The president of the United States, Joe Biden, asked this Wednesday at dawn (after 10 p.m. on Tuesday in Washington) to the Congress that allows him to increase the level of indebtedness of his administration, promised that all inputs used in infrastructure works will be nationally manufactured and called for bipartisan unity.
In his second annual State of the Union address, the head of the White House claimed he achieved a historic reduction in the fiscal deficit after his predecessor, Donald Trump, took it to unprecedented levels.
“My administration cut the deficit by more than $1.7 billion, the largest deficit reduction in American history”Biden said.
He stressed that under Trump, “the United States deficit increased four years in a row” and assured that “no president added more to the national debt in four years” than his predecessor.
“Almost 25% of all the national debt that took more than 200 years to accumulate was added by a single administration: the last one; It’s the facts, check it out, check it out.” he remarked, according to the live broadcast of CNN television.
He wondered “how Congress responded to that” and responded: “They did the right thing, they raised the debt ceiling three times with no preconditions or crisis, they paid America’s bills to prevent an economic disaster at home.”
“So tonight, I ask this Congress to do the same: let’s commit here tonight that the full faith and credit of the United States will never, ever be questioned,” he said.
Biden claimed that his government “Created, with the help of many people in this room, 12 million new jobs, more jobs created in two years than any president has created in four years.”
The president stressed that these achievements were possible despite the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, during which many companies and schools closed.
“Do you remember the jobs that disappeared?” he asked, noting: “You remember them, don’t you? People at home remember him, wonder if there is still a way for their children to get ahead without moving.”
I understand them and that is why we are rebuilding an economy where no one is left behind; the work is coming back, the pride is coming back because of the decisions we made in the last years”, added.
Likewise, Biden pledged that all construction material to be used in infrastructure projects undertaken by the federal government be manufactured in the United States.
“Wood, glass, drywall, fiber optic cable, everything: and under my supervision, American roads, bridges and highways will also be made with American products,” he detailed.
The head of the White House explained that his economic program is intended to “invest in places and people who were forgotten”, because “in the midst of the economic turmoil of the last four decades, too many people were left behind and treated as if they were invisible”.
In another order, he affirmed that democracy remains “unshakable” despite the difficulties and challenges of the last two years.
“Two years ago, democracy faced its greatest threat in civil war and today, though bruised, our democracy remains unshakable and intact,” he said, referring to the storming of the Capitol by Trump supporters on January 6, 2021.when lawmakers were preparing to consecrate Biden as president-elect.
In fact, his initial comments were directed at members of the Republican opposition, whom he urged to work together with the legislators of the Democratic ruling party.
“We proved the cynics and detractors wrong; yes, we disagreed a lot, and yes, there were times when the Democrats acted alone, but time and time again, Democrats and Republicans came together,” she mused.
He gave as an example that both parties came together to defend Western Europe after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as passed a far-reaching infrastructure bill and more than 300 laws in the last two years.
“To my Republican friends: If we were able to work together in the last Congress, there’s no reason we can’t work together and find consensus on important things in this Congress as well,” the president said.
In the mid-term elections last November, the Republican Party wrested the majority in the House of Representatives from the Democratic Party, while the ruling party maintains its predominance in the Senate.
“You are all as informed as I am, but I think the people sent us a clear message: fight to fight, power for power, conflict for conflict’s sake, it gets us nowhere; That was always my vision of our country and I know that it is the one of many of you.”, he remarked.
With some humor, Biden congratulated the new House speaker, Republican Kevin McCarthy, and told him: “Mr. President, I don’t want to ruin your reputation, but I look forward to working with you.”
As usual, McCarthy listened to the speech sitting behind Biden next to the president of the Senate, Vice President Kamala Harris.
the full speech
Tune in as I deliver the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress. https://t.co/StnlNblubB
—President Biden (@POTUS) February 8, 2023
