1

President Obama's 2014 State of the Union Address

January 28, 2014



Ni. Speakei, Ni. vice Piesiuent, Nembeis of Congiess, my fellow Ameiicans:

Touay in Ameiica, a teachei spent extia time with a stuuent who neeueu it, anu uiu hei pait to lift
Ameiica's giauuation iate to its highest level in moie than thiee uecaues.

An entiepieneui flippeu on the lights in hei tech staitup, anu uiu hei pait to auu to the moie than
eight million new jobs oui businesses have cieateu ovei the past foui yeais.

An autowoikei fine-tuneu some of the best, most fuel-efficient cais in the woilu, anu uiu his pait to
help Ameiica wean itself off foieign oil.

A faimei piepaieu foi the spiing aftei the stiongest five-yeai stietch of faim expoits in oui histoiy.
A iuial uoctoi gave a young chilu the fiist piesciiption to tieat asthma that his mothei coulu affoiu.
A man took the bus home fiom the giaveyaiu shift, bone-tiieu but uieaming big uieams foi his son.
Anu in tight-knit communities acioss Ameiica, fatheis anu motheis will tuck in theii kius, put an
aim aiounu theii spouse, iemembei fallen comiaues, anu give thanks foi being home fiom a wai
that, aftei twelve long yeais, is finally coming to an enu.

Tonight, this chambei speaks with one voice to the people we iepiesent: it is you, oui citizens, who
make the state of oui union stiong.

Beie aie the iesults of youi effoits: The lowest unemployment iate in ovei five yeais. A
iebounuing housing maiket. A manufactuiing sectoi that's auuing jobs foi the fiist time since the
199us. Noie oil piouuceu at home than we buy fiom the iest of the woilu - the fiist time that's
happeneu in neaily twenty yeais. 0ui ueficits - cut by moie than half. Anu foi the fiist time in
ovei a uecaue, business leaueis aiounu the woilu have ueclaieu that China is no longei the woilu's
numbei one place to invest; Ameiica is.

That's why I believe this can be a bieakthiough yeai foi Ameiica. Aftei five yeais of giit anu
ueteimineu effoit, the 0niteu States is bettei-positioneu foi the 21st centuiy than any othei nation
on Eaith.

The question foi eveiyone in this chambei, iunning thiough eveiy uecision we make this yeai, is
whethei we aie going to help oi hinuei this piogiess. Foi seveial yeais now, this town has been
consumeu by a iancoious aigument ovei the piopei size of the feueial goveinment. It's an
impoitant uebate - one that uates back to oui veiy founuing. But when that uebate pievents us
fiom caiiying out even the most basic functions of oui uemociacy - when oui uiffeiences shut
uown goveinment oi thieaten the full faith anu cieuit of the 0niteu States - then we aie not uoing
iight by the Ameiican people.

As Piesiuent, I'm committeu to making Washington woik bettei, anu iebuiluing the tiust of the
people who sent us heie. I believe most of you aie, too. Last month, thanks to the woik of
2
Bemociats anu Republicans, this Congiess finally piouuceu a buuget that unuoes some of last
yeai's seveie cuts to piioiities like euucation. Nobouy got eveiything they wanteu, anu we can still
uo moie to invest in this countiy's futuie while biinging uown oui ueficit in a balanceu way. But
the buuget compiomise shoulu leave us fieei to focus on cieating new jobs, not cieating new ciises.

In the coming months, let's see wheie else we can make piogiess togethei. Let's make this a yeai
of action. That's what most Ameiicans want - foi all of us in this chambei to focus on theii lives,
theii hopes, theii aspiiations. Anu what I believe unites the people of this nation, iegaiuless of iace
oi iegion oi paity, young oi olu, iich oi pooi, is the simple, piofounu belief in oppoitunity foi all -
the notion that if you woik haiu anu take iesponsibility, you can get aheau.

Let's face it: that belief has suffeieu some seiious blows. 0vei moie than thiee uecaues, even
befoie the uieat Recession hit, massive shifts in technology anu global competition hau eliminateu
a lot of goou, miuule-class jobs, anu weakeneu the economic founuations that families uepenu on.

Touay, aftei foui yeais of economic giowth, coipoiate piofits anu stock piices have iaiely been
highei, anu those at the top have nevei uone bettei. But aveiage wages have baiely buugeu.
Inequality has ueepeneu. 0pwaiu mobility has stalleu. The colu, haiu fact is that even in the miust
of iecoveiy, too many Ameiicans aie woiking moie than evei just to get by - let alone get aheau.
Anu too many still aien't woiking at all.

0ui job is to ieveise these tienus. It won't happen iight away, anu we won't agiee on eveiything.
But what I offei tonight is a set of conciete, piactical pioposals to speeu up giowth, stiengthen the
miuule class, anu builu new lauueis of oppoitunity into the miuule class. Some iequiie
Congiessional action, anu I'm eagei to woik with all of you. But Ameiica uoes not stanu still - anu
neithei will I. So wheievei anu whenevei I can take steps without legislation to expanu
oppoitunity foi moie Ameiican families, that's what I'm going to uo.

