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Remarks of President Barack Obama – As Prepared for Delivery State of the Union Address “An America Built to Last”
Tuesday, January 24th, 2012
Washington, DC
As Prepared for Delivery –
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow Americans:
Last month, I went to Andrews Air Force Base and welcomed home some of our last troops to serve in Iraq.  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.
We gather tonight knowing that this generation of heroes has made the United States safer and more respected around the world.  For the first time in nine years, there are no Americans fighting in Iraq.  For the first time in two decades, Osama bin Laden is not a threat to this country.  Most of al Qaeda’s top lieutenants have been defeated.  The Taliban’s momentum has been broken, and some troops in Afghanistan have begun to come home.
These achievements are a testament to the courage, selflessness, and teamwork of America’s Armed Forces.  At a time when too many of our institutions have let us down, they exceed all expectations.  They’re not consumed with personal ambition.  They don’t obsess over their differences.  They focus on the mission at hand.  They work together.
Imagine what we could accomplish if we followed their example.  Think about the America within our reach:  A country that leads the world in educating its people.  An America that attracts a new generation of high-tech manufacturing and high-paying jobs.  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.  An economy built to last, where hard work pays off, and responsibility is rewarded.
We can do this.  I know we can, because we’ve done it before.  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.  My grandfather, a veteran of Patton’s Army, got the chance to go to college on the GI Bill.  My grandmother, who worked on a bomber assembly line, was part of a workforce that turned out the best products on Earth.
The two of them shared the optimism of a Nation that had triumphed over a depression and fascism.  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.
The defining issue of our time is how to keep that promise alive.  No challenge is more urgent.  No debate is more important.  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, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules.  What’s at stake are not Democratic values or Republican values, but American values.  We have to reclaim them.
Let’s remember how we got here.  Long before the recession, jobs and manufacturing began leaving our shores.   Technology made businesses more efficient, but also made some jobs obsolete.  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.
In 2008, the house of cards collapsed.  We learned that mortgages had been sold to people who couldn’t afford or understand them.  Banks had made huge bets and bonuses with other people’s money.  Regulators had looked the other way, or didn’t have the authority to stop the bad behavior.
It was wrong.  It was irresponsible.  And it plunged our economy into a crisis that put millions out of work, saddled us with more debt, and left innocent, hard-working Americans holding the bag.  In the six months before I took office, we lost nearly four million jobs.  And we lost another four million before our policies were in full effect.
Those are the facts.  But so are these.  In the last 22 months, businesses have created more than three million jobs.  Last year, they created the most jobs since 2005.  American manufacturers are hiring again, creating jobs for the first time since the late 1990s.  Together, we’ve agreed to cut the deficit by more than $2 trillion.  And we’ve put in place new rules to hold Wall Street accountable, so a crisis like that never happens again.
The state of our Union is getting stronger.  And we’ve come too far to turn back now.  As long as I’m President, I will work with anyone in this chamber to build on this momentum.  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.
No, we will not go back to an economy weakened by outsourcing, bad debt, and phony financial profits.  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.
This blueprint begins with American manufacturing.
On the day I took office, our auto industry was on the verge of collapse.  Some even said we should let it die.  With a million jobs at stake, I refused to let that happen.  In exchange for help, we demanded responsibility.  We got workers and automakers to settle their differences.  We got the industry to retool and restructure.  Today, General Motors is back on top as the world’s number one automaker.  Chrysler has grown faster in the U.S. than any major car company.  Ford is investing billions in U.S. plants and factories.  And together, the entire industry added nearly 160,000 jobs.
We bet on American workers.  We bet on American ingenuity.  And tonight, the American auto industry is back.
What’s happening in Detroit can happen in other industries.  It can happen in Cleveland and Pittsburgh and Raleigh.  We can’t bring back every job that’s left our shores.  But right now, it’s getting more expensive to do business in places like China.  Meanwhile, America is more productive.  A few weeks ago, the CEO of Master Lock told me that it now makes business sense for him to bring jobs back home.  Today, for the first time in fifteen years, Master Lock’s unionized plant in Milwaukee is running at full capacity.
So we have a huge opportunity, at this moment, to bring manufacturing back.  But we have to seize it.  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.
We should start with our tax code.  Right now, companies get tax breaks for moving jobs and profits overseas.  Meanwhile, companies that choose to stay in America get hit with one of the highest tax rates in the world.  It makes no sense, and everyone knows it.
So let’s change it.  First, if you’re a business that wants to outsource jobs, you shouldn’t get a tax deduction for doing it.  That money should be used to cover moving expenses for companies like Master Lock that decide to bring jobs home.
Second, no American company should be able to avoid paying its fair share of taxes by moving jobs and profits overseas.  From now on, every multinational company should have to pay a basic minimum tax.  And every penny should go towards lowering taxes for companies that choose to stay here and hire here.
Third, if you’re an American manufacturer, you should get a bigger tax cut.  If you’re a high-tech manufacturer, we should double the tax deduction you get for making products here.  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.
My message is simple.  It’s time to stop rewarding businesses that ship jobs overseas, and start rewarding companies that create jobs right here in America.  Send me these tax reforms, and I’ll sign them right away.
We’re also making it easier for American businesses to sell products all over the world.  Two years ago, I set a goal of doubling U.S. exports over five years.  With the bipartisan trade agreements I signed into law, we are on track to meet that goal – ahead of schedule.  Soon, there will be millions of new customers for American goods in Panama, Colombia, and South Korea.  Soon, there will be new cars on the streets of Seoul imported from Detroit, and Toledo, and Chicago.
I will go anywhere in the world to open new markets for American products.  And I will not stand by when our competitors don’t play by the rules.  We’ve brought trade cases against China at nearly twice the rate as the last administration – and it’s made a difference.  Over a thousand Americans are working today because we stopped a surge in Chinese tires.  But we need to do more.  It’s not right when another country lets our movies, music, and software be pirated.  It’s not fair when foreign manufacturers have a leg up on ours only because they’re heavily subsidized.
