President Biden delivered his second State of the Union Address to the nation before a new House Speaker and divided chamber. Biden’s speech began with a series of congratulations, recognizing the new Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy and his Republican-led 118th Congress, and acknowledged the new House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

Highlighting the nation’s resiliency in the face of crises, Biden touted the country’s economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic, celebrating a 50-year-low 3.4% unemployment rate and the creation of 12 million new jobs within the first two years under his administration. Addressing the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol building, Biden assured the American people that “though bruised, our democracy remains unbowed and unbroken.” 

Likely confronting the new majority 271-seat elephant in the room, Biden noted the ability of Democrats and Republicans to work together and achieve bi-partisan accomplishments. “And to my Republican friends, if we could work together in the last congress, there’s no reason we can’t work together and find consensus on important things in this congress,” he said.

Building on the economy, the President observed the steady decline of inflation and creation of 800,000 manufacturing jobs, lauding the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act and the private sector’s $300 billion investment in manufacturing, predicted to create hundreds of thousands more jobs throughout the country.

Pivoting toward infrastructure, Biden acknowledged the United States’ ranking at 13th in the world in modern infrastructure while praising the accomplishments of his Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in funding thousands of crucial infrastructure projects. “We’re just getting started,” he said.

In outlining his “blue-collar blueprint to rebuild America,” Biden praised the accomplishments of the Inflation Reduction Act, taking on “big pharma” to help reduce drug and health care costs, as well as being the premier investment in climate change. “Lowering utility bills, creating American jobs, leading the world to a clean energy future … we’re rebuilding for the long term. New electric grids … roads and water systems to withstand the next big flood … clean energy to cut pollution and create jobs in communities often left behind,” Biden said.

Following his administration’s commitment to tackle climate change, Biden urged Congress to pass his proposal for the billionaire minimum tax, quadruple the tax on corporate stock buybacks and encourage long-term investments, and finally close the tax loophole for the wealthy.

The President then addressed the issue of the debt ceiling, accusing some Republicans of wanting to hold the economy “hostage” should he not cede to their economic plans, including the sunsetting of medicare and social security. Novel for a State of the Union Address, such a statement was met with raucous dissent from Republicans within the chamber.

Shifting toward worker’s rights, Biden endorsed his administration’s plan to ban non-compete clauses and urged congress to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act). “Let’s guarantee all workers have a living wage. Let’s make sure working parents can afford to raise a family with sick days, paid family medical leave, affordable child care … and let’s restore the full child tax credit … pass my plan so we can get seniors and people with disabilities the home care and services they need,” he said.

Asserting the restoration of the dignity of work requires ensuring education is an affordable ticket to the middle class, Biden called for providing increased wages for teachers and improved access to preschool education. “Any nation that outeducates us, outcompetes us,” he said. Biden expanded upon education, touting his administration’s efforts in reducing student debt, increasing pell grants, connecting students to career opportunities beginning in high school and providing free two-year community college education.

Pausing from issuing legislative goals and promoting administrative achievements, the President reflected upon the nation’s grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic. “Let’s recognize how far we came in the fight against the pandemic itself…COVID deaths are down by 90%, we’ve saved millions of lives and we’re opening our country back up, and soon we’ll end the public health emergency,” Biden said. The COVID-19 public health emergency will expire on May 11. Acknowledging the visible and invisible scars left by COVID, the President maintained his administration would “double-down on prosecuting criminals who stole relief money meant to keep workers and small businesses afloat.”

Since the return of watchdogs, he announced, the U.S. has recovered billions of tax dollars. To capitalize on this progress, he urged Congress to triple the anti-fraud strike force, double the statute of limitations for such crimes and crackdown on identity fraud.

To conclude his remarks, Biden recognized his featured guests for the evening, including the parents of Tyre Nichols, Brandon Tsay, Bono, Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova and Paul Pelosi, husband of Rep. Nancy Pelosi.

In acknowledging the parents of Tyre Nichols, the President addressed the merit of law enforcement while calling for the retraining necessary to keep communities safe. “We also need more first responders and professionals to address the growing mental health and substance abuse challenges…more resources to reduce violent crime and gun crime…more community intervention programs…more investments in housing and education and job training … When police officers or police departments violate the public trust, they must be held accountable.”

The President touted his executive order banning chokeholds, restricting no-knock warrants, and other crucial elements to the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which he called upon Congress to pass.

Remaining on the subject of violence, the President recognized 26-year-old Brandon Tsay, who confronted and disarmed Monterey Park shooter Huu Can Tran in late January. Biden touted his administration’s work in passing the “most sweeping gun law in three decades,” including enhanced background checks for 18- to 21-year-olds, red flag laws and the banning of ghost guns. During this recognition, Biden made perhaps his boldest demand of Congress yet: “Ban assault weapons now.”

Biden also addressed immigration and his administration’s launching of a new border plan which has resulted in a 97% decrease in unlawful migration, asking Congress to pass his comprehensive immigration reform to build off of this progress.

In recognizing Ambassador Markarova, he reassured Ukraine of the nation’s unwavering support in their continued fight against Russian aggression.

Remaining on issues of international diplomacy, he addressed China’s recent and blatant invasion of U.S. sovereignty, reiterating the necessity to compete effectively against Chinese President Xi Jinping’s regime. 

Among his closing demands, Biden called for passing the Bipartisan Equality Act, the protection of reproductive health care, a crackdown on fentanyl trafficking, refinement of job training and placement for veterans and the advancement of the Cancer Moonshot Initiative that Biden initiated under the Obama administration.

Recognizing the scars of Paul Pelosi as a victim of political violence, Biden condemned extremism and conveyed the vitality of American democracy.

When asked by world leaders how he would define America in one word? The President’s answer, perhaps a theme of his remarks, is simple, yet poignant: “Possibilities.”