We believed we could reduce our dependence on foreign oil and protect our planet. And today, America is number one in oil and gas. America is number one in wind power.We believed that sensible regulations could prevent another crisis, shield families
from ruin, and encourage fair competition. Today, we have new tools to stop taxpayer-funded bailouts, and a new consumer watchdog to protect us from predatory lending and abusive credit card practices.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Jan 20, 2015
On Civil Rights:
It's right to condemn the persecution of LGBT people
As Americans, we respect human dignity, even when we're threatened, which is why I've prohibited torture, and worked to make sure our use of new technology like drones is properly constrained.
It's why we speak out against the deplorable anti-Semitism that has resurfaced in certain parts of the world. It's why we continue to reject offensive stereotypes of Muslims--the vast majority of whom share our commitment to peace.
That's why we defend free speech, and advocate for political prisoners, and condemn the persecution of women, or religious minorities, or people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.
We do these things not only because they're right, but because they make us safer.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Jan 20, 2015
On Corporations:
Close loopholes that let top 1% avoid paying taxes
As Americans, we don't mind paying our fair share of taxes, as long as everybody else does, too. But for far too long, lobbyists have rigged the tax code with loopholes that let some corporations pay nothing while others pay full freight. They've riddled
it with giveaways the superrich don't need, denying a break to middle class families who do.Let's close loopholes so we stop rewarding companies that keep profits abroad, and reward those that invest in America. Let's use those savings to rebuild our
infrastructure and make it more attractive for companies to bring jobs home. Let's simplify the system and let a small business owner file based on her actual bank statement, instead of the number of accountants she can afford. And let's close the
loopholes that lead to inequality by allowing the top 1% to avoid paying taxes on their accumulated wealth. We need a tax code that truly helps working Americans trying to get a leg up in the new economy, and we can achieve that together.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Jan 20, 2015
On Crime:
Crime rate and incarceration rate have come down together
Surely we can agree it's a good thing that for the first time in 40 years, the crime rate and the incarceration rate have come down together, and use that as a starting point for Democrats and Republicans, community leaders and law enforcement, to reform
America's criminal justice system so that it protects and serves us all. That's a better politics. That's how we start rebuilding trust. That's how we move this country forward. That's what the American people want. That's what they deserve.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Jan 20, 2015
On Education:
Lower the cost of community college to zero
America thrived in the 20th century because we made high school free, and sent a generation of GIs to college. But in a 21st century economy that rewards knowledge like never before, we need to do more.We still live in a country where too many are
priced out of the education they need. It's not fair to them, & it's not smart for our future. That's why I am sending this Congress a bold new plan to lower the cost of community college--to zero.
40% of our college students choose community college.
This plan is your chance to graduate ready for the new economy, without a load of debt. Understand, you've got to earn it--you've got to keep your grades up and graduate on time. I want to spread that idea all across America, so that two years of college
becomes as free and universal in America as high school is today. And I want to work with this Congress, to make sure Americans already burdened with student loans can reduce their monthly payments, so that student debt doesn't derail anyone's dreams.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Jan 20, 2015
On Energy & Oil:
14 warmest years on record occurred in last 15 years
No challenge poses a greater threat to future generations than climate change. 2014 was the planet's warmest year on record. Now, one year doesn't make a trend, but this does--14 of the 15 warmest years on record have all fallen in the first 15 years of
this century.I've heard some folks try to dodge the evidence by saying they're not scientists; that we don't have enough information to act. Well, I'm not a scientist, either. But you know what--I know a lot of really good scientists at NASA, and
NOAA, and at our major universities. The best scientists in the world are all telling us that our activities are changing the climate, and if we do not act forcefully, we'll continue to see rising oceans, longer, hotter heat waves, dangerous droughts
and floods, and massive disruptions that can trigger greater migration, conflict, and hunger around the globe. The Pentagon says that climate change poses immediate risks to our national security. We should act like it.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Jan 20, 2015
On Energy & Oil:
China has agreed with US; rest of world will now follow
Over the past six years, we've done more than ever before to combat climate change, from the way we produce energy, to the way we use it. That's why we've set aside more public lands and waters than any administration in history. And that's why
I will not let this Congress endanger the health of our children by turning back the clock on our efforts. I am determined to make sure American leadership drives international action. In Beijing, we made an historic announcement--the
United States will double the pace at which we cut carbon pollution, and China committed, for the first time, to limiting their emissions. And because the world's two largest economies came together, other
nations are now stepping up, and offering hope that, this year, the world will finally reach an agreement to protect the one planet we've got.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Jan 20, 2015
On Energy & Oil:
FactCheck: US Is biggest oil & gas producer, but privately
Obama said, "We believed we could reduce our dependence on foreign oil and protect our planet. And today, America is number one in oil and gas."FactCheck: The US is now the largest oil and natural-gas producer in the world: domestic oil production
increased from an average of 5.2 million barrels per day in 2009 to 7.2 million barrels per day in 2013. Natural-gas production jumped from 21.6 trillion cubic feet to 25.5 trillion cubic feet during the same period.