Tonight, I’m announcing the creation of a Trade Enforcement Unit that will be charged with investigating unfair trade practices in countries like China.  There will be more inspections to prevent counterfeit or unsafe goods from crossing our borders.  And this Congress should make sure that no foreign company has an advantage over American manufacturing when it comes to accessing finance or new markets like Russia.  Our workers are the most productive on Earth, and if the playing field is level, I promise you – America will always win.
I also hear from many business leaders who want to hire in the United States but can’t find workers with the right skills.  Growing industries in science and technology have twice as many openings as we have workers who can do the job.  Think about that – openings at a time when millions of Americans are looking for work.
That’s inexcusable.  And we know how to fix it.
Jackie Bray is a single mom from North Carolina who was laid off from her job as a mechanic.  Then Siemens opened a gas turbine factory in Charlotte, and formed a partnership with Central Piedmont Community College.  The company helped the college design courses in laser and robotics training.  It paid Jackie’s tuition, then hired her to help operate their plant.
I want every American looking for work to have the same opportunity as Jackie did.  Join me in a national commitment to train two million Americans with skills that will lead directly to a job.  My Administration has already lined up more companies that want to help.  Model partnerships between businesses like Siemens and community colleges in places like Charlotte, Orlando, and Louisville are up and running.   Now you need to give more community colleges the resources they need to become community career centers – places that teach people skills that local businesses are looking for right now, from data management to high-tech manufacturing.
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 they need.  It’s time to turn our unemployment system into a reemployment system that puts people to work.
These reforms will help people get jobs that are open today.  But to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, our commitment to skills and education has to start earlier.
For less than one 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.
But challenges remain.  And we know how to solve them.
At a time when other countries are doubling down on education, tight budgets have forced States to lay off thousands of teachers.  We know a good teacher can increase the lifetime income of a classroom by over $250,000.  A great teacher can offer an escape from poverty to the child who dreams beyond his circumstance.   Every person in this chamber can point to a teacher who changed the trajectory of their lives.  Most teachers work tirelessly, with modest pay, sometimes digging into their own pocket for school supplies – just to make a difference.
Teachers matter.  So instead of bashing them, or defending the status quo, let’s offer schools a deal.  Give them the resources to keep good teachers on the job, and reward the best ones.  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 also know that when students aren’t allowed to walk away from their education, more of them walk the stage to get their diploma.  So tonight, I call on every State to require that all students stay in high school until they graduate or turn eighteen.
When kids do graduate, the most daunting challenge can be the cost of college.  At a time when Americans owe more in tuition debt than credit card debt, this Congress needs to stop the interest rates on student loans from doubling in July.  Extend the tuition tax credit we started that saves 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.
Of course, it’s not enough for us to increase student aid.  We can’t just keep subsidizing skyrocketing tuition; we’ll run out of money.  States also need to do their part, by making higher education a higher priority in their budgets.  And colleges and universities have to do their part by working to keep costs down.  Recently, I spoke with a group of college presidents who’ve done just that.  Some schools re-design courses to help students finish more quickly.  Some use better technology.  The point is, it’s possible.  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.  Higher education can’t be a luxury – it’s an economic imperative that every family in America should be able to afford.
Let’s also remember that hundreds of thousands of talented, hardworking students in this country face another challenge:  The fact that they aren’t yet American citizens.  Many were brought here as small children, are American through and through, yet they live every day with the threat of deportation.  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.
That doesn’t make sense.
I believe as strongly as ever that we should take on illegal immigration. That’s why my Administration has put more boots on the border than ever before.  That’s why there are fewer illegal crossings than when I took office.
The opponents of action are out of excuses.  We should be working on comprehensive immigration reform right now.   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, and defend this country.  Send me a law that gives them the chance to earn their citizenship.  I will sign it right away.
You see, an economy built to last is one where we encourage the talent and ingenuity of every person in this country.  That means women should earn equal pay for equal work.  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.
After all, innovation is what America has always been about.  Most new jobs are created in start-ups and small businesses.  So let’s pass an agenda that helps them succeed.  Tear down regulations that prevent aspiring entrepreneurs from getting the financing to grow.  Expand tax relief to small businesses that are raising wages and creating good jobs.  Both parties agree on these ideas.  So put them in a bill, and get it on my desk this year.
Innovation also demands basic research.  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.  New lightweight vests for cops and soldiers that can stop any bullet.  Don’t gut these investments in our budget.  Don’t let other countries win the race for the future.  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.
Nowhere is the promise of innovation greater than in American-made energy.  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.  Right now, American oil production is the highest that it’s been in eight years.  That’s right – eight years.  Not only that – last year, we relied less on foreign oil than in any of the past sixteen years.
But with only 2 percent of the world’s oil reserves, oil isn’t enough.  This country needs an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy – a strategy that’s cleaner, cheaper, and full of new jobs.
We have a supply of natural gas that can last America nearly one hundred years, and my Administration will take every possible action to safely develop this energy.  Experts believe this will support more than 600,000 jobs by the end of the decade.  And I’m requiring all companies that drill for gas on public lands to disclose the chemicals they use.  America will develop this resource without putting the health and safety of our citizens at risk.
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.  And by the way, it was public research dollars, over the course of thirty 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.
What’s true for natural gas is true for clean energy.  In three years, our partnership with the private sector has already positioned America to be the world’s leading manufacturer of high-tech batteries.  Because of federal investments, renewable energy use has nearly doubled.  And thousands of Americans have jobs because of it.
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.  But he found work at Energetx, a wind turbine manufacturer in Michigan.  Before the recession, the factory only made luxury yachts.  Today, it’s hiring workers like Bryan, who said, “I’m proud to be working in the industry of the future.”
Our experience with shale gas shows us that the payoffs on these public investments don’t always come right away.  Some technologies don’t pan out; some companies fail.  But I will not walk away from the promise of clean energy.  I will not walk away from workers like Bryan.  I will not cede the wind or solar or battery industry to China or Germany because we refuse to make the same commitment here.  We have subsidized oil companies for a century.  That’s long enough.  It’s time to end the taxpayer giveaways to an industry that’s rarely been more profitable, and double-down on a clean energy industry that’s never been more promising.   Pass clean energy tax credits and create these jobs.
