In addition to my Families Plan, I’m going to work with Congress to address, this year, other critical priorities for American families.
The Affordable Care Act has been a lifeline for millions of Americans, protecting people with preexisting conditions, protecting women’s health and the pandemic has demonstrated how badly, how badly it’s needed. Let’s lower deductibles for working families on the Affordable Care Act. And let’s lower prescription drug costs.
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We know how to do this.
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The last president had that as an objective, we all know how outrageously expensive drugs are in America. In fact, we pay the highest prescription drug prices of anywhere in the world, right here in America.
Nearly three times for the same drug, nearly three times what other countries pay. We have to change that and we can. Let's do what we talked about for all the years I was down here in this — in this body, in Congress. Let's give Medicare the power to save hundreds of billions out (ph) by negotiating lower drug prescription prices.
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And by the way, it won’t just — it won’t just help people on Medicare, lower prescription drug costs for everyone. And the money we save, which is billions of dollars can go to strengthen the Affordable Care Act, it can expand Medicare coverage benefits without costing taxpayers an additional penny. It’s within our power to do it. Let’s do it now.
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We’ve talked about it long enough. Democrats and Republicans, let’s get it done this year. This is all about a simple premise, health care should be a right, not a privilege, in America.
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So, how do we pay for my jobs and family plan? I made it clear we could do it without increasing the deficits. Let’s start with what I will not do. I will not impose any tax increase on people making less than $400,000. It’s — but it’s time for corporate America and the wealthiest one percent of Americans to just begin to pay their fair share. Just their fair share.
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Sometimes I have arguments with my friends in the Democratic Party. I think you should be able to become a billionaire and a millionaire but pay your fair share. Recent studies show that 55 of the nation’s biggest corporations paid zero Federal tax last year. Those 55 corporations made an excess of $40 billion in profit.
A lot of companies also evaded taxes through tax havens in Switzerland and Bermuda and the Cayman Islands, and they benefit from tax loopholes and deductions for off shoring jobs and shifting profits overseas.
It's not right. We're going to reform corporate taxes so they pay their fair share and help pay for the public investments their businesses will benefit from as well.
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We’re going to reward work not just wealth. We take the top tax bracket for the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans, those making over $400,000 or more, back up to where it was when George W. Bush was president when he started, 39.6 percent. That’s where it was when George W. was president.
We're going to get rid of the loopholes that allow Americans who make more than $1 million a year and pay a lower tax rate on their capital gains than American who receive a paycheck.
We're only going to effect three-tenths of 1 percent of all Americans by that action, three-tenths of 1 percent. And the IRS is going to crack down on millionaires and billionaires who cheat on their taxes. It's estimated to be billions of dollars by think tanks of left, right and center.
I'm not looking to punish anybody but I will not add a tax burden — additional tax burden of the middle tax in this country. They're already paying enough. I believe what I propose is fair.
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Fiscally responsible and it raises revenue to pay for the plans I propose and will create millions of jobs that will grow the economy and enhance our financial standing in the country. When you hear someone say, they don’t want to raise taxes on the wealthiest 1 percent or corporate America, ask them who’s taxes you want to raise?
Instead, who's are you going to cut? Look, the big tax cut of 2017. Remember it was supposed to pay for itself, that was how it was sold and generate vast economic growth. Instead, it added $2 trillion to the deficit. It was a huge windfall for corporate America and those at the very top.
Instead of using the tax saving to raise wages and invest in research and development, it poured billions of dollars into the pockets of CEOs.
In fact, the pay gap between CEOs and their workers is now among the largest in history. According to one study, CEOs make 320 times what the average worker in their corporation makes. It used to be below 100.
The pandemic has only made things worse. Twenty million Americans lost their job in the pandemic, working and middle-class Americans.
At the same time, roughly 650 billionaires in America saw their net worth increase by more than $1 trillion — in the same exact period.
Let me say it again: 650 people increased their wealth by more than $1 trillion during this pandemic. And they're now worth more than $4 trillion.
My fellow Americans, trickle down — trickle down economics has never worked. And it's time to grow the economy from the bottom and the middle out.
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You know, there's a broad consensus of economists, left, right, and center, and they agree what I'm proposing will help create millions of jobs and generate historic economic growth.
These are among the highest-value investments we can make as a nation. I've often said, our greatest strength is the power of our example, not just the example of our power.
In my conversations with world leaders, and I've spoken to over 38, 40 of them now, I've made it known — I've made it known that America is back. And you know what they say?
The comment I hear most of all from them is they say, “We see America's back, but for how long? But for how long?”
My fellow Americans, we have to show not just that we're back but that we're back to stay …
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… and that we aren't going to go it alone.