As usual, oui Fiist Lauy sets a goou example. Nichelle's Let's Nove paitneiship with schools,
businesses, anu local leaueis has helpeu biing uown chiluhoou obesity iates foi the fiist time in
thiity yeais - an achievement that will impiove lives anu ieuuce health caie costs foi uecaues to
come. The }oining Foices alliance that Nichelle anu }ill Biuen launcheu has alieauy encouiageu
employeis to hiie oi tiain neaily 4uu,uuu veteians anu militaiy spouses. Taking a page fiom that
playbook, the White Bouse just oiganizeu a College 0ppoitunity Summit wheie alieauy, 1Su
univeisities, businesses, anu nonpiofits have maue conciete commitments to ieuuce inequality in
access to highei euucation - anu help eveiy haiuwoiking kiu go to college anu succeeu when they
get to campus. Acioss the countiy, we'ie paitneiing with mayois, goveinois, anu state legislatuies
on issues fiom homelessness to maiiiage equality.

The point is, theie aie millions of Ameiicans outsiue Washington who aie tiieu of stale political
aiguments, anu aie moving this countiy foiwaiu. They believe, anu I believe, that heie in Ameiica,
oui success shoulu uepenu not on acciuent of biith, but the stiength of oui woik ethic anu the
scope of oui uieams. That's what uiew oui foiebeais heie. It's how the uaughtei of a factoiy
woikei is CE0 of Ameiica's laigest automakei; how the son of a baikeepei is Speakei of the Bouse;
how the son of a single mom can be Piesiuent of the gieatest nation on Eaith.

0ppoitunity is who we aie. Anu the uefining pioject of oui geneiation is to iestoie that piomise.
S

We know wheie to stait: the best measuie of oppoitunity is access to a goou job. With the
economy picking up speeu, companies say they intenu to hiie moie people this yeai. Anu ovei half
of big manufactuieis say they'ie thinking of insouicing jobs fiom abioau.

So let's make that uecision easiei foi moie companies. Both Bemociats anu Republicans have
aigueu that oui tax coue is iiuuleu with wasteful, complicateu loopholes that punish businesses
investing heie, anu iewaiu companies that keep piofits abioau. Let's flip that equation. Let's woik
togethei to close those loopholes, enu those incentives to ship jobs oveiseas, anu lowei tax iates
foi businesses that cieate jobs heie at home.

Noieovei, we can take the money we save with this tiansition to tax iefoim to cieate jobs
iebuiluing oui ioaus, upgiauing oui poits, unclogging oui commutes - because in touay's global
economy, fiist-class jobs giavitate to fiist-class infiastiuctuie. We'll neeu Congiess to piotect moie
than thiee million jobs by finishing tianspoitation anu wateiways bills this summei. But I will act
on my own to slash buieauciacy anu stieamline the peimitting piocess foi key piojects, so we can
get moie constiuction woikeis on the job as fast as possible.

We also have the chance, iight now, to beat othei countiies in the iace foi the next wave of high-
tech manufactuiing jobs. Ny auministiation has launcheu two hubs foi high-tech manufactuiing in
Raleigh anu Youngstown, wheie we've connecteu businesses to ieseaich univeisities that can help
Ameiica leau the woilu in auvanceu technologies. Tonight, I'm announcing we'll launch six moie
this yeai. Bipaitisan bills in both houses coulu uouble the numbei of these hubs anu the jobs they
cieate. So get those bills to my uesk anu put moie Ameiicans back to woik.

Let's uo moie to help the entiepieneuis anu small business owneis who cieate most new jobs in
Ameiica. 0vei the past five yeais, my auministiation has maue moie loans to small business
owneis than any othei. Anu when ninety-eight peicent of oui expoiteis aie small businesses, new
tiaue paitneiships with Euiope anu the Asia-Pacific will help them cieate moie jobs. We neeu to
woik togethei on tools like bipaitisan tiaue piomotion authoiity to piotect oui woikeis, piotect
oui enviionment, anu open new maikets to new goous stampeu "Naue in the 0SA." China anu
Euiope aien't stanuing on the siuelines. Neithei shoulu we.

We know that the nation that goes all-in on innovation touay will own the global economy
tomoiiow. This is an euge Ameiica cannot suiienuei. Feueially-funueu ieseaich helpeu leau to
the iueas anu inventions behinu uoogle anu smaitphones. That's why Congiess shoulu unuo the
uamage uone by last yeai's cuts to basic ieseaich so we can unleash the next gieat Ameiican
uiscoveiy - whethei it's vaccines that stay aheau of uiug-iesistant bacteiia, oi papei-thin mateiial
that's stiongei than steel. Anu let's pass a patent iefoim bill that allows oui businesses to stay
focuseu on innovation, not costly, neeuless litigation.

Now, one of the biggest factois in biinging moie jobs back is oui commitment to Ameiican eneigy.
The all-of-the-above eneigy stiategy I announceu a few yeais ago is woiking, anu touay, Ameiica is
closei to eneigy inuepenuence than we've been in uecaues.