We can also spur energy innovation with new incentives.  The differences in this chamber may be too deep right now to pass a comprehensive plan to fight climate change.  But there’s no reason why Congress shouldn’t at least set a clean energy standard that creates a market for innovation.  So far, you haven’t acted.  Well tonight, I will.  I’m directing my Administration to allow the development of clean energy on enough public land to power three million homes.  And I’m proud to announce that the Department of Defense, 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.
Of course, the easiest way to save money is to waste less energy.  So here’s another proposal:  Help manufacturers eliminate energy waste in their factories and give businesses incentives to upgrade their buildings.  Their energy bills will be $100 billion lower over the next decade, and America will have less pollution, more manufacturing, and more jobs for construction workers who need them.  Send me a bill that creates these jobs.
Building this new energy future should be just one part of a broader agenda to repair America’s infrastructure.  So much of America needs to be rebuilt.  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.
During the Great Depression, America built the Hoover Dam and the Golden Gate Bridge.  After World War II, we connected our States with a system of highways.  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.
In the next few weeks, I will sign an Executive Order clearing away the red tape that slows down too many construction projects.  But you need to fund these projects.  Take the money we’re no longer spending at war, use half of it to pay down our debt, and use the rest to do some nation-building right here at home.
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.  Of course, construction workers weren’t the only ones hurt.  So were millions of innocent Americans who’ve seen their home values decline.  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.
That’s why I’m sending this Congress a plan that gives every responsible homeowner the chance to save about $3,000 a year on their mortgage, by refinancing at historically low interest rates.  No more red tape.  No more runaround from the banks.  A small fee on the largest financial institutions will ensure that it won’t add to the deficit, and will give banks that were rescued by taxpayers a chance to repay a deficit of trust.
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.  It’s time to apply the same rules from top to bottom:  No bailouts, no handouts, and no copouts.  An America built to last insists on responsibility from everybody.
We’ve all paid the price for lenders who sold mortgages to people who couldn’t afford them, and buyers who knew they couldn’t afford them.  That’s why we need smart regulations to prevent irresponsible behavior.  Rules to prevent financial fraud, or toxic dumping, or faulty medical devices, don’t destroy the free market.  They make the free market work better.
There is no question that some regulations are outdated, unnecessary, or too costly.  In fact, I’ve approved fewer regulations in the first three years of my presidency than my Republican predecessor did in his.  I’ve ordered every federal agency to eliminate rules that don’t make sense.  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.  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.  With a rule like that, I guess it was worth crying over spilled milk.
I’m confident a farmer can contain a milk spill without a federal agency looking over his shoulder.  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.  I will not back down from protecting our kids from mercury pollution, or making sure that our food is safe and our water is clean.  I will not go back to the days when health insurance companies had unchecked power to cancel your policy, deny you coverage, or charge women differently from men.
And I will not go back to the days when Wall Street was allowed to play by its own set of rules.  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, start a business, or send a kid to college.
So if you’re a big bank or financial institution, you are no longer allowed to make risky bets with your customers’ deposits.  You’re required to write out a “living will” that details exactly how you’ll pay the bills if you fail – because the rest of us aren’t bailing you out ever again.  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 are over.  Today, American consumers finally have a watchdog in Richard Cordray with one job: To look out for them.
We will also establish a Financial Crimes Unit of highly trained investigators to crack down on large-scale fraud and protect people’s investments.  Some financial firms violate major anti-fraud laws because there’s no real penalty for being a repeat offender.  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 pass legislation that makes the penalties for fraud count.
And tonight, I am asking my Attorney General to create a special unit of federal prosecutors and leading state attorneys general to expand our investigations into the abusive lending and packaging of risky mortgages that led to the housing crisis. 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.
A return to the American values of fair play and shared responsibility will help us protect our people and our economy.  But it should also guide us as we look to pay down our debt and invest in our future.
Right now, our most immediate priority is stopping a tax hike on 160 million working Americans while the recovery is still fragile.  People cannot afford losing $40 out of each paycheck this year.  There are plenty of ways to get this done.  So let’s agree right here, right now:  No side issues.  No drama.  Pass the payroll tax cut without delay.
When it comes to the deficit, we’ve already agreed to more than $2 trillion in cuts and savings.  But we need to do more, and that means making choices.  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.  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.  Right now, Warren Buffett pays a lower tax rate than his secretary.
Do we want to keep these tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans?  Or do we want to keep our investments in everything else – like education and medical research; a strong military and care for our veterans?  Because if we’re serious about paying down our debt, we can’t do both.
The American people know what the right choice is.  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.
But in return, we need to change our tax code so that people like me, and an awful lot of Members of Congress, pay our fair share of taxes.  Tax reform should follow the Buffett rule:  If you make more than $1 million a year, you should not pay less than 30 percent in taxes.  And my Republican friend Tom Coburn is right:  Washington should stop subsidizing millionaires.  In fact, if you’re earning a million dollars a year, you shouldn’t get special tax subsidies or deductions.  On the other hand, if you make under $250,000 a year, like 98 percent of American families, your taxes shouldn’t go up.  You’re the ones struggling with rising costs and stagnant wages.  You’re the ones who need relief.
Now, you can call this class warfare all you want.  But asking a billionaire to pay at least as much as his secretary in taxes?  Most Americans would call that common sense.
We don’t begrudge financial success in this country.  We admire it.  When Americans talk about folks like me paying my fair share of taxes, it’s not because they envy the rich.  It’s because they understand that when I get tax breaks I don’t need and the country can’t afford, it either adds to the deficit, or somebody else has to make up the difference – like a senior on a fixed income; or a student trying to get through school; or a family trying to make ends meet.  That’s not right.  Americans know it’s not right.  They know that this generation’s success is only possible because past generations felt a responsibility to each other, and to their country’s future, and they know our way of life will only endure if we feel that same sense of shared responsibility.  That’s how we’ll reduce our deficit.  That’s an America built to last.
I recognize that people watching tonight have differing views about taxes and debt; energy and health care.  But no matter what party they belong to, I bet most Americans are thinking the same thing right now:  Nothing will get done this year, or next year, or maybe even the year after that, because Washington is broken.
