Obama's 2012 State of the Union Address

These achievements are a testament to the courage, selflessness and teamwork of America’s Armed Forces.

We don’t begrudge financial success in this country.

Some of this has to do with the corrosive influence of money in politics.

Every person in this chamber can point to a teacher who changed the trajectory of their lives.

New lightweight vests for cops and soldiers that can stop any bullet.

No, we will not go back to an economy weakened by outsourcing, bad debt, and phony financial profits.

When kids do graduate, the most daunting challenge can be the cost of college.

Who benefited from that fiasco?

So instead of bashing them, or defending the status quo, let’s offer schools a deal.

The company helped the college design courses in laser and robotics training.

We will stand against violence and intimidation.

And if you want to relocate in a community that was hit hard when a factory left town, you should get help financing a new plant, equipment, or training for new workers.

And in return, grant schools flexibility: to teach with creativity and passion; to stop teaching to the test; and to replace teachers who just aren’t helping kids learn.

These achievements are a testament to the courage, selflessness and teamwork of America’s Armed Forces.

Let’s make sure people who bundle campaign contributions for Congress can’t lobby Congress, and vice versa — an idea that has bipartisan support, at least outside of Washington.

With the bipartisan trade agreements we signed into law, we’re on track to meet that goal ahead of schedule.

And tonight, I’m asking my Attorney General to create a special unit of federal prosecutors and leading state attorney general to expand our investigations into the abusive lending and packaging of risky mortgages that led to the housing crisis.

It’s not fair when foreign manufacturers have a leg up on ours only because they’re heavily subsidized.

We’ve got crumbling roads and bridges; a power grid that wastes too much energy; an incomplete high-speed broadband network that prevents a small business owner in rural America from selling her products all over the world.

The defining issue of our time is how to keep that promise alive.

And if you’re a mortgage lender or a payday lender or a credit card company, the days of signing people up for products they can’t afford with confusing forms and deceptive practices — those days are over.

You’re the ones struggling with rising costs and stagnant wages.

We got the industry to retool and restructure.

And in return, grant schools flexibility: to teach with creativity and passion; to stop teaching to the test; and to replace teachers who just aren’t helping kids learn.

The regime is more isolated than ever before; its leaders are faced with crippling sanctions, and as long as they shirk their responsibilities, this pressure will not relent.

A future where we’re in control of our own energy, and our security and prosperity aren’t so tied to unstable parts of the world.

Rules to prevent financial fraud or toxic dumping or faulty medical devices — these don’t destroy the free market.

Tear down regulations that prevent aspiring entrepreneurs from getting the financing to grow.

The two of them shared the optimism of a nation that had triumphed over a depression and fascism.

It paid Jackie’s tuition, then hired her to help operate their plant.

We need to end the notion that the two parties must be locked in a perpetual campaign of mutual destruction; that politics is about clinging to rigid ideologies instead of building consensus around common-sense ideas.

That’s why I’ve asked this Congress to grant me the authority to consolidate the federal bureaucracy, so that our government is leaner, quicker, and more responsive to the needs of the American people.

Technology made businesses more efficient, but also made some jobs obsolete.

They understood they were part of something larger; that they were contributing to a story of success that every American had a chance to share — the basic American promise that if you worked hard, you could do well enough to raise a family, own a home, send your kids to college, and put a little away for retirement.

That’s why I’ve asked this Congress to grant me the authority to consolidate the federal bureaucracy, so that our government is leaner, quicker, and more responsive to the needs of the American people.

Ford is investing billions in U.S. plants and factories.

It was irresponsible.

A simple majority is no longer enough to get anything -– even routine business –- passed through the Senate.

We need to end the notion that the two parties must be locked in a perpetual campaign of mutual destruction; that politics is about clinging to rigid ideologies instead of building consensus around common-sense ideas.

Building this new energy future should be just one part of a broader agenda to repair America’s infrastructure.

There will be more inspections to prevent counterfeit or unsafe goods from crossing our borders.

From Pakistan to Yemen, the al Qaeda operatives who remain are scrambling, knowing that they can’t escape the reach of the United States of America.

So let’s pass an agenda that helps them succeed.

It means we should support everyone who’s willing to work, and every risk-taker and entrepreneur who aspires to become the next Steve Jobs.

First, if you’re a business that wants to outsource jobs, you shouldn’t get a tax deduction for doing it.

Send me a law that gives them the chance to earn their citizenship.

The Taliban’s momentum has been broken, and some troops in Afghanistan have begun to come home.

Right now, we’re poised to spend nearly $1 trillion more on what was supposed to be a temporary tax break for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans.

And if you want to relocate in a community that was hit hard when a factory left town, you should get help financing a new plant, equipment, or training for new workers.

Right now, our most immediate priority is stopping a tax hike on 160 million working Americans while the recovery is still fragile.

Can you blame them for feeling a little cynical?

They don’t obsess over their differences.

Their energy bills will be $100 billion lower over the next decade, and America will have less pollution, more manufacturing, more jobs for construction workers who need them.

What’s at stake aren’t Democratic values or Republican values, but American values.

The new rules we passed restore what should be any financial system’s core purpose: Getting funding to entrepreneurs with the best ideas, and getting loans to responsible families who want to buy a home, or start a business, or send their kids to college.

Tonight, I’m announcing the creation of a Trade Enforcement Unit that will be charged with investigating unfair trading practices in countries like China.

We’ve already announced over 500 reforms, and just a fraction of them will save business and citizens more than $10 billion over the next five years.

The two of them shared the optimism of a nation that had triumphed over a depression and fascism.