That boom, however, has taken
place largely on state and private land and out of reach of the administration. And while fossil-fuel production is up overall, from 2009 to 2013, oil and natural-gas production actually decreased on federally owned tracts of land.
US imports of crude oil have also fallen in recent years, declining from an average of 9.7 million barrels per day of oil imports in 2008 to 8.5 million barrels per day in 2012. But despite that decline, the US remains the No. 1 oil importer in the world
Source: National Journal FactCheck on 2015 State of the Union
Jan 20, 2015
On Families & Children:
Families aren't looking for handouts, but for a fair shot
Today, thanks to a growing economy, the recovery is touching more and more lives. Wages are finally starting to rise again. We know that more small business owners plan to raise their employees' pay than at any time since 2007. But here's the thing--
those of us here tonight, we need to set our sights higher than just making sure government doesn't halt the progress we're making. We need to do more than just do no harm. Tonight, together, let's do more to restore the link between hard work and
growing opportunity for every American.Because families still need our help. Millions of hardworking Americans aren't asking for a handout, but asking that we look for more ways to help families get ahead.
Middle-class economics is the idea
that this country does best when everyone gets their fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules. We don't just want everyone to share in America's success--we want everyone to contribute to our success.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Jan 20, 2015
On Families & Children:
Childcare is an economic priority; not a side-issue
Middle-class economics means helping working families feel more secure in a world of constant change. That means helping folks afford childcare, college, health care, a home, retirement--and my budget will address each of these issues, lowering the taxes
of working families and putting thousands of dollars back into their pockets each year.In today's economy, when having both parents in the workforce is an economic necessity for many families, we need affordable, high-quality childcare more than ever.
It's not a nice-to-have--it's a must-have. It's time we stop treating childcare as a side issue, or a women's issue, and treat it like the national economic priority that it is for all of us. And that's why my plan will make quality childcare more
available, and more affordable, for every middle-class and low-income family with young children in America--by creating more slots and a new tax cut of up to $3,000 per child, per year.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Jan 20, 2015
On Foreign Policy:
Don't let our fears blind us to opportunity
My first duty as Commander-in-Chief is to defend the United States of America. In doing so, the question is not whether America leads in the world, but how. When we make rash decisions, reacting to the headlines instead of using our heads;
when the first response to a challenge is to send in our military--then we risk getting drawn into unnecessary conflicts, and neglect the broader strategy we need for a safer, more prosperous world. That's what our enemies want us to do.
I believe in a smarter kind of American leadership. We lead best when we combine military power with strong diplomacy; when we leverage our power with coalition building; when we don't let our fears blind us to the opportunities that
this new century presents. That's exactly what we're doing right now--and around the globe, it is making a difference.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Jan 20, 2015
On Foreign Policy:
Russia is in tatters because of our steady resolve
We're upholding the principle that bigger nations can't bully the small--by opposing Russian aggression, supporting Ukraine's democracy, and reassuring our NATO allies. Last year, as we were doing the hard work of imposing sanctions along with our
allies, some suggested that Mr. Putin's aggression was a masterful display of strategy and strength. Well, today, it is America that stands strong and united with our allies, while Russia is isolated, with its economy in tatters.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Jan 20, 2015
On Foreign Policy:
Cuba: When something doesn't work for 50 years, change it
In Cuba, we are ending a policy that was long past its expiration date. When what you're doing doesn't work for fifty years, it's time to try something new. Our shift in Cuba policy has the potential to end a legacy of mistrust in
our hemisphere; removes a phony excuse for restrictions in Cuba; stands up for democratic values; and extends the hand of friendship to the Cuban people. And this year, Congress should begin the work of ending the embargo.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Jan 20, 2015
On Free Trade:
21st century businesses need to sell more overseas
21st century businesses, including small businesses, need to sell more American products overseas. Today, our businesses export more than ever, and exporters tend to pay their workers higher wages. But as we speak, China wants to write the rules for the
world's fastest-growing region. That would put our workers and businesses at a disadvantage. Why would we let that happen? We should write those rules. We should level the playing field. That's why I'm asking both parties to give me trade promotion
authority to protect American workers, with strong new trade deals from Asia to Europe that aren't just free, but fair.Look, I'm the first one to admit that past trade deals haven't always lived up to the hype. But 95% of the world's customers live
outside our borders, and we can't close ourselves off from those opportunities. More than half of manufacturing executives have said they're actively looking at bringing jobs back from China. Let's give them one more reason to get it done.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Jan 20, 2015
On Government Reform:
Right to vote is sacred & is being denied to too many
A better politics is one where we appeal to each other's basic decency instead of our basest fears. We may go at it in campaign season, but surely we can agree that the right to vote is sacred; that it's being denied to too many; and that, on this
50th anniversary of the great march from Selma to Montgomery and the passage of the Voting Rights Act, we can come together, Democrats and Republicans, to make voting easier for every single American.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Jan 20, 2015
On Health Care:
ObamaCare didn't crush jobs nor explode deficits
In the past year alone, about ten million uninsured Americans finally gained the security of health coverage. At every step, we were told our goals were misguided or too ambitious; that we would crush jobs and explode deficits. Instead, we've seen the
fastest economic growth in over a decade, our deficits cut by two-thirds, a stock market that has doubled, and health care inflation at its lowest rate in fifty years.So the verdict is clear. Middle-class economics works. Expanding opportunity works.
