have to choose between working and taking care of their sick family member.
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.
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.
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 —
THE PRESIDENT: That’s the proposal. Oh, no? You guys don’t want another $2 trillion tax cut?
THE PRESIDENT: I kind of thought that’s what your plan was. 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.
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 — — 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. I really mean it.
You probably all saw that commercial on Snickers bars. And you get — you get charged the same amount, and you got about, I don’t know, 10 percent fewer Snickers in it.
Look, I’m also getting rid of junk fees — those hidden fees — — 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.
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.
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.
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.
THE PRESIDENT: Oh, you don’t think so?
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. 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.
This bill would save lives and bring order to the border.
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.
The federal Chamber of Commerce has — yeah, yeah. You’re saying “no.” Look at the facts. 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.
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 —
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.
THE PRESIDENT: By an illegal. That’s right. But how many of thousands of people are being killed by legals?
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.
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.
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.
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.”
I will not separate families.
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.
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. 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. I’m ready to fix it. Send me the border bill now.
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.
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.
Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
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.
Pass the Freedom to Vote Act, the John Lewis Voting Right[s] Act.
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.
I want to protect fundamental rights.
Pass the Equality Act.
And my message to transgender Americans: I have your back.
Pass the PRO Act for workers’ rights.
Raise the federal minimum wage, because every worker has the right to a decent living more than eig- — seven bucks an hour.
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.
I’m taking the most significant action ever on climate in the history of the world.
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 — ; 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 — — to put 20,000 young people to work in the forefront of our clean energy future. I’ll triple that number in a decade.
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.
THE PRESIDENT: Thirty percent, they went up —
THE PRESIDENT: — the biggest increase in history.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Meanwhile — — meanwhile, my predecessor told the NRA he’s proud he did nothing on guns when he was President.
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.
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. Pass universal background checks.
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.
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 — — 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.
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 —
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.
And Israel must also do its part. Israel must allow more aid into Gaza and ensure humanitarian workers aren’t caught in the crossfire.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
That’s why, with the strong support and help of Denis and the VA, I signed the PACT Act — — 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 — — and remind us — to remind us that we can do big things, like end cancer as we know it. And we will.
Let me close with this.
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.
I know I may not look like it, but I’ve been around a while. 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 — ; to respect everyone; to give everyone a fair shot; to give hate no safe harbor.
Now, other people my age see it differently. 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.
In my career, I’ve been told I was too young. By the way, they didn’t let me on the Senate elevators for votes sometimes. They — not a joke.
And I’ve been told I am too old.
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.
I’m optimistic. I really am. I’m optimistic, Nancy.
THE PRESIDENT: My fellow Americans, the issue facing our nation isn’t how old we are; it’s how old are our ideas.
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.
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.
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.