Higher education can’t be a luxury -– it is an economic imperative that every family in America should be able to afford.

We can also spur energy innovation with new incentives.

States also need to do their part, by making higher education a higher priority in their budgets.

Our ironclad commitment — and I mean ironclad — to Israel’s security has meant the closest military cooperation between our two countries in history.

This transition to Afghan lead will continue, and we will build an enduring partnership with Afghanistan, so that it is never again a source of attacks against America.

So let me put colleges and universities on notice: If you can’t stop tuition from going up, the funding you get from taxpayers will go down.

How this incredible transformation will end remains uncertain.

And I’m proud to announce that the Department of Defense, working with us, the world’s largest consumer of energy, will make one of the largest commitments to clean energy in history -– with the Navy purchasing enough capacity to power a quarter of a million homes a year.

We bet on American ingenuity.

I believe as strongly as ever that we should take on illegal immigration.

Right now, companies get tax breaks for moving jobs and profits overseas.

Some technologies don’t pan out; some companies fail.

Over the last three years, we’ve opened millions of new acres for oil and gas exploration, and tonight, I’m directing my administration to open more than 75 percent of our potential offshore oil and gas resources.

In fact, if you’re earning a million dollars a year, you shouldn’t get special tax subsidies or deductions.

Others came more recently, to study business and science and engineering, but as soon as they get their degree, we send them home to invent new products and create new jobs somewhere else.

Then Siemens opened a gas turbine factory in Charlotte, and formed a partnership with Central Piedmont Community College.

That’s why I’ve asked this Congress to grant me the authority to consolidate the federal bureaucracy, so that our government is leaner, quicker, and more responsive to the needs of the American people.

And we’ve put in place new rules to hold Wall Street accountable, so a crisis like this never happens again.

Join me in a national commitment to train 2 million Americans with skills that will lead directly to a job.

We’ll also establish a Financial Crimes Unit of highly trained investigators to crack down on large-scale fraud and protect people’s investments.

On the day I took office, our auto industry was on the verge of collapse.

We should be working on comprehensive immigration reform right now.

I will not cede the wind or solar or battery industry to China or Germany because we refuse to make the same commitment here.

But America remains the one indispensable nation in world affairs –- and as long as I’m President, I intend to keep it that way.

And in Syria, I have no doubt that the Assad regime will soon discover that the forces of change cannot be reversed, and that human dignity cannot be denied.

After all, innovation is what America has always been about.

A year ago, Qaddafi was one of the world’s longest-serving dictators -– a murderer with American blood on his hands.

What’s at stake aren’t Democratic values or Republican values, but American values.

This new unit will hold accountable those who broke the law, speed assistance to homeowners, and help turn the page on an era of recklessness that hurt so many Americans.

The regime is more isolated than ever before; its leaders are faced with crippling sanctions, and as long as they shirk their responsibilities, this pressure will not relent.

The two of them shared the optimism of a nation that had triumphed over a depression and fascism.

And tonight, I’m asking my Attorney General to create a special unit of federal prosecutors and leading state attorney general to expand our investigations into the abusive lending and packaging of risky mortgages that led to the housing crisis.

But we have a huge stake in the outcome.

To stay one step ahead of our adversaries, I’ve already sent this Congress legislation that will secure our country from the growing dangers of cyber-threats.

I will not go back to the days when health insurance companies had unchecked power to cancel your policy, deny your coverage, or charge women differently than men.

This transition to Afghan lead will continue, and we will build an enduring partnership with Afghanistan, so that it is never again a source of attacks against America.

Let’s make sure people who bundle campaign contributions for Congress can’t lobby Congress, and vice versa — an idea that has bipartisan support, at least outside of Washington.

For the first time in two decades, Osama bin Laden is not a threat to this country.

The regime is more isolated than ever before; its leaders are faced with crippling sanctions, and as long as they shirk their responsibilities, this pressure will not relent.

It’s not right when another country lets our movies, music, and software be pirated.

Neither party has been blameless in these tactics.

There will be more inspections to prevent counterfeit or unsafe goods from crossing our borders.

From now on, every multinational company should have to pay a basic minimum tax.

And while we may not be able to bridge our biggest philosophical differences this year, we can make real progress.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow Americans:

From the coalitions we’ve built to secure nuclear materials, to the missions we’ve led against hunger and disease; from the blows we’ve dealt to our enemies, to the enduring power of our moral example, America is back.

A simple majority is no longer enough to get anything -– even routine business –- passed through the Senate.

Meanwhile, America is more productive.

In fact, I’ve approved fewer regulations in the first three years of my presidency than my Republican predecessor did in his.

I believe as strongly as ever that we should take on illegal immigration.

Regulators had looked the other way, or didn’t have the authority to stop the bad behavior.

So here’s a proposal: Help manufacturers eliminate energy waste in their factories and give businesses incentives to upgrade their buildings.

(Laughter and applause.)

A small fee on the largest financial institutions will ensure that it won’t add to the deficit and will give those banks that were rescued by taxpayers a chance to repay a deficit of trust.

We got rid of one rule from 40 years ago that could have forced some dairy farmers to spend $10,000 a year proving that they could contain a spill — because milk was somehow classified as an oil.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow Americans:

We will support policies that lead to strong and stable democracies and open markets, because tyranny is no match for liberty.

Ending the Iraq war has allowed us to strike decisive blows against our enemies.

Send me a bill that bans insider trading by members of Congress; I will sign it tomorrow.

We’ve got crumbling roads and bridges; a power grid that wastes too much energy; an incomplete high-speed broadband network that prevents a small business owner in rural America from selling her products all over the world.