And these policies will continue to work, as long as politics don't get in the way. We can't slow down businesses or put our economy at risk with government shutdowns or fiscal showdowns. We can't put the security of families at risk by taking away
their health insurance, or unraveling the new rules on Wall Street, or refighting past battles on immigration when we've got a system to fix. And if a bill comes to my desk that tries to do any of these things, it will earn my veto.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Jan 20, 2015
On Health Care:
Ebola teaches us how to prevent future pandemics
In West Africa, our troops, our scientists, our doctors, our nurses and healthcare workers are rolling back Ebola--saving countless lives and stopping the spread of disease. I couldn't be prouder of them, and I thank this Congress for your bipartisan
support of their efforts. But the job is not yet done--and the world needs to use this lesson to build a more effective global effort to prevent the spread of future pandemics, invest in smart development, and eradicate extreme poverty.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Jan 20, 2015
On Health Care:
FactCheck: Yes, 10 million newly insured last year
Obama said, "In the past year alone, about 10 million uninsured Americans finally gained the security of health coverage."FactCheck: We don't know for sure how many uninsured Americans have gotten coverage through the Affordable Care Act, but
Obama's math is in line with estimates published last year in the New England Journal of Medicine. That analysis--which was conducted in part by Health and Human Services--estimated that 10.3 million Americans gained insurance due to
ObamaCare, based on the decline in the uninsured rate and 2014 census estimates.
That estimate is more generous to ObamaCare than the most recent Gallup Poll, but Gallup still found the percentage of Americans without health insurance is lower than
it's ever been. The polling firm said earlier this month that roughly 13 percent of Americans lack health insurance--a steep drop of more than 4 percent since ObamaCare enrollment began.
Source: National Journal FactCheck on 2015 State of the Union
Jan 20, 2015
On Homeland Security:
Finish the job: it's time to close Gitmo
As Americans, we have a profound commitment to justice--so it makes no sense to spend three million dollars per prisoner to keep open a prison that the world condemns and terrorists use to recruit.
Since I've been President, we've worked responsibly to cut the population of GTMO in half. Now it's time to finish the job. And I will not relent in my determination to shut it down. It's not who we are.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Jan 20, 2015
On Jobs:
Best employment growth since 1999; the crisis is past
Tonight, we turn the page. Tonight, after a breakthrough year for America, our economy is growing and creating jobs at the fastest pace since 1999. Our unemployment rate is now lower than it was before the financial crisis. More of our kids are
graduating than ever before; more of our people are insured than ever before; we are as free from the grip of foreign oil as we've been in almost 30 years.America, for all that we've endured; for
all the grit and hard work required to come back; for all the tasks that lie ahead, know this: The shadow of crisis has passed, and the State of the Union is strong.
At this moment--with a growing economy, shrinking deficits, bustling industry,
and booming energy production--we have risen from recession freer to write our own future than any other nation on Earth. It's now up to us to choose who we want to be over the next fifteen years, and for decades to come.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Jan 20, 2015
On Jobs:
Help families with more paid leave & higher minimum wage
Today, we're the only advanced country on Earth that doesn't guarantee paid sick leave or paid maternity leave to our workers. And that forces too many parents to make the gut-wrenching choice between a paycheck and a sick kid at home.
