President Biden gave his first State of the Union Address to a joint session of Congress on March 1, marking the 98th address in our nation’s history.
Biden spoke on a deluge of topics, from updates on the war in Ukraine, ongoing efforts to aid the democratic ally and subvert Vladimir Putin’s political, military and economic power, to touting the successes of the Biden administration and outlining its future goals and objectives.
The State of the Union Address is a tradition propagated by our nation’s constitution. Article II, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution states that the president “shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.”
Prior to assuming its current and widely recognized title, which began under President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration, the State of the Union Address was first referred to as the “Annual Message,” with the first being delivered by President George Washington on Jan. 8, 1790, in New York City, the nation’s capital at that time.
Biden’s one-hour and two-minute speech began by accentuating the violent conflict between Ukraine and Russia, and the measures being taken by the U.S. and its allies to support Ukraine.
“[Putin] badly miscalculated. He thought he could roll into Ukraine and the world would roll over. Instead, he [was] met with a wall of strength he never anticipated or imagined. He met the Ukrainian people… Putin is now isolated from the world more than he has ever been. Together, along with our allies, we are right now enforcing powerful economic sanctions. We’re cutting off Russia’s largest banks from the international financial system, preventing Russia’s central bank from defending the Russian Ruble, making Putin’s $630 billion war fund worthless, [and] we’re choking Russia’s access to technology that will zap its economic strength and weaken its military for years to come,” Biden said.
Along with these measures, Biden announced that the U.S. would be closing its airspace to all Russian flights and that the U.S. would continue providing direct assistance and aid to Ukraine, as well as reiterating that while American troops will not directly engage Russia in Ukraine, they will protect and defend NATO allies.
After recognizing and highlighting the diplomatic crisis and strategies being pursued in Europe, Biden began to spotlight the successes of his administration, first acknowledging the economic hardships and austerity brought on by the pandemic that has profoundly affected American families throughout the country.
“We meet tonight in an America that has lived through two of the hardest years this nation has ever faced. The pandemic has been punishing and so many families are living paycheck to paycheck, struggling to keep up with the rising costs of food, gas, housing and so much more,” he said.
Biden then touted the American Rescue Plan’s solutions to these hardships, saying, “Few pieces of legislation have done more at a critical moment in our history to lift us out of a crisis. It fueled our efforts to vaccinate the nation and combat COVID-19. [It] delivered immediate economic relief to tens of millions of Americans. It helped put food on the table… It cut the cost of health care insurance, and as my dad used to say, gave the people just a little bit of breathing room.”
He continued by criticizing the previous administration’s $2 trillion tax cut, asserting that it “benefited the top 1% of Americans,” and that his American Rescue Plan “helped working people and left no one behind.” This declaration was met with boos by Republican legislators.
Biden then touted the economy’s creation of 6.5 million new jobs this last year, which he noted as being “more jobs in one year than ever before in the history of the United States of America.” He added, “the economy grew at a rate of 5.7 [percent] last year, the strongest growth rate in 40 years.”
The president followed by highlighting the woes of American infrastructure and emphasized the necessity and accomplishments of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal passed and signed into law in November of 2021. In doing so, Biden pointed to his administration’s focus on achieving infrastructural, environmental and climate reforms, as well as noting that the United States will effectively compete with other nations, like that of China, citing a conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, where he said, “it’s never been a good bet to bet against the American people.”
Biden then began outlining what his administration aims to achieve, shifting to the topic concerning American manufacturing, urging congress to “make record investments in emerging technologies and American manufacturing” by passing the Bipartisan Innovation Act to level the playing field between the U.S. and its competitors.
He specifically highlighted Intel’s initiative to build factories and increase their investment from $20 billion to $100 billion, which Biden noted as being “the biggest investment in manufacturing in American history,” which would ultimately create over 10,000 jobs.
He then stated that his top priority would be to get gas prices under control and that his plan to fight inflation would be to “lower your costs and lower the deficit.” To do this, his administration would accomplish three things: First, cut costs to prescription drugs and let medicare negotiate the price of prescription drugs. Second, cut energy costs for families and businesses by providing tax credit incentives, doubling Americans’ solar, wind and clean energy production and lowering the price of electric vehicles. Third, cut the cost of childcare in half, providing home care, long-term care, affordable housing and free pre-K. “Under my plan, nobody earning less than $400,000 a year will pay an additional penny in new taxes,” Biden said.
On taxes, Biden claimed that the current system “ain’t fair,” proposing a 15% minimum tax rate for corporations and a desire to close tax loopholes. “I’m a capitalist,” Biden said. “But capitalism without competition is not capitalism. [It] is exploitation.” Biden announced a crackdown on companies overcharging American consumers and businesses, as well as the Justice Department’s initiative to soon name a chief prosecutor for pandemic fraud, someone who will investigate those who Biden claims “stole billions in relief money meant for small businesses and millions of Americans.”