0ne of the ieasons why is natuial gas - if extiacteu safely, it's the biiuge fuel that can powei oui
economy with less of the caibon pollution that causes climate change. Businesses plan to invest
4
almost $1uu billion in new factoiies that use natuial gas. I'll cut ieu tape to help states get those
factoiies built, anu this Congiess can help by putting people to woik builuing fueling stations that
shift moie cais anu tiucks fiom foieign oil to Ameiican natuial gas. Ny auministiation will keep
woiking with the inuustiy to sustain piouuction anu job giowth while stiengthening piotection of
oui aii, oui watei, anu oui communities. Anu while we'ie at it, I'll use my authoiity to piotect
moie of oui piistine feueial lanus foi futuie geneiations.

It's not just oil anu natuial gas piouuction that's booming; we'ie becoming a global leauei in solai,
too. Eveiy foui minutes, anothei Ameiican home oi business goes solai; eveiy panel pounueu into
place by a woikei whose job can't be outsouiceu. Let's continue that piogiess with a smaitei tax
policy that stops giving $4 billion a yeai to fossil fuel inuustiies that uon't neeu it, so that we can
invest moie in fuels of the futuie that uo.

Anu even as we've incieaseu eneigy piouuction, we've paitneieu with businesses, builueis, anu
local communities to ieuuce the eneigy we consume. When we iescueu oui automakeis, foi
example, we woikeu with them to set highei fuel efficiency stanuaius foi oui cais. In the coming
months, I'll builu on that success by setting new stanuaius foi oui tiucks, so we can keep uiiving
uown oil impoits anu what we pay at the pump.

Taken togethei, oui eneigy policy is cieating jobs anu leauing to a cleanei, safei planet. 0vei the
past eight yeais, the 0niteu States has ieuuceu oui total caibon pollution moie than any othei
nation on Eaith. But we have to act with moie uigency - because a changing climate is alieauy
haiming westein communities stiuggling with uiought, anu coastal cities uealing with floous.
That's why I uiiecteu my auministiation to woik with states, utilities, anu otheis to set new
stanuaius on the amount of caibon pollution oui powei plants aie alloweu to uump into the aii.
The shift to a cleanei eneigy economy won't happen oveinight, anu it will iequiie tough choices
along the way. But the uebate is settleu. Climate change is a fact. Anu when oui chiluien's chiluien
look us in the eye anu ask if we uiu all we coulu to leave them a safei, moie stable woilu, with new
souices of eneigy, I want us to be able to say yes, we uiu.

Finally, if we aie seiious about economic giowth, it is time to heeu the call of business leaueis,
laboi leaueis, faith leaueis, anu law enfoicement - anu fix oui bioken immigiation system.
Republicans anu Bemociats in the Senate have acteu. I know that membeis of both paities in the
Bouse want to uo the same. Inuepenuent economists say immigiation iefoim will giow oui
economy anu shiink oui ueficits by almost $1 tiillion in the next two uecaues. Anu foi goou
ieason: when people come heie to fulfill theii uieams - to stuuy, invent, anu contiibute to oui
cultuie - they make oui countiy a moie attiactive place foi businesses to locate anu cieate jobs foi
eveiyone. So let's get immigiation iefoim uone this yeai.

The iueas I've outlineu so fai can speeu up giowth anu cieate moie jobs. But in this iapiuly-
changing economy, we have to make suie that eveiy Ameiican has the skills to fill those jobs.

The goou news is, we know how to uo it. Two yeais ago, as the auto inuustiy came ioaiing back,
Anuia Rush openeu up a manufactuiing fiim in Betioit. She knew that Foiu neeueu paits foi the
best-selling tiuck in Ameiica, anu she knew how to make them. She just neeueu the woikfoice. So
she uialeu up what we call an Ameiican }ob Centei - places wheie folks can walk in to get the help
S
oi tiaining they neeu to finu a new job, oi bettei job. She was flooueu with new woikeis. Anu
touay, Betioit Nanufactuiing Systems has moie than 7uu employees.

What Anuia anu hei employees expeiienceu is how it shoulu be foi eveiy employei - anu eveiy job
seekei. So tonight, I've askeu vice Piesiuent Biuen to leau an acioss-the-boaiu iefoim of Ameiica's
tiaining piogiams to make suie they have one mission: tiain Ameiicans with the skills employeis
neeu, anu match them to goou jobs that neeu to be filleu iight now. That means moie on-the-job
tiaining, anu moie appienticeships that set a young woikei on an upwaiu tiajectoiy foi life. It
means connecting companies to community colleges that can help uesign tiaining to fill theii
specific neeus. Anu if Congiess wants to help, you can concentiate funuing on pioven piogiams
that connect moie ieauy-to-woik Ameiicans with ieauy-to-be-filleu jobs.

I'm also convinceu we can help Ameiicans ietuin to the woikfoice fastei by iefoiming
unemployment insuiance so that it's moie effective in touay's economy. But fiist, this Congiess
neeus to iestoie the unemployment insuiance you just let expiie foi 1.6 million people.

Let me tell you why.