So I'll be taking new action to help states adopt paid leave laws of their own. Send me a bill that gives every worker in America the opportunity to earn seven days of paid sick leave. It's the right thing to do.
Of course, nothing helps families make ends meet like higher wages. That's why this Congress still needs to pass a law that makes sure a woman is paid the same as a man for doing the same work. Really. It's 2015. It's time.
And to everyone in this
Congress who still refuses to raise the minimum wage, I say this: If you truly believe you could work full-time and support a family on less than $15,000 a year, go try it. If not, vote to give millions of the hardest-working people in America a raise.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Jan 20, 2015
On Jobs:
FactCheck: Yes, unemployment down; but many stopped looking
Obama said, "Our economy is growing and creating jobs at the fastest pace since 1999. Our unemployment rate is now lower than it was before the financial crisis."FactCheck: That's true, but it's also not the whole story.
First, the good news: the unemployment rate currently sits at 5.6%. That's the lowest level since June 2008. Unemployment peaked at 10% in October 2009, and has been gradually falling since.
But it's not all good news.
The unemployment rate tallies the percent of people who are both out of a job and actively looking to get one. So there are two ways to leave the legion of unemployed: One can get a job, or one can quit looking all together.
In June 2008, the labor force participation rate was 66.1%. In December 2014, that rate sat at 62.7%. And if the same percentage of Americans were competing for jobs today as were in 2008, the unemployment rate would be much higher.
Source: National Journal FactCheck on 2015 State of the Union
Jan 20, 2015
On Technology:
Precision Medicine Initiative: cures via personalized info
I want the country that eliminated polio and mapped the human genome to lead a new era of medicine--one that delivers the right treatment at the right time. In some patients with cystic fibrosis, this approach has reversed a disease once thought
unstoppable. Tonight, I'm launching a new Precision Medicine Initiative to bring us closer to curing diseases like cancer and diabetes--and to give all of us access to the personalized information we need to keep ourselves and our families healthier.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Jan 20, 2015
On Technology:
Out to space not just to visit; but to stay
I want Americans to win the race for the kinds of discoveries that unleash new jobs--pushing out into the Solar System not just to visit, but to stay. Last month, we launched a new spacecraft as part of a re-energized space program that will send
American astronauts to Mars. In two months, to prepare us for those missions, Scott Kelly will begin a year-long stay in space. Good luck, Captain--and make sure to Instagram it.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Jan 20, 2015
On Technology:
Better meet the threat of cyberattacks
No foreign nation, no hacker, should be able to shut down our networks, steal our trade secrets, or invade the privacy of American families, especially our kids. We are making sure our government integrates intelligence to combat cyber threats, just as
we have done to combat terrorism. And tonight, I urge this Congress to finally pass the legislation we need to better meet the evolving threat of cyber-attacks, combat identity theft, and protect our children's information.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Jan 20, 2015
On War & Peace:
I will veto any new sanctions against Iran
With respect to Iran, where, for the first time in a decade, we've halted the progress of its nuclear program and reduced its stockpile of nuclear material. Between now and this spring, we have a chance to negotiate a comprehensive agreement that
prevents a nuclear-armed Iran; secures America and our allies--including Israel; while avoiding yet another Middle East conflict. There are no guarantees that negotiations will succeed, and I keep all options on the table to prevent a nuclear Iran.
But new sanctions passed by this Congress, at this moment in time, will all but guarantee that diplomacy fails--alienating America from its allies; and ensuring that Iran starts up its nuclear program again. It doesn't make sense.
That is why I will veto any new sanctions bill that threatens to undo this progress. The American people expect us to only go to war as a last resort, and I intend to stay true to that wisdom.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Jan 20, 2015
On War & Peace:
Authorize the use of force against ISIL
We've learned some costly lessons over the last 13 years. Instead of sending large ground forces overseas, we're partnering with nations from South Asia to North Africa to deny safe haven to terrorists who threaten America. In Iraq and Syria, American
leadership--including our military power--is stopping ISIL's advance. Instead of getting dragged into another ground war in the Middle East, we are leading a broad coalition, including Arab nations, to degrade and ultimately destroy this terrorist group.
We're also supporting a moderate opposition in Syria that can help us in this effort, and assisting people everywhere who stand up to the bankrupt ideology of violent extremism. This effort will take time. It will require focus. But we will succeed.
And tonight, I call on this Congress to show the world that we are united in this mission by passing a resolution to authorize the use of force against ISIL.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Jan 20, 2015
Page last updated: Feb 24, 2019