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 President for all Americans because I believe in America. I believe in you, the American people. 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. And there is nothing — nothing beyond our capacity when we act together.
God bless you all. And may God protect our troops. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
（总统将他准备好的发言稿递给约翰逊议长。）你的晚间读物。托尼！谢谢你。找吉尔。
晚上好。晚上好。如果我聪明的话，我现在会回家了。
议长先生，副总统夫人，国会议员们，美国同胞们。
1941年1月，富兰克林•罗斯福来到这个议院向全国发表讲话。他说：“我在联邦历史上所面对的时刻是前所未有的。” 希特勒正在进军。战争在欧洲肆虐。
罗斯福总统的目的是唤醒国会，警示美国人民，这不是寻常时刻。 自由和民主在世界上受到了攻击。
今晚，我来到同一个议院向全国发表讲话。现在轮到我们面对联邦历史上前所未有的时刻了。
是的，我今晚的目的是唤醒国会，并警示美国人民，这也不是寻常时刻。 自从林肯总统和内战以来，自由和民主在国内的受到的攻击，从来没有像今天这样。
我们时代的罕见之处在于，自由和民主同时在国内和国外受到攻击。
在海外，俄罗斯的普京在进军，入侵乌克兰，并在欧洲和其他地区制造混乱。
如果在场的任何人认为普京会停在乌克兰，我向您保证：他不会停下来。
但是乌克兰 — 乌克兰可以阻止普京。如果我们与乌克兰站在一起，并提供其保卫自身所需的武器。
这就是一切 — 这就是乌克兰要求的。他们不要求美国士兵。实际上，在乌克兰没有美国士兵在战斗，我决心保持这种状态。
但是现在，帮助乌克兰的努力受到了那些想要退出我们的世界领导地位的人的阻挠。
不久之前，一个名叫罗纳德•里根的共和党总统曾经雷厉风行地说过：“戈尔巴乔夫先生，拆掉这堵墙。”
现在 — 现在我的前任，一位前共和党总统，对普京说：“你想怎么做就怎么做吧。”
这是一个引用。
一位前总统实际上说过这句话 — 向俄罗斯领导人低头。我认为这是令人震惊的，危险的，也是不可接受的。
美国是北约的创始成员之一，这是二战后为防止战争和维护和平而建立的民主国家军事联盟。
今天，我们使北约比以往任何时候都更强大。 去年，我们欢迎芬兰加入了联盟。 刚刚今天早晨，瑞典正式加入了，他们的部长今晚在这里。 站起来。 欢迎。 欢迎，欢迎，欢迎。 他们知道如何战斗。
总理先生，欢迎加入北约，这是世界上有史以来最强大的军事联盟。
我对国会说：我们必须对普京说不。 给我一个两党国家安全法案。 历史正在实实在在地观察着。 历史正在观看。
如果美国退缩，它将使乌克兰处于危险之中。 欧洲处于危险之中。 自由世界将面临危险，鼓励其他人做出对我们有害的事情。
我对普京总统的信息是简单的：我们不会退缩。 我们不会屈服。 我不会屈服。
从字面上讲，历史正在观看。 历史正在观看 — 就像三年前的1月6日一样 — 当暴徒冲进这个国会大厦，将刀子架在美国民主的脖子上时。
你们中的许多人就在那黑暗的日子里。 我们亲眼看到，那些暴徒不是爱国者。 他们来阻止和平的权力交接，推翻人民的意志。
关于2020年选举的1月6日的谎言和窃取选举的阴谋，构成了自内战以来对美国民主最严重的威胁。
但他们失败了。 美国坚强地站在了民主一边，民主战胜了。 我们必须诚实：对民主的威胁必须被[打败]。
我的前任和你们中的一些人试图掩盖关于1月6日的真相。我不会那样做的。
这是说真话并埋葬谎言的时刻。 这是一个简单的事实：你不能只在你赢了的时候才爱你的国家。
就像我担任公职以来一直做的那样，我请求你们所有人，不分党派，团结起来捍卫民主。 记住你们的宣誓，捍卫来自国内外的所有威胁。
尊重 — 尊重自由和公平的选举，恢复对我们机构的信任，并明确表示政治暴力在美国绝对没有任何地位 — 没有任何地位。
再次强调，这不是 — 这不是夸大其词地暗示历史正在观看。他们在观看。你们的孩子和孙子将读到这一天发生的事情以及我们的所作所为。
历史正在观看另一场对自由的攻击。 加入我们的是拉托里亚•比斯利，来自阿拉巴马州伯明翰的社会工作者。
十四个月前 — 十四个月前，她和丈夫通过体外受精的奇迹欢迎了一个女婴。她安排了治疗以要一个第二个孩子，但是阿拉巴马州最高法院关闭了整个州的体外受精治疗，由最高法院的裁决解除罗伊诉韦德的判决。她被告知她的梦想必须等待。
她的家人所经历的事情绝不应该发生。 除非国会采取行动，否则可能会再次发生。
所以，今晚，让我们为像她这样的家庭站出来。 对我对过道对面的朋友们 — 不要再让这个等待下去了。保证体外受精的权利。在全国范围内保证它。
像大多数美国人一样，我相信罗伊诉韦德的判决是正确的。
我感谢副总统哈里斯为捍卫生殖自由和许多其他方面做出了不可思议的领导。 谢谢。
我的前任上任时决心废除罗伊诉韦德的判决。 他是废除罗伊诉韦德的原因，并以此自豪。 看看所导致的混乱。
今晚与我们一起的是来自达拉斯的凯特•考克斯，她是一位妻子和母亲。她再次怀孕，并患有致命疾病的胎儿。她的医生告诉凯特，如果她不采取行动，她自己的生命和未来孩子的能力都会受到威胁。由于德州法律禁止她采取行动，凯特和丈夫不得不离开州去获得她需要的东西。
她的家庭所经历的事情也绝不应该发生。 但这种情况正在发生在太多其他人身上。
有一些州法律禁止选择自由，使医生成为罪犯，迫使强奸和乱伦幸存者离开他们的州以获得他们需要的治疗。
你们这个议院中的许多人和我的前任承诺通过全国性禁止生殖自由的法案。
我的上帝，你还想要剥夺什么自由？
看，废除罗伊诉韦德的决定，最高法院多数人写道 — 并且请所有尊敬的法官原谅我 — “女性并不缺乏选举 — 选举或政治权力。” — 对不起 — “选举或政治权力。”
您即将意识到自己是多么正确。
显然 — 显然，那些吹嘘废除罗伊诉韦德的人对女性的力量一无所知。