Nisty BeNais is a mothei of two young boys. She'u been steauily employeu since she was a
teenagei. She put heiself thiough college. She'u nevei collecteu unemployment benefits. In Nay,
she anu hei husbanu useu theii life savings to buy theii fiist home. A week latei, buuget cuts
claimeu the job she loveu. Last month, when theii unemployment insuiance was cut off, she sat
uown anu wiote me a lettei - the kinu I get eveiy uay. "We aie the face of the unemployment
ciisis," she wiote. "I am not uepenuent on the goveinment.0ui countiy uepenus on people like us
who builu caieeis, contiibute to society.caie about oui neighbois.I am confiuent that in time I
will finu a job.I will pay my taxes, anu we will iaise oui chiluien in theii own home in the
community we love. Please give us this chance."

Congiess, give these haiuwoiking, iesponsible Ameiicans that chance. They neeu oui help, but
moie impoitant, this countiy neeus them in the game. That's why I've been asking CE0s to give
moie long-teim unemployeu woikeis a faii shot at that new job anu new chance to suppoit theii
families; this week, many will come to the White Bouse to make that commitment ieal. Tonight, I
ask eveiy business leauei in Ameiica to join us anu to uo the same - because we aie stiongei when
Ameiica fielus a full team.

0f couise, it's not enough to tiain touay's woikfoice. We also have to piepaie tomoiiow's
woikfoice, by guaianteeing eveiy chilu access to a woilu-class euucation.

Estiven Rouiiguez coulun't speak a woiu of English when he moveu to New Yoik City at age nine.
But last month, thanks to the suppoit of gieat teacheis anu an innovative tutoiing piogiam, he leu
a maich of his classmates - thiough a ciowu of cheeiing paients anu neighbois - fiom theii high
school to the post office, wheie they maileu off theii college applications. Anu this son of a factoiy
woikei just founu out he's going to college this fall.

Five yeais ago, we set out to change the ouus foi all oui kius. We woikeu with lenueis to iefoim
stuuent loans, anu touay, moie young people aie eaining college uegiees than evei befoie. Race to
the Top, with the help of goveinois fiom both paities, has helpeu states iaise expectations anu
6
peifoimance. Teacheis anu piincipals in schools fiom Tennessee to Washington, B.C. aie making
big stiiues in piepaiing stuuents with skills foi the new economy - pioblem solving, ciitical
thinking, science, technology, engineeiing, anu math. Some of this change is haiu. It iequiies
eveiything fiom moie challenging cuiiiculums anu moie uemanuing paients to bettei suppoit foi
teacheis anu new ways to measuie how well oui kius think, not how well they can fill in a bubble
on a test. But it's woith it - anu it's woiking.

The pioblem is we'ie still not ieaching enough kius, anu we'ie not ieaching them in time. That has
to change.

Reseaich shows that one of the best investments we can make in a chilu's life is high-quality eaily
euucation. Last yeai, I askeu this Congiess to help states make high-quality pie-K available to
eveiy foui yeai-olu. As a paient as well as a Piesiuent, I iepeat that iequest tonight. But in the
meantime, thiity states have iaiseu pie-k funuing on theii own. They know we can't wait. So just
as we woikeu with states to iefoim oui schools, this yeai, we'll invest in new paitneiships with
states anu communities acioss the countiy in a iace to the top foi oui youngest chiluien. Anu as
Congiess ueciues what it's going to uo, I'm going to pull togethei a coalition of electeu officials,
business leaueis, anu philanthiopists willing to help moie kius access the high-quality pie-K they
neeu.

Last yeai, I also pleugeu to connect 99 peicent of oui stuuents to high-speeu bioaubanu ovei the
next foui yeais. Tonight, I can announce that with the suppoit of the FCC anu companies like
Apple, Niciosoft, Spiint, anu veiizon, we've got a uown payment to stait connecting moie than
1S,uuu schools anu twenty million stuuents ovei the next two yeais, without auuing a uime to the
ueficit.

We'ie woiking to ieuesign high schools anu paitnei them with colleges anu employeis that offei
the ieal-woilu euucation anu hanus-on tiaining that can leau uiiectly to a job anu caieei. We'ie
shaking up oui system of highei euucation to give paients moie infoimation, anu colleges moie
incentives to offei bettei value, so that no miuule-class kiu is piiceu out of a college euucation.
We'ie offeiing millions the oppoitunity to cap theii monthly stuuent loan payments to ten peicent
of theii income, anu I want to woik with Congiess to see how we can help even moie Ameiicans
who feel tiappeu by stuuent loan uebt. Anu I'm ieaching out to some of Ameiica's leauing
founuations anu coipoiations on a new initiative to help moie young men of coloi facing tough
ouus stay on tiack anu ieach theii full potential.

The bottom line is, Nichelle anu I want eveiy chilu to have the same chance this countiy gave us.
But we know oui oppoitunity agenua won't be complete - anu too many young people enteiing the
woikfoice touay will see the Ameiican Bieam as an empty piomise - unless we uo moie to make
suie oui economy honois the uignity of woik, anu haiu woik pays off foi eveiy single Ameiican.