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We're going to do it by leading with our allies.
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No one nation can deal with all the crises of our time, from terrorism to nuclear proliferation, mass migration, cybersecurity, climate change, as well as what we're experiencing now, pandemics. There's no wall high enough to keep any virus out.
And our own vaccine supply, as it grows to meet our needs, and we're meeting them, will become an arsenal for vaccines for other countries, just as America was the arsenal for democracy for the world …
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… and in consequence, influence the world.
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But every American will have access before that occurs — every American have access to be fully covered by covid-19 from the vaccines we have.
Look, the climate crisis is not our fight alone. It's a global fight. The United States accounts, as all of you know, for less than 15 percent of carbon emissions. The rest of the world accounts for 85 percent. That's why I kept my commitment to rejoin the Paris accord, because if we do everything perfectly, it's not going to only matter.
I kept my commitment to convene a climate summit right here in America of all the major economies of the world, China, Russia, India, European Union. And I said I'd do it in my first 100 days.
And I want to be very blunt about it. I had — my attempt was to make sure that the world could see there was a consensus, that we are at an inflection point in history. The consensus is, if we act to save the planet, we can create millions of jobs and economic growth and opportunity to raise the standard of living of almost everyone around the world.
If you'd watched any of it — and you were all busy, I'm sure you didn't have much time — that's what virtually every nation said, even the ones that aren't doing their fair share.
The investments I propose tonight also advance a foreign policy, in my view, that benefits the middle class. That means making sure every nation plays by the same rules in the global economy, including China.
In my discussions with President Xi, I told him we welcome the competition. We are not looking for conflict. But I made absolutely clear that we will defend America's interests across the board. America will stand up to unfair trade practices that undercut American workers and American industries like subsidies from state to state-owned operations and enterprises, and the theft of America technology and intellectual property.
I also told President Xi that we'll maintain a strong military presence in the Indo-Pacific, just as we do with NATO and Europe, not to start a conflict but to prevent one.
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I told him what I’ve said to many world leaders, that America will not back away from our commitments, our commitments to human rights and our fundamental freedoms and our alliances. And I pointed out to him, no responsible American president could remain silent when basic human rights are being so blatantly violated.
An American president has to represent the essence of what our country stands for. America is an idea, the most unique idea in history. We are created, all of us, equal. It's who we are. And we cannot walk away from that principle and in fact say we are dealing with the American idea.
With regard to Russia, I know it concerns some of you, but I made it clear to Putin that we are not seek — excuse me, escalation, but their actions will have consequences if they turn out to be true, and they turned out to be true. So I responded directly proportionally to Russia's interference in our elections and the cyber attacks on our government and our business. They did both of these things. And I told them we would respond, and we have.
We can cooperate when it's our mutual interest. We did it when we extended a New START accord on nuclear arms and we are working to do it on climate change. But he understands, we will respond.
On Iran and North Korea, nuclear programs that present serious threats to American security and the security of the world, we're going to be working closely to our allies to address the threats posed by both of these countries through diplomacy as well as stern deterrence.
And American leadership meaning ending the forever war in Afghanistan. We have …
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We have, without hyperbole, the greatest fighting force of the history of the world. I’m the first president 40 years who knows what it means to have a son serving in a war zone. Today we have service members serving in the same war zone as their parents did. We have service members in Afghanistan who are not yet born on 9/11. The war in Afghanistan, as we remember the debates here, were never meant to be multigenerational undertakings of nation-building.
We want Afghanistan to get terrorists, the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11. And we said we would follow Osama bin Laden to the gates of hell to do it. If you've been in the upper Konar Valley you've kind of seen the gates of hell. And we delivered justice to bin Laden. We degraded the terrorist threat of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. And after 20 years of value, valor, and sacrifice, it's time to bring those troops home.
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Look, even as we do, we’ll maintain over-the-horizon capacity to suppress future threats to the homeland. Make no mistake, in 20 years terrorism has metastasized. The threat has evolved way beyond Afghanistan. Those of you in the intelligence committees, the foreign relation committees, defense committees, you know well we have to remain vigilant against the threats to the United States wherever they come from. al-Qaeda and ISIS are in Yemen, Syria, Somalia, other places in Africa and the Middle East and beyond.
And we won't ignore what our intelligence agencies determine to be the most lethal terrorist threat to our homeland today, white supremacy is terrorism. We're not going to ignore that either.
My fellow Americans, look, we have to come together to heal the soul of this nation. It was nearly a year ago before her father’s funeral when I spoke with Gianna Floyd, George Floyd’s young daughter. She was a little tyke, so I was kneeling down to talk to her, so I could see — look her in the eye.