但他们知道了。 当生殖自由在选票上时，我们在2022年和2023年赢得了胜利。而且我们将在2024年再次取得胜利。
如果您 — 如果您，美国人民，给我一个支持选择权的国会，我向您保证我将再次将罗伊诉韦德恢复为国家法律。
伙计们，美国不能倒退。
今晚我在这里的目的是 — — 是为了展示我认为的前进之路，因为我知道我们已经走了多远。
在我上任前的四年后的下周，这个国家遭受了一个世纪以来最严重的流行病和最严重的经济危机。
还记得恐惧，创纪录的损失吗？
还记得犯罪率飙升和谋杀率吗？ 一场肆虐的病毒夺走了100多万美国人的生命，留下了数百万人。孤独和孤立的心理健康危机。
一个总统，我的前任，未能履行他向美国人民所欠的最基本的总统职责：关爱。
我认为这是不可原谅的。
我上任时决心帮助我们度过国家历史上最艰难的时期。 我们做到了。
这并不是什么新闻，但在一千个城镇中，美国人正在编写从未被讲述的最伟大的回归故事。
所以，让我们在这里讲述这个故事 — — 并在此时此地讲述。
美国的复苏正在构建一个美国可能性的未来； 从中间和底部向上建立经济，而不是从上到下； 投资于全体美国人，投资于每个人，确保每个人都有公平的机会，我们不会让任何人 — — 不会让任何人掉队。
流行病不再控制我们的生活。 拯救我们免受COVID的疫苗现在被用来治愈癌症。
将挫折变成回归。 这就是美国的做法。 这就是美国做的事情。
伙计们，我继承了一个濒临崩溃的经济。 现在，我们的经济实际上是世界的羡慕。
在短短三年内新增了一千五百万个新工作岗位。创纪录的数字，创纪录的数字。
失业率降至五十年来的最低水平。
创纪录的一千六百万美国人正在开办小企业，每一个都是一种真正的希望之举，具有历史性的就业增长和黑人、西班牙裔和亚裔美国人的小企业增长。美国新增了八十万个制造业岗位，而且还在增加。
谁说我们不能成为世界制造业之都？我们已经做到了，而且我们将会继续做到。
如今，拥有医疗保险的人比以往任何时候都要多。
种族财富差距是二十年来最小的。
工资持续上涨。通货膨胀持续下降。通货膨胀已从百分之九降至百分之三 — — 是全球最低的，并且在向下趋势。
经济的软着陆是现在的情况和将来的情况。现在，不再是 — 进口外国产品和出口美国工作岗位，而是出口美国产品并在美国境内创造美国工作岗位 — — 正是在美国，它们属于美国。
这需要时间，但美国人民已经开始感受到了。消费者研究显示消费者信心飙升。
自从上世纪三十年代以来，“购买美国货”一直是法定规定。包括我的前任在内的过去的政府，也包括过去的一些民主党人，都未能购买美国货。不再如此。
在我的领导下，你们资助的联邦项目 — — 比如帮助建设美国的公路、桥梁和高速公路 — — 将使用美国产品，并由美国工人建造 — — 为美国人创造高薪工作。
感谢我们的CHIPS和科学法案 — — 美国正在投资比以往任何时候都要多的研究和开发。在大流行期间，芯片短缺，芯片价格飙升，导致从手机到汽车的所有产品的价格上涨 — — 顺便说一句，我们是在美国发明了这些芯片的。
现在，不再需要进口它们，不再需要 — — 私人公司正在投资数十亿美元在美国建立新的芯片工厂 — — 为数以万计的工作岗位，其中许多岗位年薪十万美元，而且无需大学学位。
事实上，我的政策已经吸引了六千五百亿美元的私人部门投资，用于清洁能源、先进制造业，在美国创造数以万计的工作岗位。
还有，由于我们的两党基础设施法案，全国各地宣布了四万六千个新项目。
顺便说一句，我注意到你们中的一些人在强烈反对之后，却在为这些资金的到来欢呼。我喜欢这样。我支持你们。我和你们一样。
如果你们中有人不希望在你们的地区有这笔钱，请告诉我。
现代化我们的道路和桥梁、港口和机场、公共交通系统。移除毒性铅管，使每个孩子都能喝到清洁的水，不会有脑损伤的风险。
为每个美国人提供负担得起的高速互联网，无论你住在城市、郊区还是红蓝州的农村社区。
创纪录的投资于部落社区。
由于我的投资于家庭农场 — — 在我的农业部长的领导下，他是我认识的最了解这方面的人 — — 我们更能够使这些农场保持家庭性质，这样他们 — — 和他们的孩子和孙子不必离开家去谋生。这是一种变革。
一个伟大的复苏故事就是伊利诺伊州贝尔维尔。这里有一个近六十年的汽车工厂。在我上任之前，工厂正处于关闭的边缘。成千上万的工人为自己的生计担忧。希望正在消失。
然后，我当选上台，我们一再与汽车公司提出贝尔维尔的问题，知道工会将会起到关键作用。联合汽车工人工会努力工作，保持工厂开放并恢复这些工作岗位。我们成功了。
汽车工厂不再关闭，而是重新开放，一家新的最先进的电池工厂正在建造，用来为同一地区的汽车供电。
对于贝尔维尔的人们，我想说：你们的城镇不再被落下，你们的社区再次向前迈进。因为我们不再眼睁睁地看着未来的汽车工作岗位流失到海外，而是有四千个联合工作岗位，工资更高，正在贝尔维尔的美国建设未来。
在这里，联合汽车工人工会主席肖恩•芬是今晚的来宾，他是一位伟大的朋友和伟大的劳工领袖。肖恩，你在哪里？站起来。
还有，唐 — — 唐•辛姆斯，贝尔维尔联合汽车工人工会的第三代工人。
肖恩，我为成为第一位站在罢工队列中的总统而自豪。如今，唐在她的家乡有了一份好工作，为她的家庭提供了稳定，也提供了自豪和尊严。
再次表明华尔街并没有建设美国。他们不是坏人。不过他们没有建设它。中产阶级建设了国家，工会建设了中产阶级。
我对美国人民说：当美国被击倒时，我们会重新站起来。我们会继续前进。这就是美国。这就是你们，美国人民。
正是因为你们，美国正在复苏。正是因为你们，我们的未来更加光明。正是因为你们，今晚我们可以自豪地说，我们的国家局势强劲而且越来越强劲。
今晚 — — 今晚，我想谈谈我们可以共同建设的可能性的未来 — — 一个滴灌经济的时代已经结束，富人和最大的公司不再独享所有的税收优惠。
顺便说一句，我了解公司。我来自一个投资公司比你们每个州的投资公司都多的州 — — 美国所有州的投资公司的总和。我代表它三十六年。我不是反公司的。
但我是在一个滴灌经济并没有给我父亲的厨房桌上带来太多东西的家庭中长大的。这就是为什么我决心扭转局面，让中产阶级过得好一些。当他们过得好时，穷人有了上升的机会，富人仍然过得非常好。我们都过得好。
而且还有更多工作要做，确保你们能感受到我们所做的一切的好处。