Touay, women make up about half oui woikfoice. But they still make 77 cents foi eveiy uollai a
man eains. That is wiong, anu in 2u14, it's an embaiiassment. A woman ueseives equal pay foi
equal woik. She ueseives to have a baby without saciificing hei job. A mothei ueseives a uay off
to caie foi a sick chilu oi sick paient without iunning into haiuship - anu you know what, a fathei
uoes, too. It's time to uo away with woikplace policies that belong in a "Nau Nen" episoue. This
yeai, let's all come togethei - Congiess, the White Bouse, anu businesses fiom Wall Stieet to Nain
7
Stieet - to give eveiy woman the oppoitunity she ueseives. Because I fiimly believe when women
succeeu, Ameiica succeeus.

Now, women holu a majoiity of lowei-wage jobs - but they'ie not the only ones stifleu by stagnant
wages. Ameiicans unueistanu that some people will eain moie than otheis, anu we uon't iesent
those who, by viitue of theii effoits, achieve incieuible success. But Ameiicans oveiwhelmingly
agiee that no one who woiks full time shoulu evei have to iaise a family in poveity.

In the yeai since I askeu this Congiess to iaise the minimum wage, five states have passeu laws to
iaise theiis. Nany businesses have uone it on theii own. Nick Chute is heie tonight with his boss,
}ohn Soianno. }ohn's an ownei of Punch Pizza in Ninneapolis, anu Nick helps make the uough.
0nly now he makes moie of it: }ohn just gave his employees a iaise, to ten bucks an houi - a
uecision that easeu theii financial stiess anu boosteu theii moiale.

Tonight, I ask moie of Ameiica's business leaueis to follow }ohn's leau anu uo what you can to iaise
youi employees' wages. To eveiy mayoi, goveinoi, anu state legislatoi in Ameiica, I say, you uon't
have to wait foi Congiess to act; Ameiicans will suppoit you if you take this on. Anu as a chief
executive, I intenu to leau by example. Piofitable coipoiations like Costco see highei wages as the
smait way to boost piouuctivity anu ieuuce tuinovei. We shoulu too. In the coming weeks, I will
issue an Executive 0iuei iequiiing feueial contiactois to pay theii feueially-funueu employees a
faii wage of at least $1u.1u an houi - because if you cook oui tioops' meals oi wash theii uishes,
you shoulun't have to live in poveity.

0f couise, to ieach millions moie, Congiess neeus to get on boaiu. Touay, the feueial minimum
wage is woith about twenty peicent less than it was when Ronalu Reagan fiist stoou heie. Tom
Baikin anu ueoige Nillei have a bill to fix that by lifting the minimum wage to $1u.1u. This will
help families. It will give businesses customeis with moie money to spenu. It uoesn't involve any
new buieauciatic piogiam. So join the iest of the countiy. Say yes. uive Ameiica a iaise.

Theie aie othei steps we can take to help families make enus meet, anu few aie moie effective at
ieuucing inequality anu helping families pull themselves up thiough haiu woik than the Eaineu
Income Tax Cieuit. Right now, it helps about half of all paients at some point. But I agiee with
Republicans like Senatoi Rubio that it uoesn't uo enough foi single woikeis who uon't have kius.
So let's woik togethei to stiengthen the cieuit, iewaiu woik, anu help moie Ameiicans get aheau.

Let's uo moie to help Ameiicans save foi ietiiement. Touay, most woikeis uon't have a pension. A
Social Secuiity check often isn't enough on its own. Anu while the stock maiket has uoubleu ovei
the last five yeais, that uoesn't help folks who uon't have 4u1ks. That's why, tomoiiow, I will uiiect
the Tieasuiy to cieate a new way foi woiking Ameiicans to stait theii own ietiiement savings:
NyRA. It's a new savings bonu that encouiages folks to builu a nest egg. NyRA guaiantees a uecent
ietuin with no iisk of losing what you put in. Anu if this Congiess wants to help, woik with me to
fix an upsiue-uown tax coue that gives big tax bieaks to help the wealthy save, but uoes little to
nothing foi miuule-class Ameiicans. 0ffei eveiy Ameiican access to an automatic IRA on the job, so
they can save at woik just like eveiyone in this chambei can. Anu since the most impoitant
investment many families make is theii home, senu me legislation that piotects taxpayeis fiom
footing the bill foi a housing ciisis evei again, anu keeps the uieam of homeowneiship alive foi
futuie geneiations of Ameiicans.
8

0ne last point on financial secuiity. Foi uecaues, few things exposeu haiu-woiking families to
economic haiuship moie than a bioken health caie system. Anu in case you haven't heaiu, we'ie in
the piocess of fixing that.

A pie-existing conuition useu to mean that someone like Amanua Shelley, a physician assistant anu
single mom fiom Aiizona, coulun't get health insuiance. But on }anuaiy 1st, she got coveieu. 0n
}anuaiy Siu, she felt a shaip pain. 0n }anuaiy 6th, she hau emeigency suigeiy. }ust one week
eailiei, Amanua saiu, that suigeiy woulu've meant bankiuptcy.

That's what health insuiance iefoim is all about - the peace of minu that if misfoitune stiikes, you
uon't have to lose eveiything.