She looked at me, she said, “My daddy changed the world.” Well, after the conviction of George Floyd's murderer, we can see how right she was if — if we have the courage to act in Congress.
We've all seen the knee of injustice on the neck of black Americans. Now is our opportunity to make some real progress. The vast majority of men and women wearing the uniform in a badge serve our communities and they serve them honorably. I know them.
I know they want —
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— I know they want to help meet this moment, as well.
My fellow Americans, we have to come together to rebuild trust between law enforcement and the people they serve, to root out systemic racism in our criminal justice system, and enact police reform in George Floyd's name that passed the House already.
I know Republicans have their own ideas and are engaged in a very productive discussions with the Democrats in the Senate. We need to work together to find a consensus. But let's get it done next month by the first anniversary of George Floyd's death.
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The country supports this reform and Congress should act — should act.
We have a giant opportunity to bend the arc of the moral universe toward justice, real justice. And with the plans outlined tonight, we have a real chance to root out systemic racism that plagues America and American lives in other ways. The chance to deliver real equity, good jobs, good schools, affordable housing, clean air, clean water. Being able to generate wealth and pass it down to generations because you have an access to purchase a house. Real opportunities in the lives of more Americans, black, white, Latino, Asian Americans, Native Americans.
Look, I also want to thank the United States Senate for voting 94-to-1 to pass covid-19 Hate Crimes Act to protect Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
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They acted decisively.
You can see on television the viciousness of the hate crimes we've seen over the past year — the past year and for too long. I urge the House to do the same and send that legislation to my desk which I will gladly, anxiously sign.
I also hope Congress will get to my desk the Equality Act to protect LGBTQ Americans.
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All transgender Americans watching at home, especially young people, who are so brave, I want you to know your president has your back.
Another thing, let's authorize the Violence Against Women Act which has been law for 27 years.
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Twenty-seven years ago, I wrote it. It will close — the act that has to be authorized now will close the boyfriend loophole to keep guns out of the hands of abusers. A court order said this is an abuser, you can't own a gun. It's to close that loophole that existed.
You know, it’s estimated that 50 women are shot and killed by an intimate partner every month in America, 50 a month. Let’s pass it and save some lives.
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And I need to — I need not tell anyone this, but gun violence has become an epidemic in America. The flag at the White House was still flying at half-mast for the eight victims of the mass shooting in Georgia, when 10 more lives were taken in a mass shooting in Colorado. And in the week in between those two events, 250 other Americans were shot dead in the streets of America — 250 shot dead.
I know how hard it is to make progress on this issue. In the '90s, we passed universal background checks, a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines that hold a hundred rounds, that can be fired off in seconds. We beat the NRA.
Mass shootings and gun violence declined. Check out the report over 10 years. But in the early 2000s, the law expired. And we've seen daily bloodshed since. I'm not saying if the law continued, we wouldn't see bloodshed.
More than two weeks ago in the Rose Garden, surrounded by some of the bravest people I know, the survivors and families who lost loved ones to gun violence, I laid out several of the Department of Justice actions that are being taken to impact on this epidemic. One of them is banning so-called ghost guns.
These are homemade guns built from a kit that includes directions on how to finish the firearm. The parts have no serial numbers. So they show up at crime scenes. And they can't be traced.
The buyers of these ghost gun kits aren't required to pass any background checks. Anyone from a criminal or terrorist could buy this kit and within 30 minutes have a weapon that's lethal. But no more. And I'll do everything in my power to protect the American people from this epidemic of gun violence. But it's time for Congress to act as well.
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Look.
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I don't want to become confrontational. We need more Senate Republicans to join the overwhelming majority of Democratic colleagues and close the loopholes required in background check purchases of guns. We need a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. And don't tell me it can't be done. We did it before and it worked.
Talk to most responsible gun owners and hunters. They'll tell you there's no possible justification for having a hundred rounds in a weapon. What, do you think the deer are wearing Kevlar vests? I'll tell you, there are too many people today who are able to buy a gun but shouldn't be able to buy a gun.
These kinds of reasonable reforms have overwhelming support from the American people including many gun owners. The country supports reforms and Congress should act. This shouldn't be a red or blue issue.
And no amendment to the Constitution is absolute. You can't yell fire in a crowded theater. From the very beginning there were certain guns, weapons that could not be owned by Americans. Certain people could not own those weapons ever. We're not changing the Constitution.
We're being reasonable. I think this is not a Democrat or Republican issue. I think it's an American issue. And here's what else we can do. Immigration has always been essential to America. Let's end our exhausting war over immigration. For more than 30 years, politicians have talked about immigration reform and we've done nothing about it. It's time to fix it.