Can you blame them for feeling a little cynical?
The greatest blow to confidence in our economy last year didn’t come from events beyond our control.  It came from a debate in Washington over whether the United States would pay its bills or not.  Who benefited from that fiasco?
I’ve talked tonight about the deficit of trust between Main Street and Wall Street.  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.
Some of this has to do with the corrosive influence of money in politics.  So together, let’s take some steps to fix that.  Send me a bill that bans insider trading by Members of Congress, and I will sign it tomorrow.  Let’s limit any elected official from owning stocks in industries they impact.  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.
Some of what’s broken has to do with the way Congress does its business these days.  A simple majority is no longer enough to get anything – even routine business – passed through the Senate.  Neither party has been blameless in these tactics.  Now both parties should put an end to it.  For starters, I ask the Senate to pass a rule that all judicial and public service nominations receive a simple up or down vote within 90 days.
The executive branch also needs to change.  Too often, it’s inefficient, outdated and remote.  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.
Finally, none of these reforms can happen unless we also lower the temperature in this town.  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’m a Democrat.  But I believe what Republican Abraham Lincoln believed:  That Government should do for people only what they cannot do better by themselves, and no more.  That’s why my education reform offers more competition, and more control for schools and States.  That’s why we’re getting rid of regulations that don’t work.  That’s why our health care law relies on a reformed private market, not a Government program.
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.
The point is, we should all want a smarter, more effective Government.  And while we may not be able to bridge our biggest philosophical differences this year, we can make real progress.  With or without this Congress, I will keep taking actions that help the economy grow.  But I can do a whole lot more with your help.  Because when we act together, there is nothing the United States of America can’t achieve.
That is the lesson we’ve learned from our actions abroad over the last few years.
Ending the Iraq war has allowed us to strike decisive blows against our enemies.  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.
From this position of strength, we’ve begun to wind down the war in Afghanistan.  Ten thousand of our troops have come home.  Twenty-three thousand more will leave by the end of this summer. 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.
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.  A year ago, Qadhafi was one of the world’s longest-serving dictators – a murderer with American blood on his hands.  Today, he is gone.  And in Syria, I have no doubt that the Assad regime will soon discover that the forces of change can’t be reversed, and that human dignity can’t be denied.
How this incredible transformation will end remains uncertain.  But we have a huge stake in the outcome.  And while it is 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 will stand against violence and intimidation. We will stand for the rights and dignity of all human beings – men and women; Christians, Muslims, and Jews.  We will support policies that lead to strong and stable democracies and open markets, because tyranny is no match for liberty.
And we will safeguard America’s own security against those who threaten our citizens, our friends, and our interests.  Look at Iran.  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.  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.  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.  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.
The renewal of American leadership can be felt across the globe.  Our oldest alliances in Europe and Asia are stronger than ever.  Our ties to the Americas are deeper.  Our iron-clad commitment to Israel’s security has meant the closest military cooperation between our two countries in history.  We’ve made it clear that America is a Pacific power, and a new beginning in Burma has lit a new hope. 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.
Anyone who tells you otherwise, anyone who tells you that America is in decline or that our influence has waned, doesn’t know what they’re talking about.  That’s not the message we get from leaders around the world, all of whom are eager to work with us.  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.  Yes, the world is changing; no, we can’t control every event.  But America remains the one indispensable nation in world affairs – and as long as I’m President, I intend to keep it that way.
That’s why, working with our military leaders, I have 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.  To stay one step ahead of our adversaries, I have already sent this Congress legislation that will secure our country from the growing danger of cyber-threats.
Above all, our freedom endures because of the men and women in uniform who defend it.  As they come home, we must serve them as well as they served us.  That includes giving them the care and benefits they have earned – which is why we’ve increased annual VA spending every year I’ve been President.  And it means enlisting our veterans in the work of rebuilding our Nation.
With the bipartisan support of this Congress, we are providing new tax credits to companies that hire vets.  Michelle and Jill Biden have worked with American businesses to secure a pledge of 135,000 jobs for veterans and their families.  And tonight, I’m proposing a Veterans Job Corps that will help our communities hire veterans as cops and firefighters, so that America is as strong as those who defend her.
Which brings me back to where I began.  Those of us who’ve been sent here to serve can learn from the service of our troops.  When you put on that uniform, it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white; Asian or Latino; conservative or liberal; rich or poor; gay or straight.  When you’re marching into battle, you look out for the person next to you, or the mission fails.  When you’re in the thick of the fight, you rise or fall as one unit, serving one Nation, leaving no one behind.
One of my proudest possessions is the flag that the SEAL Team took with them on the mission to get bin Laden.  On it are each of their names.  Some may be Democrats.  Some may be Republicans.  But that doesn’t matter.  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.
All that mattered that day was the mission.  No one thought about politics.  No one thought about themselves.  One of the young men involved in the raid later told me that he didn’t deserve credit for the mission.  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.  More than that, the mission only succeeded because every member of that unit trusted each other – because you can’t charge up those stairs, into darkness and danger, unless you know that there’s someone behind you, watching your back.
So it is with America.  Each time I look at that flag, I’m reminded that our destiny is stitched together like those fifty stars and those thirteen stripes.  No one built this country on their own.  This Nation is great because we built it together.  This Nation is great because we worked as a team.  This Nation is great because we get each other’s backs.  And if we hold fast to that truth, in this moment of trial, there is no challenge too great; no mission too hard.  As long as we’re joined in common purpose, as long as we maintain our common resolve, our journey moves forward, our future is hopeful, and the state of our Union will always be strong.
Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless the United States of Americ
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奥巴马总统发表2012年国情咨文
国情咨文 “为了美国的永续发展”
2012年1月24日
星期二
华盛顿哥伦比亚特区
众议院议长先生、副总统先生、各位国会议员、贵宾们和美国同胞们：
上个月，我前往安德鲁斯空军基地，欢迎在伊拉克服役的最后一批军人回国。我们一起最后骄傲地向国旗敬礼，一百多万美国同胞曾为之作战，其中数千人献出了自己的生命。
我们今晚聚集在此，知道这一代的英雄使得美国更安全，在全世界更受尊敬。现在不再有美国人在伊拉克作战，这是9年来的第一次。本·拉登不再对美国构成威胁，这是20年来的第一次。“基地”的大多数头目都已溃散。塔利班的气焰已经破灭。驻阿富汗的一些部队已经开始撤回国内。
这些成绩的取得证明了美国武装部队的勇气、无私、和团队精神。在一个时期我们的许多机构都让降低预期，但他们超出了所有人的预期。他们不沉迷个人野心，他们不纠结与个人的分歧，他们专注于手头的任务。他们一起工作。
试想如果我们以他们为榜样我们可以完成什么。想想美国力所能及的范围内：一个国家在教育人民的方面引领着世界。一个吸引新一代高科技制造业和高薪工作的美国。在未来，我们控制着自己的能源，我们的安全和繁荣不依赖于世界的不稳定地区。经济永续发展，努力工作得到报偿，责任得到回报。
我们可以做到这一点。我知道我们可以，因为我们以前已经做到了。在二战结束后，当那一代的英雄从战斗中返回家中，他们建立了世界上迄今所知最强的经济和中产阶级。我的祖父，巴顿军队的老兵，得益于“退伍军人权利法案”，有机会去上大学。我的祖母，在轰炸机装配线上工作，生产地球上最好的产品的劳动力中的一份子。
他们两个人共享一个国家战胜萧条和法西斯主义的喜悦。他们明白，他们是大事物中的一部分，他们散布一个所有美国人有共享成功的故事---美国的基本承诺，如果您努力工作，你可以组建自己的家庭，拥有自己的家，送你的孩子上大学，并轻松退休。
我们时代的决定性问题是如何履行这一承诺。没有比这更迫切的挑战，更重要的辩论。我们可以让这个国家一小部分人过得很好，让越来越多的美国人勉强凑合，或者，我们可以在恢复的经济形势下，每个人都公平的摄取，每个人都恰如其份，每个人都遵循相同的规则。岌岌可危的不是民主党的价值观或共和党的价值观，而是美国的价值观。我们要恢复它们。
让我们记住我们如何谈起这些。很久以前的经济衰退，就业机会和制造业开始离开我们的海岸。技术使企业更有效率，也淘汰掉一些工作。高层的大佬们说他们的收入从来没有这么快地增长，但最努力工作的美国人挣扎于开销增长，工资不涨，和个人债务不停地堆积。
2008年海市蜃楼破灭了。我们知道抵押贷款被发放给无力偿还或不了解它们的人，银行用他人的钱得到了巨额的赌注和奖赏。监管者看着其他地方，或者没有权力阻止这种坏行为。
这是错误的。这是不负责任的。它使我们的经济陷入危机，失去了百万计的工作机会，让我们背负着更多的债务，并留下了无辜的，辛勤工作的美国人承担后果。在我上任前六个月中，我们失去了近400万个就业岗位，而且在我们政策全面发挥功效之前，我们又失去了另外四百万个。
这些都是事实。但也仅此而已。在过去22个月，企业已建立了超过300万个就业岗位。去年，他们创造了自2005年以来的大部分工作机会。美国制造商再次聘人，自上世纪90年代以来第一次创造就业机会。总之，我们已经同意削减超过2万亿美元的赤字。我们已制定新的规则迫使华尔街负责，所以那样的危机不会再次发生。
我们的合众国越来越强。我们走的太远了，现在回头。只要我是总统，我会与任何人在这个会议厅内共同工作保持这一势头。不过，我打算以实际行动克服阻力，我会反对把我们带回这场经济危机起点的相同的政策。
不，我们不会回去外包，坏账，以及虚假的财务利润来削弱经济。今晚，我想谈谈我们如何向前推进，并画出了经济永续发展的蓝图— 一个建立在美国制造业、美国能源、美国工人的技能，和美国重建的价值观上的经济。
这个蓝图开始于美国的制造业。
在我上任的时候，我们的汽车业濒临崩溃的边缘。有些人甚至说，我们应该让它死去。丧失百万计起算的就业机会，我拒绝让这种事情发生。作为帮助的交换条件，我们定义了责任。我们找来工人和厂商以解决他们的分歧。我们得到了行业的重组和结构重建。今天，通用汽车公司重回世界头号汽车制造商宝座。克莱斯勒在美国增长速度超过任何主要汽车公司。福特投资十亿美元在美国的设备和工厂。并在一起，整个行业增加了近16万个就业机会。
我们押注在美国工人。我们押注于美国的聪明才智。今晚，美国汽车业又回来了。
发生在底特律的问题同样会发生在其他行业，会发生在克利夫兰、匹兹堡，或者罗利。我们不可能收回所有转移到外国去的工作，可是现在在中国这样的国家做生意代价越来越高，同时美国的生产能力则越来越强。几个星期前，玛斯特锁公司的首席执行官告诉我，现在对他来说回美国做生意是对的。今天，15年来第一次，玛斯特锁公司设立在密尔沃基有工会组织的工厂正在满负荷生产。
因此，在这一刻我们有一个巨大的机会，把制造业带回来。但是，我们必须抓住它。今晚，我给商界领袖的信息很简单：问自己你怎样给你的国家带来就业机会，而你的国家将尽我们所能来帮助你成功。
我们应该开始于我们的税务模式。眼下，公司将就业机会和利润转移到海外获得税收减免。同时，选择留在美国的公司被打到世界上最高的税率之一。这是不理智的，每个人都知道。