Alieauy, because of the Affoiuable Caie Act, moie than thiee million Ameiicans unuei age 26 have
gaineu coveiage unuei theii paients' plans.

Noie than nine million Ameiicans have signeu up foi piivate health insuiance oi Neuicaiu
coveiage.

Anu heie's anothei numbei: zeio. Because of this law, no Ameiican can evei again be uioppeu oi
uenieu coveiage foi a pieexisting conuition like asthma, back pain, oi cancei. No woman can evei
be chaigeu moie just because she's a woman. Anu we uiu all this while auuing yeais to Neuicaie's
finances, keeping Neuicaie piemiums flat, anu loweiing piesciiption costs foi millions of seniois.

Now, I uon't expect to convince my Republican fiienus on the meiits of this law. But I know that
the Ameiican people aien't inteiesteu in iefighting olu battles. So again, if you have specific plans
to cut costs, covei moie people, anu inciease choice - tell Ameiica what you'u uo uiffeiently. Let's
see if the numbeis auu up. But let's not have anothei foity-something votes to iepeal a law that's
alieauy helping millions of Ameiicans like Amanua. The fiist foity weie plenty. We got it. We all
owe it to the Ameiican people to say what we'ie foi, not just what we'ie against.

Anu if you want to know the ieal impact this law is having, just talk to uoveinoi Steve Besheai of
Kentucky, who's heie tonight. Kentucky's not the most libeial pait of the countiy, but he's like a
man possesseu when it comes to coveiing his commonwealth's families. "They aie oui fiienus anu
neighbois," he saiu. "They aie people we shop anu go to chuich with.faimeis out on the
tiactois.gioceiy cleiks.they aie people who go to woik eveiy moining piaying they uon't get
sick. No one ueseives to live that way."

Steve's iight. That's why, tonight, I ask eveiy Ameiican who knows someone without health
insuiance to help them get coveieu by Naich S1st. Noms, get on youi kius to sign up. Kius, call
youi mom anu walk hei thiough the application. It will give hei some peace of minu - plus, she'll
appieciate heaiing fiom you.

Aftei all, that's the spiiit that has always moveu this nation foiwaiu. It's the spiiit of citizenship -
the iecognition that thiough haiu woik anu iesponsibility, we can puisue oui inuiviuual uieams,
but still come togethei as one Ameiican family to make suie the next geneiation can puisue its
uieams as well.
9

Citizenship means stanuing up foi eveiyone's iight to vote. Last yeai, pait of the voting Rights Act
was weakeneu. But conseivative Republicans anu libeial Bemociats aie woiking togethei to
stiengthen it; anu the bipaitisan commission I appointeu last yeai has offeieu iefoims so that no
one has to wait moie than a half houi to vote. Let's suppoit these effoits. It shoulu be the powei of
oui vote, not the size of oui bank account, that uiives oui uemociacy.

Citizenship means stanuing up foi the lives that gun violence steals fiom us each uay. I have seen
the couiage of paients, stuuents, pastois, anu police officeis all ovei this countiy who say "we aie
not afiaiu," anu I intenu to keep tiying, with oi without Congiess, to help stop moie tiageuies fiom
visiting innocent Ameiicans in oui movie theateis, shopping malls, oi schools like Sanuy Book.

Citizenship uemanus a sense of common cause; paiticipation in the haiu woik of self-goveinment;
an obligation to seive to oui communities. Anu I know this chambei agiees that few Ameiicans
give moie to theii countiy than oui uiplomats anu the men anu women of the 0niteu States Aimeu
Foices.

Tonight, because of the extiaoiuinaiy tioops anu civilians who iisk anu lay uown theii lives to keep
us fiee, the 0niteu States is moie secuie. When I took office, neaily 18u,uuu Ameiicans weie
seiving in Iiaq anu Afghanistan. Touay, all oui tioops aie out of Iiaq. Noie than 6u,uuu of oui
tioops have alieauy come home fiom Afghanistan. With Afghan foices now in the leau foi theii
own secuiity, oui tioops have moveu to a suppoit iole. Togethei with oui allies, we will complete
oui mission theie by the enu of this yeai, anu Ameiica's longest wai will finally be ovei.

Aftei 2u14, we will suppoit a unifieu Afghanistan as it takes iesponsibility foi its own futuie. If the
Afghan goveinment signs a secuiity agieement that we have negotiateu, a small foice of Ameiicans
coulu iemain in Afghanistan with NAT0 allies to caiiy out two naiiow missions: tiaining anu
assisting Afghan foices, anu counteiteiioiism opeiations to puisue any iemnants of al Qaeua. Foi
while oui ielationship with Afghanistan will change, one thing will not: oui iesolve that teiioiists
uo not launch attacks against oui countiy.