So instead of bashing them, or defending the status quo, let’s offer schools a deal.

Together, we’ve agreed to cut the deficit by more than $2 trillion.

Rules to prevent financial fraud or toxic dumping or faulty medical devices — these don’t destroy the free market.

Let’s limit any elected official from owning stocks in industries they impact.

We learned that mortgages had been sold to people who couldn’t afford or understand them.

Over a thousand Americans are working today because we stopped a surge in Chinese tires.

No challenge is more urgent.

As long as we are joined in common purpose, as long as we maintain our common resolve, our journey moves forward, and our future is hopeful, and the state of our Union will always be strong.

And while it’s ultimately up to the people of the region to decide their fate, we will advocate for those values that have served our own country so well.

We need to end the notion that the two parties must be locked in a perpetual campaign of mutual destruction; that politics is about clinging to rigid ideologies instead of building consensus around common-sense ideas.

Tonight, I’m announcing the creation of a Trade Enforcement Unit that will be charged with investigating unfair trading practices in countries like China.

When you put on that uniform, it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white; Asian, Latino, Native American; conservative, liberal; rich, poor; gay, straight.

For starters, I ask the Senate to pass a simple rule that all judicial and public service nominations receive a simple up or down vote within 90 days.

These achievements are a testament to the courage, selflessness and teamwork of America’s Armed Forces.

In 2008, the house of cards collapsed.

There’s no question that some regulations are outdated, unnecessary, or too costly.

How this incredible transformation will end remains uncertain.

As the tide of war recedes, a wave of change has washed across the Middle East and North Africa, from Tunis to Cairo; from Sana’a to Tripoli.

When Bryan Ritterby was laid off from his job making furniture, he said he worried that at 55, no one would give him a second chance.

The regime is more isolated than ever before; its leaders are faced with crippling sanctions, and as long as they shirk their responsibilities, this pressure will not relent.

We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well while a growing number of Americans barely get by, or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, and everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules.

In three years, our partnership with the private sector has already positioned America to be the world’s leading manufacturer of high-tech batteries.

It only succeeded, he said, because every single member of that unit did their job — the pilot who landed the helicopter that spun out of control; the translator who kept others from entering the compound; the troops who separated the women and children from the fight; the SEALs who charged up the stairs.

The renewal of American leadership can be felt across the globe.

Let’s make sure people who bundle campaign contributions for Congress can’t lobby Congress, and vice versa — an idea that has bipartisan support, at least outside of Washington.

So do I. As I told the Speaker this summer, I’m prepared to make more reforms that rein in the long-term costs of Medicare and Medicaid, and strengthen Social Security, so long as those programs remain a guarantee of security for seniors.

It means we should support everyone who’s willing to work, and every risk-taker and entrepreneur who aspires to become the next Steve Jobs.

But right now, it’s getting more expensive to do business in places like China.

Let there be no doubt: America is determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and I will take no options off the table to achieve that goal.

Each time I look at that flag, I’m reminded that our destiny is stitched together like those 50 stars and those 13 stripes.

Right now, we’re poised to spend nearly $1 trillion more on what was supposed to be a temporary tax break for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans.

My grandfather, a veteran of Patton’s Army, got the chance to go to college on the GI Bill.

I will not go back to the days when health insurance companies had unchecked power to cancel your policy, deny your coverage, or charge women differently than men.

That’s a bargain worth making.

A future where we’re in control of our own energy, and our security and prosperity aren’t so tied to unstable parts of the world.

Through the power of our diplomacy, a world that was once divided about how to deal with Iran’s nuclear program now stands as one.

So pass legislation that makes the penalties for fraud count.

Right now, our most immediate priority is stopping a tax hike on 160 million working Americans while the recovery is still fragile.

And I’m requiring all companies that drill for gas on public lands to disclose the chemicals they use.

We need to end the notion that the two parties must be locked in a perpetual campaign of mutual destruction; that politics is about clinging to rigid ideologies instead of building consensus around common-sense ideas.

I will not cede the wind or solar or battery industry to China or Germany because we refuse to make the same commitment here.

Tear down regulations that prevent aspiring entrepreneurs from getting the financing to grow.

And if you want to relocate in a community that was hit hard when a factory left town, you should get help financing a new plant, equipment, or training for new workers.

But a peaceful resolution of this issue is still possible, and far better, and if Iran changes course and meets its obligations, it can rejoin the community of nations.

With the bipartisan trade agreements we signed into law, we’re on track to meet that goal ahead of schedule.

And in Syria, I have no doubt that the Assad regime will soon discover that the forces of change cannot be reversed, and that human dignity cannot be denied.

And we know how to solve them.

Finally, none of this can happen unless we also lower the temperature in this town.

Our oldest alliances in Europe and Asia are stronger than ever.

It only succeeded, he said, because every single member of that unit did their job — the pilot who landed the helicopter that spun out of control; the translator who kept others from entering the compound; the troops who separated the women and children from the fight; the SEALs who charged up the stairs.

But a peaceful resolution of this issue is still possible, and far better, and if Iran changes course and meets its obligations, it can rejoin the community of nations.

Together, we offered a final, proud salute to the colors under which more than a million of our fellow citizens fought — and several thousand gave their lives.

And tonight, I’m asking my Attorney General to create a special unit of federal prosecutors and leading state attorney general to expand our investigations into the abusive lending and packaging of risky mortgages that led to the housing crisis.

Support the same kind of research and innovation that led to the computer chip and the Internet; to new American jobs and new American industries.