美国人民为处方药付出的费用比世界上任何地方都要高。这是错误的，我要结束它。
我提出并签署了一项法律 — — 你们的共和党朋友没有人投票支持 — — 我们最终打败了大制药公司。
现在，糖尿病患者每月只需支付大约三十五美元的胰岛素费用 — — 它只需要十美元就能生产 — — 他们现在每月只需支付三十五美元，仍然可以获得可观的利润。
我想 — — 我想做的下一步是，我想将胰岛素的费用上限定为每个需要的美国人每月三十五美元 — — 每个人。
多年来，人们一直在谈论这个问题。但我们最终完成了，并赋予了医保谈判降低处方药价格的权力，就像退伍军人事务部为退伍军人能够做的那样。
这不仅仅是为老年人节省了钱，也为纳税人节省了钱。我们通过降低联邦赤字了一千六百亿美元 — — 因为医保不再需要向大制药公司支付那些过高的价格。
今年，医保正在就市场上一些治疗心脏病到关节炎等各种疾病的最昂贵的药物进行谈判，以获得更低的价格。现在是时候进一步行动，让医保在未来十年内为五百种不同的药物谈判更低的价格。
他们赚了很多钱，伙计们。他们仍然会非常赚钱。这不仅会挽救生命，还会为纳税人节省另外两千亿美元。
从明年开始，同一法律将限制医保老年人每年支付的处方药费用为两千美元 — — 即使是成本高达一万、一万二、一万五美元的昂贵癌症药物。现在我想为每个人的处方药费用上限定为每年两千美元。
伙计们，我要因为这样说而遭到麻烦，但如果你们中有人想和我一起搭乘空军一号，飞往多伦多、柏林、莫斯科 — — 我的意思是，对不起。嗯，甚至莫斯科，可能。并且带上你们的处方药，我向你们保证，我能以你们现在支付的四成的价格给你们拿到。同样的公司，同样的药品，同样的地方。
伙计们，平价医疗法案 — — 旧的“奥巴马医改” — — 仍然是一个非常重要的事情。
超过一亿人因为既往病史而不再能被拒绝购买
医疗保险。但我的前任和这个议院的许多人想要通过废除平价医疗法案来剥夺你们的处方药。
总统: 我不会让这种事发生。我们之前阻止了你们五十次，我们会再次阻止你们。
事实上，我不仅在保护它，还在扩大它。我们实施了每人每年八百美元的税收抵免，以减少数百万工作家庭的医疗费用。那个税收抵免明年到期。我想将这种节省变为永久的。
显而易见：女性占我们人口的一半以上，但对女性健康的研究一直被低估。
这就是为什么我们正在启动白宫有史以来第一次的女性健康研究倡议，由吉尔领导 — — 作为第一夫人，她做得非常出色 — — 为了通过通过我提出的计划为一千二百亿美元的女性健康研究提供资金，并使全美数百万人的生活受益。
我知道住房成本对你们非常重要。通货膨胀持续下降。抵押贷款利率也将下降，美联储也承认了这一点。
但我不想等。我想提供一项每年一次的税收抵免，为美国人在未来两年购买他们的第一套房子或换房增加一点空间时支付四百美元，当他们的抵押贷款利率下降时。这是两年的时间。
我的政府还取消了联邦支持的抵押贷款的产权保险费。当你重新贷款时，你可以节省一千美元或更多。
对于数百万租户，我们正在打击那些通过固定价格和提高租金来违反反垄断法的大房东。
我们已经削减了繁文缛节，以便建造新住房——全国范围内已经有创纪录的170万个新住房单位。
现在，通过我的计划，通过，通过建造和翻新200万个经济适用房，并降低租金。
要保持世界上最强大的经济体地位，我们需要拥有世界上最好的教育体系。我和你们所有人一样，都想通过为三岁和四岁的孩子提供入学机会，给每个孩子一个良好的开端。
你知道，我想去年我指出过——我想去年我指出过，来自破碎家庭的孩子，家中没有书籍，他们没有被读书，他们很少被交谈，开始上学时——幼儿园或一年级听到的话——听到的话要少一百万字。
研究表明，上幼儿园的孩子完成高中和继续获得两年制和四年制学位的可能性几乎增加了50%，无论他们的背景如何。
一年半前，我与商业圆桌组织的领导人见面。他们对我曾经提出的——生气——我——好吧，他们在讨论————为什么我要在教育上花钱感到愤怒。
我向他们指出：作为副总统，我与超过182个这样的人见过面——不要让我对这个数字太过追求——我问他们最需要什么——CEO。你们两边都有同样的经历。他们说，“更受教育的劳动力”，对吗？
所以，我看着他们。我说，“我来自特拉华州。杜邦曾经是世界第八大公司。他们每次收购新企业，都会为该企业培训员工。但你们都不再这样做了。你们为什么对我提供给你们世界上最受教育的劳动力的机会感到愤怒？”
他们都看着我，说，“我想你是对的。”
我想要扩大高质量辅导和暑期学习，确保每个孩子都能在三年级之前学会阅读。
我还将当地企业与高中联系起来，以便学生能够获得实践经验，并获得一份高薪工作的途径，无论他们是否上大学。
我还想确保大学更加负担得起。让我们继续增加对工薪阶层和中产阶级家庭的PELL助学金，并加大对HBCU和少数族裔服务机构的投资，包括西班牙裔机构。
当有人告诉我我不能普遍改变我们处理学生贷款的方式时，我修改了两个已经存在的学生贷款计划，减轻了近400万美国人的学生贷款负担，其中包括护士、消防员——以及其他公共服务人员。
就像明尼苏达州的公共教育工作者基南•琼斯，今晚与我们在一起。基南，你在哪里？基南，谢谢你。
他教育了数百名学生，使他们能够上大学。现在，通过债务豁免，他能够帮助他自己的女儿上大学了。
伙计们，这样的减免对经济有好处，因为人们现在能够购买房屋，创办企业，成立家庭。
而且，在此期间，我们减少了赤字。
现在让我谈谈对所有美国人的基本公平问题。我以负责任的方式取得了实质性的成果。我们已经通过削减联邦赤字——已经通过削减联邦赤字超过1万亿美元。
我签署了一项跨党派协议，削减下一个十年的赤字一万亿美元。
我的目标是通过让大型企业和非常富有的人终于开始付出他们应付的公平份额来削减联邦赤字另外三万亿美元。
看，我是一个资本主义者。如果你想赚一百万或几百万美元，那太好了。只要按公平的税率交税就行了。
公平的税收法是我们投资于使这个国家变得伟大的东西的方式：医疗保健、教育、国防等等。
但是这是个问题。上一届政府通过了一项价值2万亿美元的减税法案，绝大部分都是为最富有的1%——非常富有的人——
总统：——和最大的公司——并且使联邦赤字激增。
他们为国家债务增加的数额超过了美国历史上任何一届总统任期。查查数字。