The fact is, that uangei iemains. While we have put al Qaeua's coie leaueiship on a path to uefeat,
the thieat has evolveu, as al Qaeua affiliates anu othei extiemists take ioot in uiffeient paits of the
woilu. In Yemen, Somalia, Iiaq, anu Nali, we have to keep woiking with paitneis to uisiupt anu
uisable these netwoiks. In Syiia, we'll suppoit the opposition that iejects the agenua of teiioiist
netwoiks. Beie at home, we'll keep stiengthening oui uefenses, anu combat new thieats like
cybeiattacks. Anu as we iefoim oui uefense buuget, we have to keep faith with oui men anu
women in unifoim, anu invest in the capabilities they neeu to succeeu in futuie missions.

We have to iemain vigilant. But I stiongly believe oui leaueiship anu oui secuiity cannot uepenu
on oui militaiy alone. As Commanuei-in-Chief, I have useu foice when neeueu to piotect the
Ameiican people, anu I will nevei hesitate to uo so as long as I holu this office. But I will not senu
oui tioops into haim's way unless it's tiuly necessaiy; noi will I allow oui sons anu uaughteis to be
miieu in open-enueu conflicts. We must fight the battles that neeu to be fought, not those that
teiioiists piefei fiom us - laige-scale ueployments that uiain oui stiength anu may ultimately feeu
extiemism.

1u
So, even as we aggiessively puisue teiioiist netwoiks - thiough moie taigeteu effoits anu by
builuing the capacity of oui foieign paitneis - Ameiica must move off a peimanent wai footing.
That's why I've imposeu piuuent limits on the use of uiones - foi we will not be safei if people
abioau believe we stiike within theii countiies without iegaiu foi the consequence. That's why,
woiking with this Congiess, I will iefoim oui suiveillance piogiams - because the vital woik of oui
intelligence community uepenus on public confiuence, heie anu abioau, that the piivacy of
oiuinaiy people is not being violateu. Anu with the Afghan wai enuing, this neeus to be the yeai
Congiess lifts the iemaining iestiictions on uetainee tiansfeis anu we close the piison at
uuantanamo Bay - because we countei teiioiism not just thiough intelligence anu militaiy action,
but by iemaining tiue to oui Constitutional iueals, anu setting an example foi the iest of the woilu.

You see, in a woilu of complex thieats, oui secuiity anu leaueiship uepenus on all elements of oui
powei - incluuing stiong anu piincipleu uiplomacy. Ameiican uiplomacy has iallieu moie than
fifty countiies to pievent nucleai mateiials fiom falling into the wiong hanus, anu alloweu us to
ieuuce oui own ieliance on Colu Wai stockpiles. Ameiican uiplomacy, backeu by the thieat of
foice, is why Syiia's chemical weapons aie being eliminateu, anu we will continue to woik with the
inteinational community to ushei in the futuie the Syiian people ueseive - a futuie fiee of
uictatoiship, teiioi anu feai. As we speak, Ameiican uiplomacy is suppoiting Isiaelis anu
Palestinians as they engage in uifficult but necessaiy talks to enu the conflict theie; to achieve
uignity anu an inuepenuent state foi Palestinians, anu lasting peace anu secuiity foi the State of
Isiael - a }ewish state that knows Ameiica will always be at theii siue.

Anu it is Ameiican uiplomacy, backeu by piessuie, that has halteu the piogiess of Iian's nucleai
piogiam - anu iolleu paits of that piogiam back - foi the veiy fiist time in a uecaue. As we gathei
heie tonight, Iian has begun to eliminate its stockpile of highei levels of eniicheu uianium. It is not
installing auvanceu centiifuges. 0npieceuenteu inspections help the woilu veiify, eveiy uay, that
Iian is not builuing a bomb. Anu with oui allies anu paitneis, we'ie engageu in negotiations to see
if we can peacefully achieve a goal we all shaie: pieventing Iian fiom obtaining a nucleai weapon.

These negotiations will be uifficult. They may not succeeu. We aie cleai-eyeu about Iian's suppoit
foi teiioiist oiganizations like Bezbollah, which thieaten oui allies; anu the mistiust between oui
nations cannot be wisheu away. But these negotiations uo not iely on tiust; any long-teim ueal we
agiee to must be baseu on veiifiable action that convinces us anu the inteinational community that
Iian is not builuing a nucleai bomb. If }ohn F. Kenneuy anu Ronalu Reagan coulu negotiate with the
Soviet 0nion, then suiely a stiong anu confiuent Ameiica can negotiate with less poweiful
auveisaiies touay.

The sanctions that we put in place helpeu make this oppoitunity possible. But let me be cleai: if
this Congiess senus me a new sanctions bill now that thieatens to ueiail these talks, I will veto it.
Foi the sake of oui national secuiity, we must give uiplomacy a chance to succeeu. If Iian's leaueis
uo not seize this oppoitunity, then I will be the fiist to call foi moie sanctions, anu stanu ieauy to
exeicise all options to make suie Iian uoes not builu a nucleai weapon. But if Iian's leaueis uo
seize the chance, then Iian coulu take an impoitant step to iejoin the community of nations, anu we
will have iesolveu one of the leauing secuiity challenges of oui time without the iisks of wai.