因此，让我们改变它。首先，如果你是一个公司要外包就业，你不应该得到税收减免。这笔钱应该用于弥补像玛斯特锁一样的决定把工作机会带回家的公司的搬迁费用。
其次，应该没有美国公司能够通过转移海外就业机会和利润避免缴纳其税收的公平份额。从现在开始，每一个跨国公司必须缴纳的最低基本税。每一分钱都应该给选择留在这儿并雇用员工的公司减税。
第三，如果你是一个美国的制造商，你应该得到更多的减税。如果你是一个高科技的制造商，我们应该为你在这里生产而加倍地减税。如果你想在一个因工厂搬迁而遭受了沉重打击的乡镇重建社区，你应该得到融资用于购买新的厂房，设备，或对新工人的培训。
我的信息很简单。是时候停止奖励转移业务和工作机会到海外，并开始奖励创造就业机会在美国这里的公司。发给我这些税制改革方案，我将马上签署。
我们还使美国工商企业更容易在全世界各地销售产品。两年前，我提出美国出口在5年内翻一番的目标。随着两党一致的各项贸易协定经我们签署成为法律，我们正朝着这个目标稳步迈进--并可超前实现。不久以后，美国产品将在巴拿马、哥伦比亚和韩国获得数以百万计的新顾客。不久以后，来自底特律、托利多和芝加哥的新进口汽车将在首尔街头出现。
为了给美国产品打开新的市场，我愿意到世界任何地方去。当我们的竞争对手不按规则行事时，我绝不会袖手傍观。我们提出的针对中国的贸易案件几乎是上届政府的两倍。这样做收到了效果。我们阻止了蜂拥而来的中国轮胎，保住了一千多个美国人的工作。但是，我们还要做更多的工作。别的国家允许盗版我们的电影、音乐和软件是错误的。外国制造商仅仅因为得到大量补贴而占有对美国制造商的优势是不公平的。
今天晚上，我宣布要成立一个贸易执法机构，专门负责调查中国等国家的不公平贸易行为的任务。我们还要加强监督，防止盗版产品和不安全货物进入美国。本届国会应当确保不能让任何外国企业在融资和进入俄罗斯这样的新兴市场方面拥有比美国制造业更大的优势。我们的工人是地球上生产效率最高的工人，如果有一个公平的竞争环境，我敢保证，美国永远都是赢家。
我也听到许多企业的领导者要在美国聘人，但无法找到合适技能的工人。在科学和技术发展的行业，我们的工人可以做的工作有两倍多的职位空缺。想想—多出一倍的职位空缺，而数以百万计的美国人正在找工作。
这是不可原谅的。我们知道如何解决它。
杰基.布雷是从北卡罗莱纳州的单身母亲，作为一名机械师失去了工作。西门子在夏洛特开了一座燃气涡轮机工厂，并形成了与中央皮德蒙特社区学院的合作伙伴关系。该公司赞助学院在激光和机器人技术培训的设计课程。它支付杰基的学费，然后??聘请她协助经营他们的工厂。
我要每一个美国人有杰基同样的找工作的机会。和我一起做一个国家的承诺：培养两百万美国人的技能并直接引导其工作。我国政府已经串联了更多需要帮助的企业。合作模式如西门子和社区学院在夏洛特，奥兰多和路易斯维尔等地方开始运行。现在，你需要给更多的社区学院，成为社区职业中心所需要的资源 - 教人当地企业现在正在寻找的技能，从数据管理到高科技制造。
我想切入混乱的培训计划的迷宫，所以从现在起，像杰基的人有一个方案，一个网站，一个地方来得到他们所需要的全部信息和帮助。是时候把我们的失业系统变成一个再就业系统，让人们有工作。
这些改革将有助于人们找到今天是职位空缺的工作。但是，准备明天的工作，我们的承诺的技能和教育要提前开始。
我们国家对教育的花费每年不到1%，我们相信全国每一个州要提高他们的教学和学习的标准— 第一次发生在一代人身上。
但挑战依然存在。我们知道如何解决。
当其他国家都成倍缩减教育经费，预算紧张迫使各州将裁员数千教师。我们知道，一个好老师可以让一个教室使用年限内增加收入超过25万美元。一个伟大的老师，可以让穷孩子摆脱贫穷梦想成真。在这个会议厅的每个人可以指出一个老师改变了他们的生活轨迹。大部分教师不辞辛劳地工作，用微薄薪酬，有时自掏腰包购买学习用品— 只为有所作为。
因此，教师的问题，有别于责怪教师或维持现状，而不是让我们与学校成交：给他们资源，保持良好的教师，奖励最好的。作为回报，增加学校灵活性：带教的创造力和激情，停止拿教学当测试，并去掉不帮助孩子们学习的教师。
我们也知道，当学生不被允许辍学，大多数人会去获得他们的文凭。所以，今晚，我呼吁每个州要求所有的学生在高中留到毕业或年满18岁。
当孩子毕业，最严峻的挑战是大学的费用。当美国人欠学费债务超过信用卡债务，国会需要从七月开始停止助学贷款的利率加倍。扩展的学费税收抵免，我们开始为中产阶级家庭节省数千美元。在未来五年翻一番的勤工助学岗位，让更多的年轻人通过学院取得他们的机会。
当然，增加学生的援助对我们来说并不够。我们不能只是继续暴涨学费补贴，那样我们将无钱运营。州也需要做他们的一部分，使高等教育在其预算中优先级更高。学院和大学做他们的一部分工作来降低成本。近日，我谈话的一群学院院长已经做到了这一点。有些学校重新设计课程，帮助学生更迅速地完成。有些人用更好的技术。问题是，这是可能的。所以，让我向高校发出通知：如果你不能阻止涨学费，从纳税人获得的资金将下降。高等教育不能成为奢侈品—它是经济的迫切需要，在美国每一个家庭应该能够承受。
让我们同时记得，成百上千个才华横溢，勤奋的学生在这个国家面临的另一个挑战：事实上，他们还不是美国公民。许多人是很小时被带到这里，是货真价实的美国人，但他们每天都生活在被驱逐出境的威胁。其他人较近期来，钻研业务和科学与工程学，但只要他们得到他们的学位，我们送他们回家发明新产品和其他地方创造新事业。