Most teachers work tirelessly, with modest pay, sometimes digging into their own pocket for school supplies — just to make a difference.

We should start with our tax code.

That’s why my education reform offers more competition, and more control for schools and states.

The opponents of action are out of excuses.

We need to end the notion that the two parties must be locked in a perpetual campaign of mutual destruction; that politics is about clinging to rigid ideologies instead of building consensus around common-sense ideas.

Ford is investing billions in U.S. plants and factories.

So tonight, I am proposing that every state — every state — requires that all students stay in high school until they graduate or turn 18.

And I’m requiring all companies that drill for gas on public lands to disclose the chemicals they use.

At the end of World War II, when another generation of heroes returned home from combat, they built the strongest economy and middle class the world has ever known.

Michelle and Jill Biden have worked with American businesses to secure a pledge of 135,000 jobs for veterans and their families.

Through the power of our diplomacy, a world that was once divided about how to deal with Iran’s nuclear program now stands as one.

In three years, our partnership with the private sector has already positioned America to be the world’s leading manufacturer of high-tech batteries.

At a time when too many of our institutions have let us down, they exceed all expectations.

When Americans talk about folks like me paying my fair share of taxes, it’s not because they envy the rich.

And I’m proud to announce that the Department of Defense, working with us, the world’s largest consumer of energy, will make one of the largest commitments to clean energy in history -– with the Navy purchasing enough capacity to power a quarter of a million homes a year.

And while it’s ultimately up to the people of the region to decide their fate, we will advocate for those values that have served our own country so well.

Today, General Motors is back on top as the world’s number-one automaker.

Over the last three years, we’ve opened millions of new acres for oil and gas exploration, and tonight, I’m directing my administration to open more than 75 percent of our potential offshore oil and gas resources.

We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well while a growing number of Americans barely get by, or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, and everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules.

Some financial firms violate major anti-fraud laws because there’s no real penalty for being a repeat offender.

A great teacher can offer an escape from poverty to the child who dreams beyond his circumstance.

They focus on the mission at hand.

Right now, we’re poised to spend nearly $1 trillion more on what was supposed to be a temporary tax break for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans.

Too often, it’s inefficient, outdated and remote.

And I’m proud to announce that the Department of Defense, working with us, the world’s largest consumer of energy, will make one of the largest commitments to clean energy in history -– with the Navy purchasing enough capacity to power a quarter of a million homes a year.

Technology made businesses more efficient, but also made some jobs obsolete.

Today, the discoveries taking place in our federally financed labs and universities could lead to new treatments that kill cancer cells but leave healthy ones untouched.

But I will not back down from making sure an oil company can contain the kind of oil spill we saw in the Gulf two years ago.

And by the way, it was public research dollars, over the course of 30 years, that helped develop the technologies to extract all this natural gas out of shale rock –- reminding us that government support is critical in helping businesses get new energy ideas off the ground.

Two years ago, I set a goal of doubling U.S. exports over five years.

For the first time in two decades, Osama bin Laden is not a threat to this country.

Now you need to give more community colleges the resources they need to become community career centers -– places that teach people skills that businesses are looking for right now, from data management to high-tech manufacturing.

Higher education can’t be a luxury -– it is an economic imperative that every family in America should be able to afford.

We will support policies that lead to strong and stable democracies and open markets, because tyranny is no match for liberty.

This country needs an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy.

Their energy bills will be $100 billion lower over the next decade, and America will have less pollution, more manufacturing, more jobs for construction workers who need them.

At a time when other countries are doubling down on education, tight budgets have forced states to lay off thousands of teachers.

Don’t gut these investments in our budget.

And it plunged our economy into a crisis that put millions out of work, saddled us with more debt, and left innocent, hardworking Americans holding the bag.

That’s bad for consumers, and it’s bad for the vast majority of bankers and financial service professionals who do the right thing.

So here’s a proposal: Help manufacturers eliminate energy waste in their factories and give businesses incentives to upgrade their buildings.

Technology made businesses more efficient, but also made some jobs obsolete.

Because of federal investments, renewable energy use has nearly doubled, and thousands of Americans have jobs because of it.

So do I. As I told the Speaker this summer, I’m prepared to make more reforms that rein in the long-term costs of Medicare and Medicaid, and strengthen Social Security, so long as those programs remain a guarantee of security for seniors.

And tonight, I’m asking my Attorney General to create a special unit of federal prosecutors and leading state attorney general to expand our investigations into the abusive lending and packaging of risky mortgages that led to the housing crisis.

The development of natural gas will create jobs and power trucks and factories that are cleaner and cheaper, proving that we don’t have to choose between our environment and our economy.

Now you need to give more community colleges the resources they need to become community career centers -– places that teach people skills that businesses are looking for right now, from data management to high-tech manufacturing.

The differences in this chamber may be too deep right now to pass a comprehensive plan to fight climate change.

And this Congress should make sure that no foreign company has an advantage over American manufacturing when it comes to accessing financing or new markets like Russia.

Folks at the top saw their incomes rise like never before, but most hardworking Americans struggled with costs that were growing, paychecks that weren’t, and personal debt that kept piling up.

Soon, there will be new cars on the streets of Seoul imported from Detroit, and Toledo, and Chicago.

I will not back down from protecting our kids from mercury poisoning, or making sure that our food is safe and our water is clean.

An economy built to last, where hard work pays off, and responsibility is rewarded.

A small fee on the largest financial institutions will ensure that it won’t add to the deficit and will give those banks that were rescued by taxpayers a chance to repay a deficit of trust.

Experts believe this will support more than 600,000 jobs by the end of the decade.