One day one of my presidency, I kept my commitments on a comprehensive immigration bill for the United States Congress. If you believe we need to secure the border, pass it because it has a lot of money for high tech border security. If you believe in a pathway to citizenship, pass it, for we're letting a million undocumented folks, the vast majority are (ph) here overstaying visas, pass it.
If you actually want to solve a problem, I've sent a bill, take a close look at it. We also have to get at the root problem of why people are fleeing, particularly to our southern border from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. The violence, the corruption, the gangs and the political instability, hunger, hurricanes, earthquakes, natural disasters.
When I was president — my president — when I was Vice President, the President asked me to focus on providing help needed to address the root causes of migration. And to help keep people in their own countries instead of being forced to leave.
The plan was working but the last administration decided it was not worth it. I’m restoring the program and ask Vice President Harris to lead our diplomatic effort to take care of this. I have absolute confidence she’ll get the job done.
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Look, if you don’t like my plan, let’s at least pass what we all agree on. Congress needs to pass legislation this year to finally secure protection for dreamers. The young people who’ve only known America as their home.
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And permanent protection for immigrants who are here on temporary protective status who came from countries beset by man-made and natural made violence and disaster.
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As well as the populated cities of the farmworkers who put food on our tables. Look —
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— immigrants have done so much for America during this pandemic and throughout our history. Our country supports immigration reform, we should act. Let’s argue over it. Let’s debate it but let’s act. And if we truly want to restore, to solve America we need to protect the sacred right to vote. Most people —
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More people voted in the last presidential election than any time in American history in the middle of the worst pandemic ever. It should be celebrated. Instead, it’s being attacked. Congress should pass H. R. 1 and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and send it to my desk right away.
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The country supports it and Congress should act now.
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Look, in conclusion, as we gather here tonight, the image of a violent mob assaulting this Capitol, desecrating our democracy remain vivid in all our minds. Lives were put at risk, many of your lives.
Lives were lost. Extraordinary courage was summoned. The insurrection was an existential crisis, a test on whether our democracy could survive and it did but the struggle is far from over.
The question of whether a democracy will long endure is both ancient and urgent, as old as our Republic. Still vital today. Can our democracy deliver on its promise that all of us created equal in the image of God had a chance to lead lives of dignity, respect, and possibility?
Can our democracy deliver the most — the most pressing needs of our people? Can our democracy overcome the lies, anger, hate and fears that have pulled us a part? America's adversaries, the autocrats of the world are betting we can't and I promise you they're betting we can't.
They believe we're too full of anger and division and rage. They look of the images of the mob that assaulted the Capitol as proof that the sun is setting on democracy but they're wrong. You know it. I know it. But we have to prove them wrong.
We have to prove democracy still works. That our government still works and we can deliver for our people. In our first 100 days together, we've acted to restore people's faith in democracy delivered.
We're vaccinating the nation. We're creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs. We're delivering real results to people. They can see it, feel it in their own lives.
Opening doors of opportunity, guaranteeing some more fairness and justice, that's the essence of America. That's democracy in action. Our Constitution opens with the words as trite as it sounds, “we, the people.” Well, it's time to remember that we the people are the government, you and I not some force in a distance capital. Not some powerful force we have no control over.
It's us. It's we the people. In another era when our democracy was tested, Franklin Roosevelt reminded us, in America we do our part. We all do our part. That's all I'm asking that we do our part, all of us. If we do that, we will meet the center challenge and the age by proving that democracy is durable and strong.
Autocrats will not win the future. We will. America will and the future belongs to America. As I stand here tonight before you in a new and vital hour of life and democracy of our nation and I can say with absolute confidence I have never been more confident or optimistic about America — not because I am president but because of what’s happening with the American people.
We've stared into the abyss of insurrection and autocracy, pandemic and pain, and we the people did not flinch. At the very moment our adversaries were certain we'd pull apart and fail, we came together; we united. With light and hope, we summoned a new strength, new resolve to position us to win the competition of the 21st century, on our way to a union more perfect, more prosperous and more just, as one people, one nation and one America.
Folks, as I told every world leader I've ever met with over the years, it's never, ever, ever been a good bet to bet against America. And it still isn't.
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We're the United States of America. There's not a single thing, nothing, nothing beyond our capacity.
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We can do whatever we set our minds to do, if we do it together.
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So let's begin to get together.
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God bless you all. And may God protect our troops.
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Thank you for your patience.
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/04/28/transcript-biden-joint-session-congress/
The Affordable Care Act has been a lifeline for millions of Americans, protecting people with preexisting conditions, protecting women’s health and the pandemic has demonstrated how badly, how badly it’s needed. Let’s lower deductibles for working families on the Affordable Care Act. And let’s lower prescription drug costs.