这不理智。
我一如既往坚定地相信，我们应该接受非法移民。这就是为什么我的政府在边界比以往任何时候都加强力量。这就是为什么有比我上任时减少非法越境。
反对者的行动没有理由。我们现在应该进行全面移民改革工作。但如果选举年的政治使国会不推出一个全面的计划，让我们至少同意停止驱逐有责任感的年轻人，他们愿意作我们实验室的员工，开始新的业务，并保卫这个国家。给我发一份让他们有机会赢得他们的公民身份的法律，我会马上签署。
你看，我们鼓励这个国家每个人的天赋和独创性以取得经济永续发展。这意味着，妇女应该同工同酬。这意味着我们应该支持每一个愿意工作的人、每一个立志成为未来的史蒂夫.乔布斯的冒险者和企业家。
毕竟，创新是美国一直关注的。大部分新的就业机会是初创企业和小企业创造的。因此，让我们通过帮助他们取得成功的议案。推倒阻碍有抱负的企业家获得融资增长的法规。给员工工资增长和创造良好的就业机会的小企业扩大税收减免。两个党都同意这些想法，那么把这些想法放进一项法案，今年摆在我的办公桌上。
创新还要求基础研究。今天，在我们的联邦政府资助的实验室和大学发现新的治疗方法，可以杀死癌细胞而不触及健康的。新的轻型背心可以让警察和士兵抵挡任何子弹。不要把这些投资拎出我们的预算。不要让其他国家赢得未来的比赛。支持的同类研究和创新，引领计算机芯片和互联网给美国带来新就业机会和新工业。
没有比美国能源再大的创新承诺。在过去的三年中，我们新的石油和天然气勘探已经覆盖数百万英亩的地区。今晚，我指挥我的政府开放超过75％储量的近海石油和天然气资源。眼下，美国的石油产量在过去8年里是最高的。是的—八年，不仅如此，— 去年，我们依赖外国石油是过去16年中最少的。
但只有世界2％的石油储量，石油是不够的。这个国家需要一个全面的、高于一切的解决方案，开发每一个美国能源来源 — 一个更清洁，更便宜，并充满了新的就业机会的解决方案。
我们有可供美国持续近百年天然气，我的政府将采取一切可能的行动，安全地发展这种能源。专家认为这在未来的十年后将支撑超过60万个就业岗位。我要求在公共土地上钻探的所有公司，披露他们所使用的化学品。美国将开发这一资源，而不会危及我国公民的健康和安全。
天然气的发展将创造新的就业机会和更清洁和更便宜的的动力汽车和工厂，证明我们没有必要在环境和经济之间的选择。顺便告诉大家，在过去超过三十年的过程中，帮助开发从页岩中提取天然气的技术来源于公众研究资金 — 提醒我们，帮助企业开发新能源理念的得以实现，政府的支持是关键的。
天然气的真正含义在于它是清洁能源。在三年内，我们与私营部门的伙伴关系已经定位美国是世界上领先的高科技电池制造商。由于联邦投资，可再生能源的使用增加了近一倍。成千上万的美国人因此获得就业机会。
当布莱恩.瑞特白从他做家具的工作中失业，他说他担心55岁了，没有人会给他第二次机会。但他能源TX公司找到工作，那是一家在密歇根州的风力涡轮机制造商。在经济衰退前，工厂只建造豪华游艇。今天，它招聘像布莱恩那样的工人，布莱恩说， “我很自豪能够在未来的行业中工作。”
我们开发页岩气的经验告诉我们，这些公共投资的回报并非总是可以立即实现。有些技术行不通；有些公司做不下去。不过，我不会撤回有关清洁能源的承诺。我不会抛弃像布莱恩一样的工人。我不会因为我们这里拒绝做出同样的承诺而将风能或者太阳能或者电池行业拱手让给中国或者德国。我们已经为石油公司发放了一个世纪的补贴。这已经够长了。是时候停止把纳税人的钱发给一个几乎没有更多赢利的行业了，同时是时候加大投入一个从来没有比它更有希望的清洁能源行业了。请批准减免清洁能源税务并且创造就业机会。
我们也可以通过新的激励机制推动能源创新。在这个会议厅里现在通过一项应对气候变化的全面计划可能分歧会太大。但是没有任何理由国会不至少设置一个清洁能源的标准而带来一个创新的市场。到目前为止，你还没有采取行动。今晚好了，我会的。我将指挥我的政府允许在足够的公共土地上发展清洁能源来为3百万个家庭供电。我很自豪地宣布，国防部，世界上最大的能源消费者，将会有史以来做出使用清洁能源的最大承诺 — 海军购买足够的二十五万家庭一年的动力。
当然，省钱最简单的方法是减少浪费能源。所以这里的另一项建议：帮助制造商在自己的工厂消除能源浪费，给企业激励机制来升级他们的建筑物。他们的能源开支将在未来十年内降低1000亿美元，美国将减少污染，提供给建筑工人所需要的更多的制造和更多的就业机会。给我一项创造这些就业机会的法案。
建设这一新能源未来应该只是修复美国的基础设施这个更广泛的议程中的一部分。美国如此多的地方需要重建。我们已经有了摇摇欲坠的道路和桥梁、一个浪费了太多能量的电网、一个不完整的高速宽带网络阻碍美??国农村的小企业主向世界各地推销产品。
在大萧条期间，美国建立了胡佛水坝和金门大桥。二战结束后，我们用高速公路系统连接我们各州。民主党和共和党政府投资大项目造福于每个人，从建造他们的工人到今天仍然使用他们的企业。
在未来几周内，我将签署一项行政命令清理减慢太多建设项目的繁文缛节。但是，你需要资助这些项目。就用我们不再花在战争上的开支，利用它的一半来偿还我们的债务，并利用剩余的就在我们的祖国做一些国家建设。
从来没有一个更好的时间用来建设，特别是建筑业作为当房地产泡沫破灭时受灾最严重的产业之一。当然，建筑工人不是唯一受到伤害的。那么数百万无辜的美国人已经看到了他们房屋价值的下降，而政府不能修复自身的问题，负责任的业主都不应该坐等住房市场触底而得到一丝安慰。