You see, an economy built to last is one where we encourage the talent and ingenuity of every person in this country.

And soon, there will be millions of new customers for American goods in Panama, Colombia, and South Korea.

For less than 1 percent of what our nation spends on education each year, we’ve convinced nearly every state in the country to raise their standards for teaching and learning — the first time that’s happened in a generation.

One of the young men involved in the raid later told me that he didn’t deserve credit for the mission.

Building this new energy future should be just one part of a broader agenda to repair America’s infrastructure.

This country needs an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy.

No debate is more important.

Now you need to give more community colleges the resources they need to become community career centers -– places that teach people skills that businesses are looking for right now, from data management to high-tech manufacturing.

Folks at the top saw their incomes rise like never before, but most hardworking Americans struggled with costs that were growing, paychecks that weren’t, and personal debt that kept piling up.

That’s the lesson we’ve learned from our actions abroad over the last few years.

Not only that — last year, we relied less on foreign oil than in any of the past 16 years.

Expand tax relief to small businesses that are raising wages and creating good jobs.

Today, the discoveries taking place in our federally financed labs and universities could lead to new treatments that kill cancer cells but leave healthy ones untouched.

We will stand against violence and intimidation.

We’ll also establish a Financial Crimes Unit of highly trained investigators to crack down on large-scale fraud and protect people’s investments.

Today, for the first time in 15 years, Master Lock’s unionized plant in Milwaukee is running at full capacity.

And in return, grant schools flexibility: to teach with creativity and passion; to stop teaching to the test; and to replace teachers who just aren’t helping kids learn.

We need to end the notion that the two parties must be locked in a perpetual campaign of mutual destruction; that politics is about clinging to rigid ideologies instead of building consensus around common-sense ideas.

The point is, we should all want a smarter, more effective government.

This new unit will hold accountable those who broke the law, speed assistance to homeowners, and help turn the page on an era of recklessness that hurt so many Americans.

And it plunged our economy into a crisis that put millions out of work, saddled us with more debt, and left innocent, hardworking Americans holding the bag.

Right now, because of loopholes and shelters in the tax code, a quarter of all millionaires pay lower tax rates than millions of middle-class households.

Most of al Qaeda’s top lieutenants have been defeated.

I’ve ordered every federal agency to eliminate rules that don’t make sense.

We will support policies that lead to strong and stable democracies and open markets, because tyranny is no match for liberty.

On the other hand, even my Republican friends who complain the most about government spending have supported federally financed roads, and clean energy projects, and federal offices for the folks back home.

But a peaceful resolution of this issue is still possible, and far better, and if Iran changes course and meets its obligations, it can rejoin the community of nations.

Rules to prevent financial fraud or toxic dumping or faulty medical devices — these don’t destroy the free market.

And in Syria, I have no doubt that the Assad regime will soon discover that the forces of change cannot be reversed, and that human dignity cannot be denied.

The renewal of American leadership can be felt across the globe.

Two years ago, I set a goal of doubling U.S. exports over five years.

My grandmother, who worked on a bomber assembly line, was part of a workforce that turned out the best products on Earth.

As the tide of war recedes, a wave of change has washed across the Middle East and North Africa, from Tunis to Cairo; from Sana’a to Tripoli.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow Americans:

Because when we act together, there’s nothing the United States of America can’t achieve.

That includes giving them the care and the benefits they have earned –- which is why we’ve increased annual VA spending every year I’ve been President.

No challenge is more urgent.

Absolutely.

As long as I’m President, I will work with anyone in this chamber to build on this momentum.

When you put on that uniform, it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white; Asian, Latino, Native American; conservative, liberal; rich, poor; gay, straight.

And by the way, it was public research dollars, over the course of 30 years, that helped develop the technologies to extract all this natural gas out of shale rock –- reminding us that government support is critical in helping businesses get new energy ideas off the ground.

Model partnerships between businesses like Siemens and community colleges in places like Charlotte, and Orlando, and Louisville are up and running.

Today, the discoveries taking place in our federally financed labs and universities could lead to new treatments that kill cancer cells but leave healthy ones untouched.

They’re not consumed with personal ambition.

That’s bad for consumers, and it’s bad for the vast majority of bankers and financial service professionals who do the right thing.

Let’s never forget: Millions of Americans who work hard and play by the rules every day deserve a government and a financial system that do the same.

There will be more inspections to prevent counterfeit or unsafe goods from crossing our borders.

Can you blame them for feeling a little cynical?

And in return, grant schools flexibility: to teach with creativity and passion; to stop teaching to the test; and to replace teachers who just aren’t helping kids learn.

The regime is more isolated than ever before; its leaders are faced with crippling sanctions, and as long as they shirk their responsibilities, this pressure will not relent.

But to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, our commitment to skills and education has to start earlier.

An America that attracts a new generation of high-tech manufacturing and high-paying jobs.

The opponents of action are out of excuses.

At a time when too many of our institutions have let us down, they exceed all expectations.

They know that this generation’s success is only possible because past generations felt a responsibility to each other, and to the future of their country, and they know our way of life will only endure if we feel that same sense of shared responsibility.

Most of al Qaeda’s top lieutenants have been defeated.

We gather tonight knowing that this generation of heroes has made the United States safer and more respected around the world.

Others came more recently, to study business and science and engineering, but as soon as they get their degree, we send them home to invent new products and create new jobs somewhere else.

Expand tax relief to small businesses that are raising wages and creating good jobs.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow Americans:

So were millions of innocent Americans who’ve seen their home values decline.