(SHEEP BLEATING)
We know how to do this.
(SHEEP BLEATING)
The last president had that as an objective, we all know how outrageously expensive drugs are in America. In fact, we pay the highest prescription drug prices of anywhere in the world, right here in America.
Nearly three times for the same drug, nearly three times what other countries pay. We have to change that and we can. Let's do what we talked about for all the years I was down here in this — in this body, in Congress. Let's give Medicare the power to save hundreds of billions out (ph) by negotiating lower drug prescription prices.
(SHEEP BLEATING)
And by the way, it won’t just — it won’t just help people on Medicare, lower prescription drug costs for everyone. And the money we save, which is billions of dollars can go to strengthen the Affordable Care Act, it can expand Medicare coverage benefits without costing taxpayers an additional penny. It’s within our power to do it. Let’s do it now.
(SHEEP BLEATING)
We’ve talked about it long enough. Democrats and Republicans, let’s get it done this year. This is all about a simple premise, health care should be a right, not a privilege, in America.
(SHEEP BLEATING)
So, how do we pay for my jobs and family plan? I made it clear we could do it without increasing the deficits. Let’s start with what I will not do. I will not impose any tax increase on people making less than $400,000. It’s — but it’s time for corporate America and the wealthiest one percent of Americans to just begin to pay their fair share. Just their fair share.
(SHEEP BLEATING)
Sometimes I have arguments with my friends in the Democratic Party. I think you should be able to become a billionaire and a millionaire but pay your fair share. Recent studies show that 55 of the nation’s biggest corporations paid zero Federal tax last year. Those 55 corporations made an excess of $40 billion in profit.
A lot of companies also evaded taxes through tax havens in Switzerland and Bermuda and the Cayman Islands, and they benefit from tax loopholes and deductions for off shoring jobs and shifting profits overseas.
It's not right. We're going to reform corporate taxes so they pay their fair share and help pay for the public investments their businesses will benefit from as well.
(SHEEP BLEATING)
We’re going to reward work not just wealth. We take the top tax bracket for the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans, those making over $400,000 or more, back up to where it was when George W. Bush was president when he started, 39.6 percent. That’s where it was when George W. was president.
We're going to get rid of the loopholes that allow Americans who make more than $1 million a year and pay a lower tax rate on their capital gains than American who receive a paycheck.
We're only going to effect three-tenths of 1 percent of all Americans by that action, three-tenths of 1 percent. And the IRS is going to crack down on millionaires and billionaires who cheat on their taxes. It's estimated to be billions of dollars by think tanks of left, right and center.
I'm not looking to punish anybody but I will not add a tax burden — additional tax burden of the middle tax in this country. They're already paying enough. I believe what I propose is fair.
(SHEEP BLEATING)
Fiscally responsible and it raises revenue to pay for the plans I propose and will create millions of jobs that will grow the economy and enhance our financial standing in the country. When you hear someone say, they don’t want to raise taxes on the wealthiest 1 percent or corporate America, ask them who’s taxes you want to raise?
Instead, who's are you going to cut? Look, the big tax cut of 2017. Remember it was supposed to pay for itself, that was how it was sold and generate vast economic growth. Instead, it added $2 trillion to the deficit. It was a huge windfall for corporate America and those at the very top.
Instead of using the tax saving to raise wages and invest in research and development, it poured billions of dollars into the pockets of CEOs.
In fact, the pay gap between CEOs and their workers is now among the largest in history. According to one study, CEOs make 320 times what the average worker in their corporation makes. It used to be below 100.
The pandemic has only made things worse. Twenty million Americans lost their job in the pandemic, working and middle-class Americans.
At the same time, roughly 650 billionaires in America saw their net worth increase by more than $1 trillion — in the same exact period.
Let me say it again: 650 people increased their wealth by more than $1 trillion during this pandemic. And they're now worth more than $4 trillion.
My fellow Americans, trickle down — trickle down economics has never worked. And it's time to grow the economy from the bottom and the middle out.
(SHEEP BLEATING)
You know, there's a broad consensus of economists, left, right, and center, and they agree what I'm proposing will help create millions of jobs and generate historic economic growth.
These are among the highest-value investments we can make as a nation. I've often said, our greatest strength is the power of our example, not just the example of our power.
In my conversations with world leaders, and I've spoken to over 38, 40 of them now, I've made it known — I've made it known that America is back. And you know what they say?
The comment I hear most of all from them is they say, “We see America's back, but for how long? But for how long?”
My fellow Americans, we have to show not just that we're back but that we're back to stay …
(SHEEP BLEATING)
… and that we aren't going to go it alone.