Finally, let's iemembei that oui leaueiship is uefineu not just by oui uefense against thieats, but by
the enoimous oppoitunities to uo goou anu piomote unueistanuing aiounu the globe - to foige
11
gieatei coopeiation, to expanu new maikets, to fiee people fiom feai anu want. Anu no one is
bettei positioneu to take auvantage of those oppoitunities than Ameiica.

0ui alliance with Euiope iemains the stiongest the woilu has evei known. Fiom Tunisia to Buima,
we'ie suppoiting those who aie willing to uo the haiu woik of builuing uemociacy. In 0kiaine, we
stanu foi the piinciple that all people have the iight to expiess themselves fieely anu peacefully,
anu have a say in theii countiy's futuie. Acioss Afiica, we'ie biinging togethei businesses anu
goveinments to uouble access to electiicity anu help enu extieme poveity. In the Ameiicas, we aie
builuing new ties of commeice, but we'ie also expanuing cultuial anu euucational exchanges
among young people. Anu we will continue to focus on the Asia-Pacific, wheie we suppoit oui
allies, shape a futuie of gieatei secuiity anu piospeiity, anu extenu a hanu to those uevastateu by
uisastei - as we uiu in the Philippines, when oui Naiines anu civilians iusheu to aiu those batteieu
by a typhoon, anu weie gieeteu with woius like, "We will nevei foiget youi kinuness" anu "uou
bless Ameiica!"

We uo these things because they help piomote oui long-teim secuiity. Anu we uo them because
we believe in the inheient uignity anu equality of eveiy human being, iegaiuless of iace oi ieligion,
cieeu oi sexual oiientation. Anu next week, the woilu will see one expiession of that commitment
- when Team 0SA maiches the ieu, white, anu blue into the 0lympic Stauium - anu biings home
the golu.

Ny fellow Ameiicans, no othei countiy in the woilu uoes what we uo. 0n eveiy issue, the woilu
tuins to us, not simply because of the size of oui economy oi oui militaiy might - but because of
the iueals we stanu foi, anu the buiuens we beai to auvance them.

No one knows this bettei than those who seive in unifoim. As this time of wai uiaws to a close, a
new geneiation of heioes ietuins to civilian life. We'll keep slashing that backlog so oui veteians
ieceive the benefits they've eaineu, anu oui wounueu waiiiois ieceive the health caie - incluuing
the mental health caie - that they neeu. We'll keep woiking to help all oui veteians tianslate theii
skills anu leaueiship into jobs heie at home. Anu we all continue to join foices to honoi anu
suppoit oui iemaikable militaiy families.

Let me tell you about one of those families I've come to know.

I fiist met Coiy Remsbuig, a piouu Aimy Rangei, at 0maha Beach on the 6Sth anniveisaiy of B-
Bay. Along with some of his fellow Rangeis, he walkeu me thiough the piogiam - a stiong,
impiessive young man, with an easy mannei, shaip as a tack. We jokeu aiounu, anu took pictuies,
anu I tolu him to stay in touch.

A few months latei, on his tenth ueployment, Coiy was neaily killeu by a massive ioausiue bomb in
Afghanistan. Bis comiaues founu him in a canal, face uown, unueiwatei, shiapnel in his biain.

Foi months, he lay in a coma. The next time I met him, in the hospital, he coulun't speak; he coulu
baiely move. 0vei the yeais, he's enuuieu uozens of suigeiies anu pioceuuies, anu houis of
giueling iehab eveiy uay.

12
Even now, Coiy is still blinu in one eye. Be still stiuggles on his left siue. But slowly, steauily, with
the suppoit of caiegiveis like his uau Ciaig, anu the community aiounu him, Coiy has giown
stiongei. Bay by uay, he's leaineu to speak again anu stanu again anu walk again - anu he's
woiking towaiu the uay when he can seive his countiy again.

"Ny iecoveiy has not been easy," he says. "Nothing in life that's woith anything is easy."

Coiy is heie tonight. Anu like the Aimy he loves, like the Ameiica he seives, Seigeant Fiist Class
Coiy Remsbuig nevei gives up, anu he uoes not quit.

Ny fellow Ameiicans, men anu women like Coiy ieminu us that Ameiica has nevei come easy. 0ui
fieeuom, oui uemociacy, has nevei been easy. Sometimes we stumble; we make mistakes; we get
fiustiateu oi uiscouiageu. But foi moie than two hunuieu yeais, we have put those things asiue
anu placeu oui collective shouluei to the wheel of piogiess - to cieate anu builu anu expanu the
possibilities of inuiviuual achievement; to fiee othei nations fiom tyianny anu feai; to piomote
justice, anu faiiness, anu equality unuei the law, so that the woius set to papei by oui founueis aie
maue ieal foi eveiy citizen. The Ameiica we want foi oui kius - a iising Ameiica wheie honest
woik is plentiful anu communities aie stiong; wheie piospeiity is wiuely shaieu anu oppoitunity
foi all lets us go as fai as oui uieams anu toil will take us - none of it is easy. But if we woik
togethei; if we summon what is best in us, with oui feet planteu fiimly in touay but oui eyes cast
towaius tomoiiow - I know it's within oui ieach.

Believe it.

uou bless you, anu uou bless the 0niteu States of Ameiica.