No, we will not go back to an economy weakened by outsourcing, bad debt, and phony financial profits.

We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well while a growing number of Americans barely get by, or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, and everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules.

A future where we’re in control of our own energy, and our security and prosperity aren’t so tied to unstable parts of the world.

Send me these tax reforms, and I will sign them right away.

Innovation also demands basic research.

And it plunged our economy into a crisis that put millions out of work, saddled us with more debt, and left innocent, hardworking Americans holding the bag.

There are plenty of ways to get this done.

In the next few weeks, I will sign an executive order clearing away the red tape that slows down too many construction projects.

Tonight, I want to speak about how we move forward, and lay out a blueprint for an economy that’s built to last -– an economy built on American manufacturing, American energy, skills for American workers, and a renewal of American values.

We gather tonight knowing that this generation of heroes has made the United States safer and more respected around the world.

No drama.

With the bipartisan trade agreements we signed into law, we’re on track to meet that goal ahead of schedule.

An America built to last insists on responsibility from everybody.

And we will safeguard America’s own security against those who threaten our citizens, our friends, and our interests.

You see, an economy built to last is one where we encourage the talent and ingenuity of every person in this country.

Now you need to give more community colleges the resources they need to become community career centers -– places that teach people skills that businesses are looking for right now, from data management to high-tech manufacturing.

For less than 1 percent of what our nation spends on education each year, we’ve convinced nearly every state in the country to raise their standards for teaching and learning — the first time that’s happened in a generation.

My grandmother, who worked on a bomber assembly line, was part of a workforce that turned out the best products on Earth.

There’s never been a better time to build, especially since the construction industry was one of the hardest hit when the housing bubble burst.

And I want to cut through the maze of confusing training programs, so that from now on, people like Jackie have one program, one website, and one place to go for all the information and help that they need.

From the coalitions we’ve built to secure nuclear materials, to the missions we’ve led against hunger and disease; from the blows we’ve dealt to our enemies, to the enduring power of our moral example, America is back.

We’ve brought trade cases against China at nearly twice the rate as the last administration –- and it’s made a difference.

Tonight, I’m announcing the creation of a Trade Enforcement Unit that will be charged with investigating unfair trading practices in countries like China.

Imagine what we could accomplish if we followed their example.

We learned that mortgages had been sold to people who couldn’t afford or understand them.

And I want to cut through the maze of confusing training programs, so that from now on, people like Jackie have one program, one website, and one place to go for all the information and help that they need.

The two of them shared the optimism of a nation that had triumphed over a depression and fascism.

They’re not consumed with personal ambition.

At a time when too many of our institutions have let us down, they exceed all expectations.

Folks at the top saw their incomes rise like never before, but most hardworking Americans struggled with costs that were growing, paychecks that weren’t, and personal debt that kept piling up.

And in return, grant schools flexibility: to teach with creativity and passion; to stop teaching to the test; and to replace teachers who just aren’t helping kids learn.

Tonight, my message to business leaders is simple: Ask yourselves what you can do to bring jobs back to your country, and your country will do everything we can to help you succeed.

But I intend to fight obstruction with action, and I will oppose any effort to return to the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis in the first place.

But you need to fund these projects.

The development of natural gas will create jobs and power trucks and factories that are cleaner and cheaper, proving that we don’t have to choose between our environment and our economy.

This country needs an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy.

In fact, I’ve approved fewer regulations in the first three years of my presidency than my Republican predecessor did in his.

A future where we’re in control of our own energy, and our security and prosperity aren’t so tied to unstable parts of the world.

Let’s make sure people who bundle campaign contributions for Congress can’t lobby Congress, and vice versa — an idea that has bipartisan support, at least outside of Washington.

And if you want to relocate in a community that was hit hard when a factory left town, you should get help financing a new plant, equipment, or training for new workers.

That’s bad for consumers, and it’s bad for the vast majority of bankers and financial service professionals who do the right thing.

But if election-year politics keeps Congress from acting on a comprehensive plan, let’s at least agree to stop expelling responsible young people who want to staff our labs, start new businesses, defend this country.

But with only 2 percent of the world’s oil reserves, oil isn’t enough.

And while it’s ultimately up to the people of the region to decide their fate, we will advocate for those values that have served our own country so well.

It means we should support everyone who’s willing to work, and every risk-taker and entrepreneur who aspires to become the next Steve Jobs.

They focus on the mission at hand.

Democratic and Republican administrations invested in great projects that benefited everybody, from the workers who built them to the businesses that still use them today.

Together, we offered a final, proud salute to the colors under which more than a million of our fellow citizens fought — and several thousand gave their lives.

One of my proudest possessions is the flag that the SEAL Team took with them on the mission to get bin Laden.

And while we may not be able to bridge our biggest philosophical differences this year, we can make real progress.

Let there be no doubt: America is determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and I will take no options off the table to achieve that goal.

Right now, Warren Buffett pays a lower tax rate than his secretary.

No, we will not go back to an economy weakened by outsourcing, bad debt, and phony financial profits.

The greatest blow to our confidence in our economy last year didn’t come from events beyond our control.

That’s why, working with our military leaders, I’ve proposed a new defense strategy that ensures we maintain the finest military in the world, while saving nearly half a trillion dollars in our budget.

The executive branch also needs to change.

And while it’s ultimately up to the people of the region to decide their fate, we will advocate for those values that have served our own country so well.

An America that attracts a new generation of high-tech manufacturing and high-paying jobs.

Building this new energy future should be just one part of a broader agenda to repair America’s infrastructure.

Our workers are the most productive on Earth, and if the playing field is level, I promise you -– America will always win.