(SHEEP BLEATING)
We're going to do it by leading with our allies.
(SHEEP BLEATING)
No one nation can deal with all the crises of our time, from terrorism to nuclear proliferation, mass migration, cybersecurity, climate change, as well as what we're experiencing now, pandemics. There's no wall high enough to keep any virus out.
And our own vaccine supply, as it grows to meet our needs, and we're meeting them, will become an arsenal for vaccines for other countries, just as America was the arsenal for democracy for the world …
(SHEEP BLEATING)
… and in consequence, influence the world.
(SHEEP BLEATING)
But every American will have access before that occurs — every American have access to be fully covered by covid-19 from the vaccines we have.
Look, the climate crisis is not our fight alone. It's a global fight. The United States accounts, as all of you know, for less than 15 percent of carbon emissions. The rest of the world accounts for 85 percent. That's why I kept my commitment to rejoin the Paris accord, because if we do everything perfectly, it's not going to only matter.
I kept my commitment to convene a climate summit right here in America of all the major economies of the world, China, Russia, India, European Union. And I said I'd do it in my first 100 days.
And I want to be very blunt about it. I had — my attempt was to make sure that the world could see there was a consensus, that we are at an inflection point in history. The consensus is, if we act to save the planet, we can create millions of jobs and economic growth and opportunity to raise the standard of living of almost everyone around the world.
If you'd watched any of it — and you were all busy, I'm sure you didn't have much time — that's what virtually every nation said, even the ones that aren't doing their fair share.
The investments I propose tonight also advance a foreign policy, in my view, that benefits the middle class. That means making sure every nation plays by the same rules in the global economy, including China.
In my discussions with President Xi, I told him we welcome the competition. We are not looking for conflict. But I made absolutely clear that we will defend America's interests across the board. America will stand up to unfair trade practices that undercut American workers and American industries like subsidies from state to state-owned operations and enterprises, and the theft of America technology and intellectual property.
I also told President Xi that we'll maintain a strong military presence in the Indo-Pacific, just as we do with NATO and Europe, not to start a conflict but to prevent one.
(SHEEP BLEATING)
I told him what I’ve said to many world leaders, that America will not back away from our commitments, our commitments to human rights and our fundamental freedoms and our alliances. And I pointed out to him, no responsible American president could remain silent when basic human rights are being so blatantly violated.
An American president has to represent the essence of what our country stands for. America is an idea, the most unique idea in history. We are created, all of us, equal. It's who we are. And we cannot walk away from that principle and in fact say we are dealing with the American idea.
With regard to Russia, I know it concerns some of you, but I made it clear to Putin that we are not seek — excuse me, escalation, but their actions will have consequences if they turn out to be true, and they turned out to be true. So I responded directly proportionally to Russia's interference in our elections and the cyber attacks on our government and our business. They did both of these things. And I told them we would respond, and we have.
We can cooperate when it's our mutual interest. We did it when we extended a New START accord on nuclear arms and we are working to do it on climate change. But he understands, we will respond.
On Iran and North Korea, nuclear programs that present serious threats to American security and the security of the world, we're going to be working closely to our allies to address the threats posed by both of these countries through diplomacy as well as stern deterrence.
And American leadership meaning ending the forever war in Afghanistan. We have …
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We have, without hyperbole, the greatest fighting force of the history of the world. I’m the first president 40 years who knows what it means to have a son serving in a war zone. Today we have service members serving in the same war zone as their parents did. We have service members in Afghanistan who are not yet born on 9/11. The war in Afghanistan, as we remember the debates here, were never meant to be multigenerational undertakings of nation-building.
We want Afghanistan to get terrorists, the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11. And we said we would follow Osama bin Laden to the gates of hell to do it. If you've been in the upper Konar Valley you've kind of seen the gates of hell. And we delivered justice to bin Laden. We degraded the terrorist threat of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. And after 20 years of value, valor, and sacrifice, it's time to bring those troops home.
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Look, even as we do, we’ll maintain over-the-horizon capacity to suppress future threats to the homeland. Make no mistake, in 20 years terrorism has metastasized. The threat has evolved way beyond Afghanistan. Those of you in the intelligence committees, the foreign relation committees, defense committees, you know well we have to remain vigilant against the threats to the United States wherever they come from. al-Qaeda and ISIS are in Yemen, Syria, Somalia, other places in Africa and the Middle East and beyond.
And we won't ignore what our intelligence agencies determine to be the most lethal terrorist threat to our homeland today, white supremacy is terrorism. We're not going to ignore that either.