这就是为什么我提交国会一个计划，通过有史以来的低利率再融资给每一个负责任的房主机会以节省每年约3,000美元抵押贷款费用。没有繁文缛节，没有必要往返奔波于银行之间。最大的金融机构的小费用将确保它不会增加赤字，并将给由纳税人拯救的银行一个机会偿还信任赤字。
让我们永远不要忘记：成千上万的每天循规蹈矩努力工作的美国人都应得到政府和金融系统同样的待遇，是时候启用从上到下相同的规则：没有援助、没有施舍、没有逃避。每个人的责任构筑了美国永续的发展。
我们为发放抵押贷款给无力偿还者的放款人和无力偿还的贷款人付出了全部代价。这就是为什么我们需要聪明的法规，以防止不负责任的行为。防止金融诈骗、或恶意倾销、或有故障的医疗设备的规则，不是破坏自由市场，而是让自由市场更好地工作。
毫无疑问，有些规定已经过时，没有必要，或成本过于昂贵。事实上，在我担任总统的前三年，我比我的共和党的前身批准的法规要少。我已经下令所有联邦机构消除没有意义的法规。我们已经宣布超过500项改革，只是其中的一小部分将在未来五年里为企业和公民节约超过10亿美元。我们得到了摆脱一项40年前的法规，它可能迫使一些奶农一年要花费10,000美元证明他们可能包含泄漏 — 因为牛奶在某种程度上作为石油分类。有了这样的法规，我想这是值得为打翻牛奶而哭泣。
我相信一个农民不用联邦机构在他身后盯着怎样处理打翻的牛奶。但我不会退后，要确保石油公司可以处理类似两年前我们看到的海湾漏油。我不会退缩，保护我们的孩子远离汞污染，确保我们的食品是安全的，我们的水是干净的。我不会收工回家，当健康保险公司拥有不受制约的权力可以取消你的保险条款、拒绝你的承保范围或收取女性不同于男性的保费。
我不会收工回家，当华尔街被允许发挥其自己的一套规则。我们通过了恢复金融体系核心价值的新规则：让有最好想法的企业家获取资金，让负责任的家庭为购买家园、开始创业、或送子女上大学而取得想要的贷款。
结束伊拉克战争让我们能够给我们的敌人以致命的打击。从巴基斯坦到也门，残余的“基地”组织成员仓皇失措，知道自己无法逃脱美利坚合众国的天网。
从这个实力地位出发，我们已经开始逐步缩小阿富汗战争的规模。我军有一万人已经回国。还有２万３千多人到今年夏天将会撤离。这个让阿富汗发挥主导作用的过渡将继续，我们将与阿富汗建立持久的伙伴关系，让它永远不可能再成为攻击美国的一个发源地。
随着战争浪潮的消退，一股变革的潮流席卷整个中东和北非，从突尼斯到开罗，从萨那到的黎波里。一年前，卡扎菲还是世界上当权时间最长的独裁者之一──是双手沾满了美国人鲜血的凶手。今天，他已不复存在。在叙利亚，我毫不怀疑，阿萨德政权很快就会发现，变革的力量是无法逆转的，人的尊严是不可剥夺的。
这场令人令人震撼的变革结果如何仍无法确定。但我们与其最终结果利害攸关。本地区人民的命运归根结底由他们自己决定，但我们将倡导那些使我们自己的国家受益匪浅的价值观。我们将反对暴力和恐吓。我们将捍卫全人类的权利和尊严──男性和女性；基督徒、穆斯林和犹太人。我们要支持能建设强大和稳定的民主及开放市场的政策，因为自由必将战胜暴政。
我们要维护美国自身的安全，防范那些威胁我国公民、我国盟友和我国利益的人。看看伊朗。我国外交的有力作用让一个曾对如何应对伊朗的核计划存在分歧的世界现在团结一致。该政权比以往任何时候都更加孤立；该国领导人面临着严厉制裁，只要他们还在逃避自己的责任，这样的施压就不会放松。毫无疑问：美国决心阻止伊朗获得核武器，为实现这一目标，我将不排除任何方案。但和平解决这个问题仍然是可能的，而且益处大得多。伊朗如果改弦易辙并履行其义务，就可以重新加入国际社会。
美国领导地位的重振在全球各地都有所体现。我们在欧洲和亚洲历史最悠久的同盟比以往任何时候都更强大。我们与美洲的关系更加深厚。我们对以色列的安全作出的牢不可破的承诺──我是说牢不可破──意味着我们两国在历史上最密切的军事合作。我们已经很清楚地表明，美国是一个太平洋大国，缅甸的新开端点燃了新的希望。从我们建立的保障核材料安全的联盟，到我们领导的消除饥饿和疾病的使命；从我们对敌人的打击；到我们作为道义典范的持久力量──美国回来了。
任何人告诉你不是如此，任何人告诉你美国正在衰落或我们的影响力已经减弱，都是在不知所云。那不是我们从世界各国领袖那里得到的信息，那些领袖渴望与我们合作。那也不是从东京到柏林、从开普敦到里约的人民的感觉，这些地方对美国的看法比数年来的任何时候都好。是的，世界正在改变；不错，我们不能控制每一事件，但美国仍然是世界事务中不可或缺的国家──只要我在位总统，这一点就将继续下去。
我所拥有的最令人骄傲的东西之一，是海豹突击队在执行捉拿本·拉登使命时携带的一面旗帜。每一位勇士的姓名都在上面。他们中有的可能是民主党人，有的可能是共和党人，但这并没有任何关系，就像那天在情况室一样，我坐在鲍勃·盖茨旁边，他是乔治·布什政府的国防部长；当时还有希拉里·克林顿，她曾是我竞选总统时的对手。
每当看着那面旗帜，我都会意识到，我们的命运就像那50颗星和13道红白条一样紧紧地联结在一起。这个国家不是任何人单枪匹马建成的。这个国家之所以伟大，是因为它由我们共同建设；这个国家之所以伟大，是因为我们团队般同心协力；这个国家之所以伟大，是因为我们相互支持。如果我们坚持这个真理，那么在这艰难时刻，就没有我们不能应对的挑战，就没有我们不能完成的使命。只要我们为了共同的目标团结一致，只要我们保持我们的共同决心，我们在征途上将一往无前，我们的未来会充满希望，我们的国家将永远强大。
谢谢大家。愿上帝保佑你们，愿上帝保佑美利坚合众国。