President Biden Proposes a New Course for America in His First Address to Congress

 This is a moment Joe Biden has waited 48 years for.

For the first time in over 44 years of government service, he sat at the speaker's podium in the House of Representatives to deliver comments to the nation as the President of the United States.

Please click here to read the full transcript of the Address.

With Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker Nancy Pelosi presiding, the President said it is "good to be back."  He then became the first President to say "Madam Vice President" and "Second Gentleman" from that podium, telling the American People "no president has ever said those words from this podium and it's about time."

Mr. Biden focused his address on proposing a new course for the country by discussing:

• The events of the first 100 days of the Biden/Harris Administration.
• The American Jobs Plan.
• The American Families Plan.
• Law Enforcement Reform.
• Immigration Reform.
• American leadership in the World.
• Protecting American Democracy and defeating Autocracy.

Introductory Remarks on the First Hundred Days

Mr. Biden's first comments centered on the events of the first 100 days of his Administration. His introductory remarks revolved around American Resolve.

"Tonight, I come to talk about crisis — and opportunity. About rebuilding our nation — and revitalizing our democracy. And winning the future for America. As I stand here tonight — just one day shy of the 100th day of my administration. 100 days since I took the oath of office, lifted my hand off our family Bible, and inherited a nation in crisis. The worst pandemic in a century. The worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. The worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War. Now, after just 100 days, I can report to the nation: America is on the move again."

"...But in America, we never stay down. In America, we always get up. And today, that’s what we’re doing: America is rising anew. Choosing hope over fear. Truth over lies. Light over darkness. After 100 days of rescue and renewal, America is ready for takeoff. We are working again. Dreaming again. Discovering again. Leading the world again. We have shown each other and the world: There is no quit in America."

The President then extolled the merits of the American Rescue Plan, highlighting:

• The production and distribution of vaccines to over to the tune of over 200 million shots in the first 100 days. The President reminded the American People that anyone aged 16 or over could get the vaccination and implored them to do so.
• The sending of $1400 relief checks to 85 percent of the American People.
• Helping people put food on the table.
• Rental assistance.
• 800,000 people enrolling in the Affordable Care Act Marketplaces during the special enrollment period.
• Improved health care for Veterans.
• Reducing child poverty in half.

Proposing a New Course for the United States with the American Jobs and Families Plans.

Citing growing competition with China, historical proof that trickle-down economics (tax cuts for the rich) does not work, and the fact that the United States Government has not invested in the future like it used to, President Biden proposed a new course for America that would "grow the economy from the bottom up and middle out" by detailing his American Jobs and Families Plan.

The American Jobs Plan, as Biden reminded the people would focus on revitalizing and rebuilding United States infrastructure like:

• Replacing dirty lead water pipes in ten million homes and 400,000 schools.
• Upgrade transportation infrastructures like roads, rail, bridges, transit lines, waterways, and airports.
• Expanding broadband including 35 percent of Rural America that lacks it.
• Constructing a modern and clean electric grid.
• Home care for the elderly and disabled. There is currently an 800,000 person waiting list on Medicare for home care.
• Building energy-efficient homes.
• Constructing 500,000 electric charging stations for electric vehicles.
• Farmers producing cover crops.
• The biggest increase in nondefense research like advanced batteries, biotechnology, computer chips, and clean energy.
• Combatting cancer.

The American Jobs Plan, according to President Biden, would be:

• "A once-in-a-generation investment in America itself."
• "The largest jobs plan since World War II."
• "Based on the motto "buy American." Mr. Biden said there was no reason wind turbine parts could not be produced in Pittsburgh instead of China.
• "A blue-collar blueprint to build America where 90 percent of the jobs in the American Jobs plan do not require a college degree and 75 percent do not need an Associates."

Mr. Biden advised the American People that the time to act is now because "the rest of the world isn’t waiting for us. Doing nothing is not an option."

The President then transitioned and discussed the components of the American Families Plan which was released earlier in the day. These components included:

• Adding two years of free pre-school.
• Adding two years of free community college.
• Increasing Pell Grants and investing in Black, Tribal, and Minority Serving Colleges.
• Increasing access to quality and affordable child care.
• Providing paid family and medical leave.
• Expanding tax credits for children and child care.
• Making the health care tax credits permanent.

How to pay for all of this?