家里的人们，有人真的认为税法是公平的吗？
总统：你真的认为富人和大公司需要另外2万亿美元的减税吗？
总统：我当然不这么认为。
我会继续努力使之公平。根据我的计划，年收入不到40万美元的人在联邦税上不会多交一分钱————没有人——没有一分钱。他们迄今为止还没有。
事实上，在疫情期间我通过的儿童税收抵免法案为数百万工作家庭减税，将儿童贫困减少了一半。
恢复儿童税收抵免。在这个国家，没有孩子应该挨饿。
公平的税法意味着使大型公司和非常富有的人开始付出他们的份额。记住，在2020年，美国最大的55家公司赚了4000亿美元，却没有缴纳联邦所得税。零。
总统：不再是这样了。
根据我所制定并签署的法律，大公司现在必须支付至少15%的最低税率。但这仍然比工薪阶层支付的联邦税要少。
是时候将企业最低税率提高至少21%——使每个大公司最终开始支付他们公平的份额。
我还想结束大制药公司、大石油公司、私人飞机、巨额高管薪酬的减税优惠。他们可以支付2000万美元，但只能扣除100万美元。
现在结束吧。
你知道，美国有一千个亿万富翁。你知道这些亿万富翁的平均联邦税率是多少吗？
总统：不。
他们做出了巨大的牺牲——8.2%。
总统：这比绝大多数美国人支付的要少得多。
没有一个亿万富翁应该支付的联邦税率低于一名教师、一名环卫工人或一名护士。
我提出了对亿万富翁征收25%的最低税率——只有25%。你知道那会带来多少收入吗？那将在未来10年内带来5000亿美元的收入。
想象一下这对美国意味着什么。想象一下有了负担得起的托儿服务，数百万家庭能够获得他们需要的东西去工作，帮助经济增长。
想象一下有了带薪休假，因为没有人应该被迫选择工作还是照顾生病的家人。
想象——想象未来有家庭护理和老年护理，以及残疾人士可以留在自己的家中，家庭看护者终于能够得到他们应得的报酬。
今晚，让我们再次一致同意为年长者站出来。
我在议会另一边的许多朋友都希望把社保置于斧头下。
如果这里有人试图削减社保或医保，或者提高退休年龄，我会制止你。
工薪阶层——建造这个国家的工薪阶层缴纳的社保比百万富翁和亿万富翁缴纳的要多。这不公平。
我们有两种选择。共和党人可以削减社保并给富人更多的减税。我会——
总统：这是提案。哦，不？你们不想再减税2万亿美元？
总统：我有点想你们的计划是什么。哦，这听起来不错。你们不会再为超级富豪减税2万亿美元吗？听起来不错。
我会保护和加强社保，并让富人付出他们应付的公平份额。
看，太多公司提高价格以增加利润，收费越来越多，提供的服务越来越少。
这就是为什么我们正在打击从食品到医疗保健到住房都在进行价格欺诈和欺骗定价的公司。
事实上，零食公司认为，如果他们改变袋子的大小并减少——同样大小的袋子——把更少的薯片放进去，你们是不会注意到的。不，我不是在开玩笑。这叫“缩水膨胀”。
通过鲍比•凯西的法案并阻止这种行为。我是认真的。
你们可能都看过士力架的广告。你付的钱一样，但里面只有，我不知道，少了大约10%的士力架。
看，我还要消除垃圾费用——那些没有你知情的情况下在账单末尾的隐藏费用。我的政府宣布，我们将将信用卡逾期费从32美元降至8美元。
银行和信用卡公司被允许收取他们追收的费用。这更接近8美元而不是30多美元。
但他们不喜欢这样。信用卡公司不喜欢这样，但我通过取消所有垃圾费用每年为美国家庭节省200亿美元。
家里的人们，这就是为什么银行如此生气。这是200亿美元的利润。
我不会止步于此。
我的政府提出了一项规定，要求有线电视、旅行、公用事业和在线售票商在一开始就告诉你总价格，以免有任何意外。
这很重要。这很重要。
而且这也很重要。今年11月，我的团队开始与一个跨党派的参议员小组进行严肃的谈判。结果是一项具有史上最严格的边境安全改革的跨党派法案。
总统：哦，你不这么认为？
总统：哦，你不喜欢那个法案——哈？——那些保守派聚集在一起认为是个好法案？我要掉链子了。太惊人了。
这个跨党派的法案将聘请1500名更多的安全官员和官员，100名更多的移民法官来帮助解决200万个案件的积压，4300名更多的避难官员，以及新的政策，使他们能够在6个月内解决案件，而不是现在的6年。你们反对什么？
还有100多台高科技毒品检测机器，以大大提高筛查和阻止运输芬太尼进入美国的车辆的能力，这种芬太尼正在夺去数千名儿童的生命。
这项法案将拯救生命，为边境带来秩序。
它还将赋予我和任何新总统在边境人数过多时暂时关闭边境的新紧急权力。
边境巡逻队联盟已经支持这项法案。
联邦商会也——是的，是的。你们说“不”。看看事实。我知道——我知道你们懂得阅读。
我相信，如果有机会——对于——众议院和参议院的大多数人现在都会支持这项法案——现在的大多数人。
总统：但不幸的是，到目前为止，政治阻碍了这项法案的进展。
我被告知，我的前任致电参议院的议员们，要求他们阻止这项法案。他认为这对我来说是一场政治胜利，对他来说是一场政治失败。这不是关于他的。这不是关于我。我会是一个赢家——不是真的。我——
总统：（总统举起一枚写着“Say Her Name, Laken Riley”（说她的名字，莱肯•莱利）的徽章。）Lanken——兰肯[Laken]•莱利，一位无辜的年轻女子，被杀害。
总统：——非法移民。没错。但还有成千上万的人被合法移民杀害吗？
对她的父母，我说：我对你们深表同情。我自己也失去了孩子，我理解。
但是，看，如果我们改变边境的动态——人们付给这些走私者8000美元，让他们越过边境，因为他们知道如果他们通过了——如果他们被允许进入这个国家，那么在6到8年之前他们才能进行一次听证会。如果只有六个月——六周，这个想法是，人们很可能不会支付这笔钱并走这么远，因为他们知道他们很快就会被踢出去。
各位，我尊重地建议——我的共和党朋友——我为美国人民。现在就把这项法案通过。我们需要立即行动。
总统：如果我的前任在看：不要再搞政治，不要压迫国会议员阻止这项法案的通过，加入我告诉国会通过它。
我们可以一起做到。
但这显然——这里有他不会做的事情。
我不会妖魔化移民，说他们是我们国家的“毒瘤”。
我不会分离家庭。
我不会因为他们的信仰而禁止人们入境。
与我的前任不同，在我上任的第一天，我就提交了一项全面修复我们移民系统的法案。看看它。它拥有所有这些，还有更多：确保边境安全，为“梦想者”提供公民身份路径，等等。