My fellow Americans, look, we have to come together to heal the soul of this nation. It was nearly a year ago before her father’s funeral when I spoke with Gianna Floyd, George Floyd’s young daughter. She was a little tyke, so I was kneeling down to talk to her, so I could see — look her in the eye.
She looked at me, she said, “My daddy changed the world.” Well, after the conviction of George Floyd's murderer, we can see how right she was if — if we have the courage to act in Congress.
We've all seen the knee of injustice on the neck of black Americans. Now is our opportunity to make some real progress. The vast majority of men and women wearing the uniform in a badge serve our communities and they serve them honorably. I know them.
I know they want —
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— I know they want to help meet this moment, as well.
My fellow Americans, we have to come together to rebuild trust between law enforcement and the people they serve, to root out systemic racism in our criminal justice system, and enact police reform in George Floyd's name that passed the House already.
I know Republicans have their own ideas and are engaged in a very productive discussions with the Democrats in the Senate. We need to work together to find a consensus. But let's get it done next month by the first anniversary of George Floyd's death.
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The country supports this reform and Congress should act — should act.
We have a giant opportunity to bend the arc of the moral universe toward justice, real justice. And with the plans outlined tonight, we have a real chance to root out systemic racism that plagues America and American lives in other ways. The chance to deliver real equity, good jobs, good schools, affordable housing, clean air, clean water. Being able to generate wealth and pass it down to generations because you have an access to purchase a house. Real opportunities in the lives of more Americans, black, white, Latino, Asian Americans, Native Americans.
Look, I also want to thank the United States Senate for voting 94-to-1 to pass covid-19 Hate Crimes Act to protect Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
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They acted decisively.
You can see on television the viciousness of the hate crimes we've seen over the past year — the past year and for too long. I urge the House to do the same and send that legislation to my desk which I will gladly, anxiously sign.
I also hope Congress will get to my desk the Equality Act to protect LGBTQ Americans.
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All transgender Americans watching at home, especially young people, who are so brave, I want you to know your president has your back.
Another thing, let's authorize the Violence Against Women Act which has been law for 27 years.
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Twenty-seven years ago, I wrote it. It will close — the act that has to be authorized now will close the boyfriend loophole to keep guns out of the hands of abusers. A court order said this is an abuser, you can't own a gun. It's to close that loophole that existed.
You know, it’s estimated that 50 women are shot and killed by an intimate partner every month in America, 50 a month. Let’s pass it and save some lives.
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And I need to — I need not tell anyone this, but gun violence has become an epidemic in America. The flag at the White House was still flying at half-mast for the eight victims of the mass shooting in Georgia, when 10 more lives were taken in a mass shooting in Colorado. And in the week in between those two events, 250 other Americans were shot dead in the streets of America — 250 shot dead.
I know how hard it is to make progress on this issue. In the '90s, we passed universal background checks, a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines that hold a hundred rounds, that can be fired off in seconds. We beat the NRA.
Mass shootings and gun violence declined. Check out the report over 10 years. But in the early 2000s, the law expired. And we've seen daily bloodshed since. I'm not saying if the law continued, we wouldn't see bloodshed.
More than two weeks ago in the Rose Garden, surrounded by some of the bravest people I know, the survivors and families who lost loved ones to gun violence, I laid out several of the Department of Justice actions that are being taken to impact on this epidemic. One of them is banning so-called ghost guns.
These are homemade guns built from a kit that includes directions on how to finish the firearm. The parts have no serial numbers. So they show up at crime scenes. And they can't be traced.
The buyers of these ghost gun kits aren't required to pass any background checks. Anyone from a criminal or terrorist could buy this kit and within 30 minutes have a weapon that's lethal. But no more. And I'll do everything in my power to protect the American people from this epidemic of gun violence. But it's time for Congress to act as well.
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Look.
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I don't want to become confrontational. We need more Senate Republicans to join the overwhelming majority of Democratic colleagues and close the loopholes required in background check purchases of guns. We need a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. And don't tell me it can't be done. We did it before and it worked.
Talk to most responsible gun owners and hunters. They'll tell you there's no possible justification for having a hundred rounds in a weapon. What, do you think the deer are wearing Kevlar vests? I'll tell you, there are too many people today who are able to buy a gun but shouldn't be able to buy a gun.
These kinds of reasonable reforms have overwhelming support from the American people including many gun owners. The country supports reforms and Congress should act. This shouldn't be a red or blue issue.
And no amendment to the Constitution is absolute. You can't yell fire in a crowded theater. From the very beginning there were certain guns, weapons that could not be owned by Americans. Certain people could not own those weapons ever. We're not changing the Constitution.