By making the ultra-wealthy individuals, families, and businesses pay their fair share.

Discussing the fairness of asking the ultra-wealthy to pay more in taxes, the President reminded the American People:

• "Wall Street didn’t build this country. The middle class built this country. And unions build the middle class."
• "55 of the nation’s biggest corporations paid zero in federal income tax last year. No federal taxes on more than $40 billion in profits."
• "The pay gap between CEOs and their workers is now among the largest in history. According to one study, CEOs make 320 times what their average workers make."
• "While 20 million Americans lost their jobs in the pandemic – working- and middle-class Americans, the roughly 650 Billionaires in America saw their net worth increase by more than $one trillion."
• Taxes on those making over $400,000 would go up to the level they were when George W. Bush first became President (39.6 percent.)
• Any Capital Gains increase would be on three-tenths of one percent of the wealthiest Americans.

Mr. Biden said he would not ask the Middle or Lower Classes to pay more in taxes, relaying that "they’re already paying enough."

Other measures the President called on Congress to Pass

• Protecting the Right to Organize Act.
• A $15.00 an hour Minimum Wage.
• Paycheck Fairness Act.
• Lower deductibles for people with health insurance plans on the Affordable Care Act marketplaces.
• Lowering the costs of prescription drugs.
• The George Floyd Law Enforcement Reform Act.
• Immigration Reform that provides border security and a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and others people that qualify for it.
• Equality Act that would protect the LGBTQ Community.
• The reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act and do away with the loophole that allows violent partners to keep their weapons.
• An assault weapons ban and close gun show background check loopholes. I liked the ad-lipped line about deers.
• HR 1 and the John Lewis Acts to protect and expand Voting Rights.

For all these measures, the President said "let's argue over it. Let's debate it. Let's act."

 

America's Place in the World.

Mr. Biden relayed that in conversations with other World Leaders that "America is back."

Unfortunately, those same global leaders have questioned how long America would be back.

Biden told the American People that it was important "to show not just that we are back, but that we are here to stay" especially on issues like combatting climate change.

He also reaffirmed that the United States would be tough on bad actors like China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and terrorist organizations.

He also said that after every American gets access to the COVID 19 vaccine, the United States would become "an arsenal for vaccines" for the rest of the world.

The President also said he was glad he was ending the "forever war" in Afghanistan where people are now serving who were born after 9/11 and children are stationed in the same country their parents were.

Protecting American Democracy

In his closing remarks, President Biden passionately spoke about the need to protect and expand American Democracy, asking the questions:

• "Can our democracy deliver on its promise that all of us – created equal in the image of God – have a chance to lead lives of dignity, respect, and possibility?
• Can our democracy deliver on the most pressing needs of our people?
• Can our democracy overcome the lies, anger, hate, and fears that have pulled us apart?"

Biden told the audience that the autocrats around the world were betting against American Democracy.

He then closed his address by saying:

"They (the autocrats) are wrong. And we have to prove them wrong. We have to prove democracy still works. That our government still works – and can deliver for the people. In our first 100 days together, we have acted to restore the people’s faith in our democracy to deliver. We’re vaccinating the nation. We’re creating hundreds of thousands of jobs. We’re delivering real results people can see and feel in their own lives. Opening the doors of opportunity. Guaranteeing fairness and justice. That’s the essence of America. That’s democracy in action. Our Constitution opens with the words, “We the People”. It’s time we remembered that We the People are the government. You and I. Not some force in a distant 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. That’s all I’m asking. That we all do our part. And if we do, then we will meet the central challenge of the age by proving that democracy is durable and strong. The autocrats will not win the future. America will. The future will belong to America. I stand here tonight before you in a new and vital hour in the life of our democracy and our nation. And I can say with absolute confidence: I have never been more confident or more optimistic about America. We have stared into an abyss of insurrection and autocracy — of pandemic and pain — and “We the People” did not flinch. At the very moment, our adversaries were certain we would pull apart and fail. We came together. United. With light and hope, we summoned new strength and new resolve. To position us to win the competition for the 21st Century. On our way forward to a Union more perfect. More prosperous. More just. As one people. One nation. One America. It’s never been a good bet to bet against America. And it still isn’t. We are the United States of America. There is nothing – nothing – beyond our capacity – nothing we can’t do – if we do it together. May God bless you all.  May God protect our troops."