但与我的前任不同，我知道我们作为美国人是谁。我们是世界上唯一一个拥有老和新心灵的国家。
是千百年来一直在这里的美洲原住民的家园。来自地球上每一个地方的人都是美国人。
他们自由地来到这里。有些人是带着锁链来的。有些人是因为饥荒袭击，就像我的爱尔兰祖先一样。有些人是为了逃避迫害，追逐在美国之外不可能实现的梦想。
这就是美国。我们都来自某个地方，但我们都是美国人。
看，各位，我们有一个简单的选择：我们可以为修复边境而争论，或者我们可以修复它。我已经准备好修复它。现在就把边境法案寄给我。
总统：58——59年前的今天，塞尔玛，阿拉巴马州发生了一次历史性的转折性时刻。数百名为正义而战的步兵穿过埃德蒙•佩特斯大桥，这座桥以三K党的大龙头命名，以争取他们的基本选举权。
他们被打击。他们受伤流血，被当作死人一般抛弃。我们已故的朋友和前同事约翰•刘易斯曾参加过那次游行。我们怀念他。
但今晚加入我们的还有其他游行者，包括在议会大厅和地板上的人，包括贝蒂•梅•费克斯，被称为“塞尔玛之声”。
她是福音歌手和传道人的女儿，她在那个血腥的星期日唱着祈祷和抗议的歌曲，以帮助唤醒全国的良心。
五个月后，《选举权法案》通过并签署成为法律。
谢谢。谢谢你，谢谢你，谢谢你。
但是59年过去了，有一股力量正在把我们带回到过去：压制选民，扭曲选举，无限制的黑钱，极端的选区划分。
约翰•刘易斯是我们这里许多人的好朋友。但如果你真的想要尊重他和所有与他一同游行的英雄，那么现在是行动的时候了。
通过《自由选举法案》，通过《约翰•刘易斯选举权法案》。
停止——停止否认美国另一个核心
价值观：我们多样化的美国生活。禁书是错误的。让我们创造历史，而不是抹去历史。
我想要保护基本权利。
通过《平等法案》。
我对跨性别美国人说：我支持你们。
通过《专业人员法案》保护工人权利。
提高联邦最低工资，因为每个工人都有权享有体面的生活，而不是每小时七块钱。
我们还通过应对气候危机来创造历史，而不是否认它。我不认为你们中有任何人认为现在没有气候危机。至少我希望你们不这样认为。
我正在采取有史以来最重大的气候行动。
我将到2030年将我们的碳排放减少一半；创造数万个清洁能源工作岗位，比如国际电工工会的工人正在建造和安装50万个电动汽车充电站；到2030年保护美国30%的陆地和水域；并采取行动解决环境正义问题——受到污染遗留的围墙社区。
模式是和和平队、美国队（AmeriCorps）一样，我启动了气候队，目的是让2万名年轻人投身到我们清洁能源未来的前沿。我会在未来十年将这个数字增加两倍。
显而易见，所有美国人都应该享有安全的自由。今天的美国比我上任时更加安全。在我上任前的那一年，谋杀率上升了30%。
总统：三十个百分点，谋杀率上升了—
总统：这是有史以来最大的增长。
总统：那时，通过我的美国复苏计划，我没有——我应该补充一句，每个美国人（共和党人）都反对，我们进行了有史以来最大规模的公共安全投资。
去年，谋杀率见证了历史上最大幅度的下降。暴力犯罪降至50多年来的最低水平之一。
但我们还有更多工作要做。我们必须帮助城市投资更多的社区警察、更多的心理健康工作者、更多的社区暴力干预。
给予社区打击枪支犯罪、零售犯罪和抢劫的工具。继续建立信任，就像我一直在做的那样，通过采取行政行动进行警察改革，并呼吁使之成为法律。
指示我的内阁审查大麻的联邦分类，并删除数千个仅仅因为持有大麻而被定罪的记录，因为没有人应该因为简单使用或将其记录在案而被监禁。
打击家庭暴力犯罪。我正在加大对我在参议院时自豪地起草的《反对妇女暴力法》的联邦执法力度，以便我们最终——最终结束对美国妇女的祸害。
我想停止其他种类的暴力。
今晚与我们同在的是茉莉，她九岁的妹妹杰基与她的21名同学和老师在得克萨斯州乌瓦尔迪的小学遇害。
很快之后，吉尔和我去了乌瓦尔迪待了几天。我们花了数小时与每个家庭在一起。我们听到了他们的信息，以便这个房间里的每个人都能听到同样的信息。
这不断重复的话——我在那里待了数小时，与每个家庭会面。他们说，“做点什么。”“做点什么。”
好吧，我确实做了一些事情，通过在白宫建立了首个枪支暴力预防办公室，副总统正在带领这一工作。谢谢你做到了。
与此同时————与此同时，我的前任告诉全国步枪协会，他很自豪他在总统任上对枪支什么都没做。
总统：最近爱荷华发生了另一起枪击案，当被问及该怎么办时，他说，只是“忍耐吧。”这是他的话。只是“忍耐吧。”
我说停下。停下，停下，停下。
我为此感到自豪，因为我签署了近30年来最重要的枪支安全法律，因为这个国会的原因。我们现在必须再次战胜全国步枪协会。
我要求禁止突击武器和高容量弹匣。通过普遍的背景调查。
这一切都不——这一切都不——我教了12年的第二修正案。这一切都不违反第二修正案或诋毁负责任的枪支拥有者。
您知道，在家里面对挑战的同时，我们还要应对国外的危机，包括中东。
我知道过去五个月对许多人来说都是令人心碎的——对以色列人民来说，对巴勒斯坦人民来说，对这里的许多人来说。
这场危机始于10月7日，由一个名为哈马斯的恐怖组织发动的大屠杀，大家都知道。一千两百名无辜的人——女性和女孩，男性和男孩——在经历了性暴力后被屠杀。犹太人自大屠杀以来最致命的一天。并且有250名人质被劫持。
今晚在这个大厅里的家庭中有一些家庭，他们的亲人仍然被哈马斯扣押。我向所有家庭保证，我们将不遗余力，直到把你们每一个亲人都带回家。
我们还————我们还将全天候工作，将埃文和保罗——被俄罗
斯不公正扣押的美国人——以及其他被扣押在世界各地的人带回家。
以色列有权追捕哈马斯。哈马斯通过释放人质、放下武器结束了这场冲突——通过释放人质、放下武器，以及——交出对10月7日事件负责的人。
但以色列有一个——对不起。以色列有一个额外的负担，因为哈马斯像懦夫一样藏匿和活动在平民中——在医院、托儿所等地方。
然而，以色列也有一个根本责任，那就是保护加沙的无辜平民。
这场战争对无辜平民的影响比以前所有的加沙战争加起来还要大。三万多名巴勒斯坦人被杀——
总统：——其中大多数不是哈马斯。数以千计的无辜者——妇女和儿童。女孩和男孩也成了孤儿。
近200万巴勒斯坦人受到了炮轰或流离失所的影响。家园被摧毁，社区成了废墟，城市陷入了混乱。家庭缺乏食物、水、药品。
这令人心碎。
