BIDEN'S ADDRESS
What did Joe Biden say in his 2023 State of the Union address?
ON FEBRUARY 7, 2023, President Joe Biden delivered his presidency's second State of the Union address.
While his first State of the Union speech came just days after Russia invaded Ukraine, events that became a central theme in his remarks, this year's address is more geared toward the homefront.
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What did Joe Biden say about domestic politics during his State of the Union address?
Biden began his speech by congratulating the newest members in charge of the Senate and Congress.
He reached across the aisle to congratulate the new Speaker of the House, Mitch McConnell.
He then touted signing over 300 pieces of bipartisan legislation in the past two years, creating more jobs than any other president in two years, and having a 50-year low in unemployment rates.
He also discussed the following:
- A record of 10million new Americans starting small businesses
- Moving production back to the US
- Inflation falling steadily over the past six months
- Rebuilding the greatest infrastructure in the world
- New laws for all federal infrastructure projects to be made using products made in America
- The inflation deduction act to bring healthcare and prescription costs down
- Capping the costs of Medicare
- Working on global warming and re-building for the long term
- Lowering taxes for the middle class
- Bringing the country's parties back together
- Stopping 'junk' service fees
- Getting working parents more affordable childcare
- Raising pay for public school teachers
- Decreasing student debt
- Connecting students to jobs beginning in high school
- Cracking down on identity fraud
- Equal protection for all races by police officers
- More training for police officers and first responders
- Work with doctors to help with the opioid crisis
- The launch of ARPAH drive
The President continuously repeated the phrase "finish the job" concerning his points above, from bringing healthcare costs down to keeping taxes low for working citizens.
He also discussed how far we've come since the Covid-19 crisis began, yet how we need to stay vigilant.
He welcomed the parents of Tyre Nichols, who police officers killed in Memphis, Tennesee, on January 7, 2023.
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President Biden promised to veto the national abortion ban.
Biden directly called out big tech companies stating the following: ";Stop big tech companies from collecting dating on our kids."
He expressed the need to focus more on children's mental health and holding social media companies responsible.
The president also acknowledged his and Jill Biden's efforts to cure cancer by igniting Cancer Moonshot: "Our goal is to cut the cancer death rate by at least 50% over the next 25 years. Turn more cancers from death sentences into treatable diseases. And provide more support for patients and families."
He concluded the speech by promising to protect democracy.
His last statement was: "We are the United States of America and there is nothing, nothing beyond our capacity if we do it together."
What did Joe Biden say about foreign politics during his State of the Union speech?
Biden also mentioned several issues that had to do with foreign politics.
He discussed issues including:
- Partner up with China in order to advance American interests.
- Stand for the sovereignty of Ukraine
- Promised to unite NATO and maintain peace
While addressing the Russian and Ukraine crisis, Biden bought up America's stance on democracy.
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He stated that America stood against Putin's aggression.
Biden said: "Our nation is working for more freedom, more dignity, and more peace, not just in Europe, but everywhere."
The President also went on to address China. In this speech, he mentioned wanting to work together with the country.
'I’ve made clear with President Xi that we seek competition, not conflict.'
However, President Biden did say that he will take action to protect America's sovereignty if China threatens the United States in any way.
What is a State of the Union speech?
Every US President gives a State of the Union speech near the beginning of every calendar year.
During this annual speech, the President updates Congress and viewers from all over the country on the nation's current condition.
“These speeches go through many, many drafts,” Michael Waldman, president of the Brennan Center for Justice and a former chief speechwriter for President Bill Clinton, told the .
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During last year's State of the Union speech, Biden focused on the war in Ukraine, as well as on the following topics that he hoped to enact:
- Decreasing inflation
- Creating infrastructure improvements
- Reducing the cost of prescription drugs
- Cutting the cost of childcare
- Setting a minimum tax rate for corporations
- Holding higher standards for nursing homes
- Increasing Pell Grants and investing in community colleges
- Further funding for the police
- Increasing attention and funding for the opioid epidemic
- Expanding benefits for veterans suffering from cancer
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