I will not go back to the days when health insurance companies had unchecked power to cancel your policy, deny your coverage, or charge women differently than men.

But we have to seize it.

That’s not the message we get from leaders around the world who are eager to work with us.

My grandfather, a veteran of Patton’s Army, got the chance to go to college on the GI Bill.

Ford is investing billions in U.S. plants and factories.

Democratic and Republican administrations invested in great projects that benefited everybody, from the workers who built them to the businesses that still use them today.

We’ve got crumbling roads and bridges; a power grid that wastes too much energy; an incomplete high-speed broadband network that prevents a small business owner in rural America from selling her products all over the world.

As long as we are joined in common purpose, as long as we maintain our common resolve, our journey moves forward, and our future is hopeful, and the state of our Union will always be strong.

We will support policies that lead to strong and stable democracies and open markets, because tyranny is no match for liberty.

Of course, it’s not enough for us to increase student aid.

Just like it didn’t matter that day in the Situation Room, when I sat next to Bob Gates — a man who was George Bush’s defense secretary — and Hillary Clinton — a woman who ran against me for president.

For less than 1 percent of what our nation spends on education each year, we’ve convinced nearly every state in the country to raise their standards for teaching and learning — the first time that’s happened in a generation.

Last month, I went to Andrews Air Force Base and welcomed home some of our last troops to serve in Iraq.

They don’t obsess over their differences.

For the first time in two decades, Osama bin Laden is not a threat to this country.

Now, I recognize that people watching tonight have differing views about taxes and debt, energy and health care.

Today, the discoveries taking place in our federally financed labs and universities could lead to new treatments that kill cancer cells but leave healthy ones untouched.

Let’s limit any elected official from owning stocks in industries they impact.

When you put on that uniform, it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white; Asian, Latino, Native American; conservative, liberal; rich, poor; gay, straight.

So we have a huge opportunity, at this moment, to bring manufacturing back.

Chrysler has grown faster in the U.S. than any major car company.

We learned that mortgages had been sold to people who couldn’t afford or understand them.

And we lost another 4 million before our policies were in full effect.

The company helped the college design courses in laser and robotics training.

And this Congress should make sure that no foreign company has an advantage over American manufacturing when it comes to accessing financing or new markets like Russia.

Folks at the top saw their incomes rise like never before, but most hardworking Americans struggled with costs that were growing, paychecks that weren’t, and personal debt that kept piling up.

Tonight, I’m announcing the creation of a Trade Enforcement Unit that will be charged with investigating unfair trading practices in countries like China.

There will be more inspections to prevent counterfeit or unsafe goods from crossing our borders.

From the coalitions we’ve built to secure nuclear materials, to the missions we’ve led against hunger and disease; from the blows we’ve dealt to our enemies, to the enduring power of our moral example, America is back.

When you put on that uniform, it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white; Asian, Latino, Native American; conservative, liberal; rich, poor; gay, straight.

Others came more recently, to study business and science and engineering, but as soon as they get their degree, we send them home to invent new products and create new jobs somewhere else.

And while government can’t fix the problem on its own, responsible homeowners shouldn’t have to sit and wait for the housing market to hit bottom to get some relief.

We gather tonight knowing that this generation of heroes has made the United States safer and more respected around the world.

Let’s limit any elected official from owning stocks in industries they impact.

Now, I’m confident a farmer can contain a milk spill without a federal agency looking over his shoulder.

It only succeeded, he said, because every single member of that unit did their job — the pilot who landed the helicopter that spun out of control; the translator who kept others from entering the compound; the troops who separated the women and children from the fight; the SEALs who charged up the stairs.

But I intend to fight obstruction with action, and I will oppose any effort to return to the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis in the first place.

We admire it.

Most teachers work tirelessly, with modest pay, sometimes digging into their own pocket for school supplies — just to make a difference.

From the coalitions we’ve built to secure nuclear materials, to the missions we’ve led against hunger and disease; from the blows we’ve dealt to our enemies, to the enduring power of our moral example, America is back.

Imagine what we could accomplish if we followed their example.

Extend the tuition tax credit we started that saves millions of middle-class families thousands of dollars, and give more young people the chance to earn their way through college by doubling the number of work-study jobs in the next five years.

A future where we’re in control of our own energy, and our security and prosperity aren’t so tied to unstable parts of the world.

Because if we’re serious about paying down our debt, we can’t do both.

But America remains the one indispensable nation in world affairs –- and as long as I’m President, I intend to keep it that way.

After World War II, we connected our states with a system of highways.

Or do we want to keep our investments in everything else –- like education and medical research; a strong military and care for our veterans?

So instead of bashing them, or defending the status quo, let’s offer schools a deal.

With a million jobs at stake, I refused to let that happen.

We’ll also establish a Financial Crimes Unit of highly trained investigators to crack down on large-scale fraud and protect people’s investments.

We got rid of one rule from 40 years ago that could have forced some dairy farmers to spend $10,000 a year proving that they could contain a spill — because milk was somehow classified as an oil.

On the day I took office, our auto industry was on the verge of collapse.

I will not back down from protecting our kids from mercury poisoning, or making sure that our food is safe and our water is clean.

Some financial firms violate major anti-fraud laws because there’s no real penalty for being a repeat offender.

It’s time to apply the same rules from top to bottom.

The greatest blow to our confidence in our economy last year didn’t come from events beyond our control.

It paid Jackie’s tuition, then hired her to help operate their plant.

When you’re marching into battle, you look out for the person next to you, or the mission fails.