我一直在努力建立一个立即停火的临时协议，持续六周，让所有囚犯被释放——所有人质都被释放，让人质回家，并缓解不可忍受的人道主义危机，并建立一个更持久——一个更——更持久的东西。
美国一直在领导国际努力，将更多的人道主义援助送入加沙。今晚，我指示美国军方领导一项紧急任务，在加沙海岸的地中海上建立一个临时码头，可以接收大批运载食物、水、药品和临时住所的货船。
不会有美国军队在地面上。
临时码头将使每天进入加沙的人道主义援助数量大幅增加。
以色列也必须尽自己的一份责任。以色列必须允许更多的援助进入加沙，并确保人道主义工作者不会被卷入交火之中。
他们宣布他们将——他们将——在加沙北部设置一个过境点。
我向以色列领导人说：人道主义援助不能成为次要考虑因素或筹码。保护和挽救无辜的生命必须是首要任务。
当我们展望未来时，解决这一局势的唯一真正解决方案是通过时间的两国方案。
我以我的整个职业生涯支持以色列为荣。没有人比我更有强烈的以色列纪录。我向这里的任何人挑战。我是唯一一位在战时访问以色列的美国总统。
但是，没有其他路径能够保证以色列的安全和民主。没有其他路径能够保证巴勒斯坦人能够与和平和尊严生活在一起。
也没有其他路径能够保证以色列和其所有邻国之间的和平——包括我正在与之对话的沙特阿拉伯。
在中东创建稳定还意味着遏制伊朗构成的威胁。这就是为什么我建立了一个由十多个国家组成的联盟，以捍卫红海的国际航运和航行自由。
我下令对胡塞的能力进行打击，并保卫该地区的美军。
作为总司令，我不会犹豫采取进一步措施来保护我们的人民和我们的军事人员。
多年来，我听到我的许多共和党和民主党朋友说中国在崛起，而美国在落后。他们完全搞错了。我已经说了四年多了，即使我还不是总统。
美国正在崛起。我们拥有世界上最好的经济。自从我上任以来，我们的GDP增长了，我们与xxxx的贸易逆差降至10多年来的最低点。
我们在对抗XX不公平经济行为。
我们在维护台湾海峡的和平与稳定。
我已经振兴了我们在太平洋的伙伴关系和联盟：印度、澳大利亚、日本、韩国、太平洋岛国。我确保最先进的美国技术不能在xxxx使用——不允许将其交易到那里。
坦白地说，尽管他在对xx发表了强硬言论，但我的前任从未想过做任何这样的事情。
我希望与xxx竞争，而不是冲突。在这场21世纪与xxx的竞争中，我们比任何其他人都处于更强的地位——在任何时候也是如此。
在家里，我签署了400多项两党议案。但还有更多的事情要推动我的团结议程。
加强对芬太尼贩运的惩罚。您不想做这个，对吧？
通过两党隐私立法来保护我们的儿童在线。
利用人工智能的潜力来保护我们免受危险。禁止AI语音模仿等等。
当我们派遣他们冒险，当他们回家时，以及当他们没有回家时，保持我们真正神圣的义务，即培训和装备他们，并照顾他们和他们的家人。
这就是为什么，在Denis和退伍军人事务部的强力支持和帮助下，我签署了PACT法案——这是有史以来最重要的法律之一，帮助了数百万受到毒素污染的退伍军人，现在他们正在与100多种不同的癌症作斗争。他们中的许多人没有回家，但我们欠他们和他们的家人支持。我们还欠自己继续支持我们的新健康研究机构——名为ARPA-H——并提醒我们——提醒我们我们可以做大事情，比如结束我们所知道的癌症。而且我们将会做到。
最后让我说这些。
总统：耶！（掌声和笑声。）
我知道你不想再听了，林赛，但我还得再说几句。
我知道我可能看起来不像，但我已经在这个世界上有一段时间了。当你到了我的年龄，某些事情会变得比以往更加清晰。
我知道美国的故事。一次又一次，我看到了在我们国家的灵魂之战中相互竞争的力量之间的竞争，一方想要把美国拉回到过去，另一方则想要把美国引向未来。
我一生都在教导我接受自由和民主，一个基于核心价值观的未来，这些价值观已经定义了美国——诚实、正直、尊严和平等；尊重每个人；给每个人一个公平的机会；给仇恨一个无遮无挡的港湾。
现在，我这个年龄的其他人看待它的方式不同。对复仇、报复和报复的美国故事。
这不是我。我出生在第二次世界大战期间，当时美国代表着世界的自由。我在宾夕法尼亚州斯克兰顿和特拉蒙特，与建设这个国家的工人阶级一起长大。
我看到了恐怖的是，我的两个英雄——就像你们中的许多人一样——马丁•路德•金博士和鲍比•肯尼迪被暗杀了。他们的遗产激励我追求一个充满服务的事业。
我离开了一家律师事务所，成为一名公共辩护人，因为我的威尔明顿市是唯一一座在金博士被暗杀后被国民警卫队占领的美国城市，因为暴乱。我几乎是出于偶然成为了一个县委员会委员。
我在29岁时当选为美国参议院，当时我根本没有打算参选。
然后是我们第一位黑人总统的副总统。现在是第一位女性副总统的总统。
在我的职业生涯中，我被告知我太年轻了。顺便说一句，有时候他们不让我坐参议院的电梯投票。他们——不是开玩笑。
而且我被告知我太老了。
无论是年轻还是年老，我一直都知道什么是持久的。我知道我们的北极星。美国的基本概念是，我们都是平等创造的，应该在我们的一生中平等对待。
我们从来没有完全实现这个想法，但我们也从来没有放弃过。我现在也不会放弃。
我很乐观。我真的是。我对未来充满了乐观。
总统：南希，我很乐观。
我的美国同胞们，我们国家面临的问题不是我们有多老，而是我们的观念有多老。
仇恨、愤怒、复仇、报复是最古老的想法。但你不能用只会让我们倒退的古老想法来领导美国。要领导美国，这片充满可能性的土地，你需要一个未来的愿景，以及可以和应该去做的事情。
今晚，你听到了我的愿景。
我看到一个未来，我们在捍卫民主时，不会削弱它。
我看到一个未来，我们恢复了选择权并保护了我们的自由，而不是剥夺了它们。
我看到一个未来，中产阶级终于有了一个公平的机会，富人必须支付公平的税款。
我看到一个未来，我们拯救了地球免受气候危机和我们的国家免受枪支暴力的影响。
最重要的是，我看到了一个为所有美国人的未来。我看到了一个为所有美国人的国家。而且我将永远是所有美国人的总统，因为我相信美国。我相信你们，美国人民。你们是我们对未来的乐观情绪从未像现在这样乐观的原因。
所以，让我们一起建设未来。让我们记住我们是谁。
我们是美利坚合众国。当我们共同行动时，没有什么是——没有什么是超出我们能力范围之外的。
愿上帝保佑你们所有人。愿上帝保护我们的军队。谢谢你们，谢谢你们，谢谢你们。