The president urged Congress to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would establish the National Award for Pay Equity in the Workplace for employers who make substantial efforts to eliminate the pay disparities between men and women, adding the pursuit of raising the minimum wage to $15/hr and expanding the child tax credit. He further urged Congress to increase Pell Grants and support for HBCU’s, as well as advance the First Lady’s cause of increasing investments toward community colleges.
Biden also urged Congress to pass the PRO (Protecting the Right to Organize) Act, which would amend previous labor laws for the purpose of expanding labor protections related to employees’ rights to collectively bargain and organize within the workplace. “When a majority of workers want to form a union, they shouldn’t be able to be stopped,” Biden said.
Biden then began to talk about moving on from the pandemic more extensively, introducing four “common sense” steps to do so. First, he urged Americans to stay protected with vaccines and various treatments. Second, he highlighted the importance of preparing for new variants. Third, he was adamant that the nation must end shutdowns on schools and businesses. Fourth, and finally, he said the U.S. must continue to vaccinate the world, noting how his administration has already sent 475 million doses to 112 countries, “more than any nation on Earth,” he said.
Expanding on the pandemic, Biden said, “Let’s use this moment to reset. Stop looking at COVID as a partisan dividing line. See it for what it is. A god-awful disease. Let’s stop seeing each other as enemies, and start seeing each other for who we are; Fellow Americans.”
After copiously speaking on taxes, the pandemic, the American economy and manufacturing, Biden redirected the focus onto issues including policing, voting rights, the southern border and various social issues.
Beginning with policing, Biden announced that he had met with the NYPD days after the funerals of officers Wilbert Mora and Jason Rivera, both who were shot and killed by a criminal with a stolen gun after responding to a 911 call. Acknowledging that he has worked on this issue for a long time, Biden said, “I know what works. Investigating crime prevention and community policing…Cops who walk the beat, who know the neighborhood and who can restore trust and safety. Let’s not abandon our streets, or choose between safety and equal justice.”
Biden followed by citing several initiatives on behalf of the Justice Department; requiring body cameras, banning chokeholds and restricting no-knock warrants for officers. Biden added that his American Rescue Plan is providing $350 billion to cities, states and counties that can be used to hire more police and invest in proven strategies. Some of these strategies, he said, include community violence interruption and funding with the resources and training needed to protect our communities.
In a declaration met with jovial reactions on both sides of the aisle, Biden proclaimed that the answer is not to defund the police,\ but to fund the police.
Further discussing the need for improved and advanced security and safety, Biden asked that Democrats and Republicans alike “pass my budget and keep our neighborhoods safe.” He noted that his administration will crack down on gun trafficking, particularly ghost guns, and attempt to reduce gun violence by passing universal background checks, repealing the liability shield, which is a law that protects firearm manufacturers and dealers from being held liable in cases where their products are used criminally, and banning assault rifles with high-capacity magazines, joking, “You think the deer are wearing kevlar vests?”
The president then discussed the right to vote and how it is under assault, citing how states have passed laws to suppress the vote, likely pointing to 19 states passing more than 33 laws making it more difficult for Americans to vote, as well as addressing the recent attempt to subvert a national election. To solve these issues, Biden urged the Senate to pass the Freedom to Vote Act, which addresses voter registration and access, election integrity and security, redistricting and campaign finance, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would restore and strengthen portions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Disclose Act, which would require organizations spending money within elections to disclose donors who have given more than $10,000 in an election cycle.
After discussing voting rights, Biden took time to honor outgoing Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and tout the nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, describing her as someone “who will continue Justice Breyer’s legacy of excellence.”
Biden then diverted to the issue of border security. “If we are to advance liberty and justice, we need to secure our border and fix the immigration system,” he said. This proclamation too prompted a standing ovation from both sides of the aisle.
The president touted the administration’s effort of improving the nation’s border security, including ushering in new technology, installing cutting-edge scanners, establishing joint patrols, instilling dedicated immigration judges and assisting other nations in securing their own borders. “We can do all this while keeping lit the torch of liberty,” Biden said.
He added that his administration will provide pathways to citizenship for Dreamers and was adamant about achieving immigration reform.
Biden then shifted to discussing various health and social issues, asserting that his administration would protect access to health care, preserve the women’s right to choose, continue to advance paternal health care and expressed a desire to pass the bipartisan Equality Act, a bill that would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, jury service, federally funded programs and credit.
To conclude his first address, Biden offered to congress his “unity agenda” for the nation, including four “big things” they can achieve together. First, beat the opioid epidemic. Second, tackle the nation’s mental health crisis, especially among children. Third, support our nation’s veterans. Fourth, and finally, end cancer as we know it.
In drawing upon tackling the mental health crisis, particularly among the nation’s youth, Biden pledged that his administration would hold social media platforms accountable by strengthening privacy protections, banning targeted advertising toward children, ceasing the collection of personal data and ensuring all Americans have access to the mental health services they need.
“On this night, on our 245th year as a nation, I’ve come to report on the state of the union, and my report is this: The state of the union is strong because you the American people are strong. We are stronger today than we were a year ago, and we’ll be stronger a year from now than we are today. This is our moment to meet and overcome the challenges of our time, and we will as one people, one America, the United States of America,” Biden said.