These achievements are a testament to the courage, selflessness and teamwork of America’s Armed Forces.

A great teacher can offer an escape from poverty to the child who dreams beyond his circumstance.

The defining issue of our time is how to keep that promise alive.

So do I. As I told the Speaker this summer, I’m prepared to make more reforms that rein in the long-term costs of Medicare and Medicaid, and strengthen Social Security, so long as those programs remain a guarantee of security for seniors.

Regulators had looked the other way, or didn’t have the authority to stop the bad behavior.

We’ve subsidized oil companies for a century.

Let’s limit any elected official from owning stocks in industries they impact.

Rules to prevent financial fraud or toxic dumping or faulty medical devices — these don’t destroy the free market.

Tonight, my message to business leaders is simple: Ask yourselves what you can do to bring jobs back to your country, and your country will do everything we can to help you succeed.

A future where we’re in control of our own energy, and our security and prosperity aren’t so tied to unstable parts of the world.

But the divide between this city and the rest of the country is at least as bad — and it seems to get worse every year.

So tonight, I am proposing that every state — every state — requires that all students stay in high school until they graduate or turn 18.

Imagine what we could accomplish if we followed their example.

Now you need to give more community colleges the resources they need to become community career centers -– places that teach people skills that businesses are looking for right now, from data management to high-tech manufacturing.

In three years, our partnership with the private sector has already positioned America to be the world’s leading manufacturer of high-tech batteries.

Some of this has to do with the corrosive influence of money in politics.

Because America will develop this resource without putting the health and safety of our citizens at risk.

But I intend to fight obstruction with action, and I will oppose any effort to return to the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis in the first place.

In exchange for help, we demanded responsibility.

With the bipartisan trade agreements we signed into law, we’re on track to meet that goal ahead of schedule.

New lightweight vests for cops and soldiers that can stop any bullet.

That’s not how people feel from Tokyo to Berlin, from Cape Town to Rio, where opinions of America are higher than they’ve been in years.

An economy built to last, where hard work pays off, and responsibility is rewarded.

So let me put colleges and universities on notice: If you can’t stop tuition from going up, the funding you get from taxpayers will go down.

They’re not consumed with personal ambition.

This country needs an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy.

A small fee on the largest financial institutions will ensure that it won’t add to the deficit and will give those banks that were rescued by taxpayers a chance to repay a deficit of trust.

But I intend to fight obstruction with action, and I will oppose any effort to return to the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis in the first place.

And together, the entire industry added nearly 160,000 jobs.

Tonight, my message to business leaders is simple: Ask yourselves what you can do to bring jobs back to your country, and your country will do everything we can to help you succeed.

Our experience with shale gas, our experience with natural gas, shows us that the payoffs on these public investments don’t always come right away.

That’s bad for consumers, and it’s bad for the vast majority of bankers and financial service professionals who do the right thing.

We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well while a growing number of Americans barely get by, or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, and everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules.

So tonight, I am proposing that every state — every state — requires that all students stay in high school until they graduate or turn 18.

The development of natural gas will create jobs and power trucks and factories that are cleaner and cheaper, proving that we don’t have to choose between our environment and our economy.

From the coalitions we’ve built to secure nuclear materials, to the missions we’ve led against hunger and disease; from the blows we’ve dealt to our enemies, to the enduring power of our moral example, America is back.

The new rules we passed restore what should be any financial system’s core purpose: Getting funding to entrepreneurs with the best ideas, and getting loans to responsible families who want to buy a home, or start a business, or send their kids to college.

What’s at stake aren’t Democratic values or Republican values, but American values.

That means women should earn equal pay for equal work.

Tonight, I’m announcing the creation of a Trade Enforcement Unit that will be charged with investigating unfair trading practices in countries like China.

They understood they were part of something larger; that they were contributing to a story of success that every American had a chance to share — the basic American promise that if you worked hard, you could do well enough to raise a family, own a home, send your kids to college, and put a little away for retirement.

But to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, our commitment to skills and education has to start earlier.

We know a good teacher can increase the lifetime income of a classroom by over $250,000.

And in Syria, I have no doubt that the Assad regime will soon discover that the forces of change cannot be reversed, and that human dignity cannot be denied.

They understood they were part of something larger; that they were contributing to a story of success that every American had a chance to share — the basic American promise that if you worked hard, you could do well enough to raise a family, own a home, send your kids to college, and put a little away for retirement.

We gather tonight knowing that this generation of heroes has made the United States safer and more respected around the world.

They understood they were part of something larger; that they were contributing to a story of success that every American had a chance to share — the basic American promise that if you worked hard, you could do well enough to raise a family, own a home, send your kids to college, and put a little away for retirement.

With the bipartisan support of this Congress, we’re providing new tax credits to companies that hire vets.

That includes giving them the care and the benefits they have earned –- which is why we’ve increased annual VA spending every year I’ve been President.

When students are not allowed to drop out, they do better.

But if election-year politics keeps Congress from acting on a comprehensive plan, let’s at least agree to stop expelling responsible young people who want to staff our labs, start new businesses, defend this country.

But so are these: In the last 22 months, businesses have created more than 3 million jobs.

Tonight, my message to business leaders is simple: Ask yourselves what you can do to bring jobs back to your country, and your country will do everything we can to help you succeed.

And we lost another 4 million before our policies were in full effect.

And in Syria, I have no doubt that the Assad regime will soon discover that the forces of change cannot be reversed, and that human dignity cannot be denied.

For starters, I ask the Senate to pass a simple rule that all judicial and public service nominations receive a simple up or down vote within 90 days.

The point is, it’s possible.