We're being reasonable. I think this is not a Democrat or Republican issue. I think it's an American issue. And here's what else we can do. Immigration has always been essential to America. Let's end our exhausting war over immigration. For more than 30 years, politicians have talked about immigration reform and we've done nothing about it. It's time to fix it.
One day one of my presidency, I kept my commitments on a comprehensive immigration bill for the United States Congress. If you believe we need to secure the border, pass it because it has a lot of money for high tech border security. If you believe in a pathway to citizenship, pass it, for we're letting a million undocumented folks, the vast majority are (ph) here overstaying visas, pass it.
If you actually want to solve a problem, I've sent a bill, take a close look at it. We also have to get at the root problem of why people are fleeing, particularly to our southern border from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. The violence, the corruption, the gangs and the political instability, hunger, hurricanes, earthquakes, natural disasters.
When I was president — my president — when I was Vice President, the President asked me to focus on providing help needed to address the root causes of migration. And to help keep people in their own countries instead of being forced to leave.
The plan was working but the last administration decided it was not worth it. I’m restoring the program and ask Vice President Harris to lead our diplomatic effort to take care of this. I have absolute confidence she’ll get the job done.
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Look, if you don’t like my plan, let’s at least pass what we all agree on. Congress needs to pass legislation this year to finally secure protection for dreamers. The young people who’ve only known America as their home.
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And permanent protection for immigrants who are here on temporary protective status who came from countries beset by man-made and natural made violence and disaster.
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As well as the populated cities of the farmworkers who put food on our tables. Look —
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— immigrants have done so much for America during this pandemic and throughout our history. Our country supports immigration reform, we should act. Let’s argue over it. Let’s debate it but let’s act. And if we truly want to restore, to solve America we need to protect the sacred right to vote. Most people —
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More people voted in the last presidential election than any time in American history in the middle of the worst pandemic ever. It should be celebrated. Instead, it’s being attacked. Congress should pass H. R. 1 and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and send it to my desk right away.
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The country supports it and Congress should act now.
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Look, in conclusion, as we gather here tonight, the image of a violent mob assaulting this Capitol, desecrating our democracy remain vivid in all our minds. Lives were put at risk, many of your lives.
Lives were lost. Extraordinary courage was summoned. The insurrection was an existential crisis, a test on whether our democracy could survive and it did but the struggle is far from over.
The question of whether a democracy will long endure is both ancient and urgent, as old as our Republic. Still vital today. Can our democracy deliver on its promise that all of us created equal in the image of God had a chance to lead lives of dignity, respect, and possibility?
Can our democracy deliver the most — the most pressing needs of our people? Can our democracy overcome the lies, anger, hate and fears that have pulled us a part? America's adversaries, the autocrats of the world are betting we can't and I promise you they're betting we can't.
They believe we're too full of anger and division and rage. They look of the images of the mob that assaulted the Capitol as proof that the sun is setting on democracy but they're wrong. You know it. I know it. But we have to prove them wrong.
We have to prove democracy still works. That our government still works and we can deliver for our people. In our first 100 days together, we've acted to restore people's faith in democracy delivered.
We're vaccinating the nation. We're creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs. We're delivering real results to people. They can see it, feel it in their own lives.
Opening doors of opportunity, guaranteeing some more fairness and justice, that's the essence of America. That's democracy in action. Our Constitution opens with the words as trite as it sounds, “we, the people.” Well, it's time to remember that we the people are the government, you and I not some force in a distance capital. Not some powerful force we have no control over.
It's us. It's we the people. In another era when our democracy was tested, Franklin Roosevelt reminded us, in America we do our part. We all do our part. That's all I'm asking that we do our part, all of us. If we do that, we will meet the center challenge and the age by proving that democracy is durable and strong.
Autocrats will not win the future. We will. America will and the future belongs to America. As I stand here tonight before you in a new and vital hour of life and democracy of our nation and I can say with absolute confidence I have never been more confident or optimistic about America — not because I am president but because of what’s happening with the American people.
We've stared into the abyss of insurrection and autocracy, pandemic and pain, and we the people did not flinch. At the very moment our adversaries were certain we'd pull apart and fail, we came together; we united. With light and hope, we summoned a new strength, new resolve to position us to win the competition of the 21st century, on our way to a union more perfect, more prosperous and more just, as one people, one nation and one America.
Folks, as I told every world leader I've ever met with over the years, it's never, ever, ever been a good bet to bet against America. And it still isn't.
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We're the United States of America. There's not a single thing, nothing, nothing beyond our capacity.
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We can do whatever we set our minds to do, if we do it together.
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So let's begin to get together.
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God bless you all. And may God protect our troops.
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Thank you for your patience.
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/04/28/transcript-biden-joint-session-congress/
