TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, the First Lady of the United States, and my fellow Americans:
Less than 1 year has passed since I first stood at this podium, in this majestic chamber, to speak on behalf of the American People — and to address their concerns, their hopes, and their dreams. That night, our new Administration had already taken very swift action. A new tide of optimism was already sweeping across our land.
Each day since, we have gone forward with a clear vision and a righteous mission — to make America great again for all Americans.
Over the last year, we have made incredible progress and achieved extraordinary success. We have faced challenges we expected, and others we could never have imagined. We have shared in the heights of victory and the pains of hardship. We have endured floods and fires and storms. But through it all, we have seen the beauty of America’s soul, and the steel in America’s spine.
Each test has forged new American heroes to remind us who we are, and show us what we can be.
We saw the volunteers of the “Cajun Navy,” racing to the rescue with their fishing boats to save people in the aftermath of a totally devastating hurricane.
We saw strangers shielding strangers from a hail of gunfire on the Las Vegas strip.
We heard tales of Americans like Coast Guard Petty Officer Ashlee Leppert, who is here tonight in the gallery with Melania. Ashlee was aboard one of the first helicopters on the scene in Houston during Hurricane Harvey. Through 18 hours of wind and rain, Ashlee braved live power lines and deep water, to help save more than 40 lives. Ashlee, we all thank you, thank you very much. Thank you, Ashlee.
We heard about Americans like firefighter David Dahlberg. He is here with us also too. David faced down walls of flame to rescue almost 60 children trapped at a California summer camp threatened by those devastating wildfires.
To everyone still recovering in Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, California, and everywhere else — we are with you, we love you, and we will always pull through all together.
Some trials over the past year touched this chamber very personally. With us tonight is one of the toughest people ever to serve in this House — a guy who took a bullet, almost died, and was back to work three and a half months later: the legend from Louisiana, Congressman Steve Scalise.
We are incredibly grateful for the heroic efforts of the Capitol Police Officers, the Alexandria Police, and the doctors, nurses, and paramedics who saved his life, and the lives of many others some in this room.
In the aftermath of that terrible shooting, we came together, not as Republicans or Democrats, but as representatives of the people. But it is not enough to come together only in times of tragedy. Tonight, I call upon all of us to set aside our differences, to seek out common ground, and to summon the unity we need to deliver for the people this is really the key, the people we were elected to serve.
Over the last year, the world has seen what we always knew: that no people on Earth are so fearless, or daring, or determined as Americans. If there is a mountain, we climb it. If there is a frontier, we cross it. If there is a challenge, we tame it. If there is an opportunity, we seize it.
So let us begin tonight by recognizing that the state of our Union is strong because our people are strong.
And together, we are building a safe, strong, and proud America.
Since the election, we have created 2.4 million new jobs, including 200,000 new jobs in manufacturing alone. After years and years of wage stagnation, we are finally seeing rising wages.
Unemployment claims have hit a 45-year low. And something I’m very proud of, African-American unemployment stands at the lowest rate ever recorded, and Hispanic American unemployment has also reached the lowest levels in history.
Small business confidence is at an all-time high. The stock market has smashed one record after another, gaining $8 trillion in value in this short period of time. That is great news for Americans’ 401k, retirement, pension, and college savings accounts have gone through the roof.
And just as I promised the American people from this podium 11 months ago, we enacted the biggest tax cuts and reforms in American history.
Our massive tax cuts provide tremendous relief for the middle class and small businesses.
To lower tax rates for hardworking Americans, we nearly doubled the standard deduction for everyone. Now, the first $24,000 earned by a married couple is completely tax-free. We also doubled the child tax credit.
A typical family of four making $75,000 will see their tax bill reduced by $2,000 — slashing their tax bill in half.
This April will be the last time you ever file under the old broken system — and millions of Americans will have more take-home pay starting next month, a lot more.
We eliminated an especially cruel tax that fell mostly on Americans making less than $50,000 a year — forcing them to pay tremendous penalties simply because they could not afford government-ordered health plans. We repealed the core of disastrous Obamacare — the individual mandate is now gone.
We slashed the business tax rate from 35 percent all the way down to 21 percent, so American companies can compete and win against anyone else and anywhere in the world. These changes alone are estimated to increase average family income by more than $4,000.
Small businesses have also received a massive tax cut, and can now deduct 20 percent of their business income.
Here tonight are Steve Staub and Sandy Keplinger of Staub Manufacturing — a small beautiful business in Ohio. They have just finished the best year in their 20-year history. Because of tax reform, they are handing out raises, hiring an additional 14 people, and expanding into the building next door.
One of Staub’s employees, Corey Adams, is also with us tonight. Corey is an all-American worker. He supported himself through high school, lost his job during the 2008 recession, and was later hired by Staub, where he trained to become a welder. Like many hardworking Americans, Corey plans to invest his tax cut raise into his new home and his two daughters’ education. Corey, please stand. Please join me in congratulating Corey.
Since we passed tax cuts, roughly 3 million workers have already gotten tax cut bonuses — many of them thousands and thousands of dollars per worker. Apple has just announced it plans to invest a total of $350 billion in America, and hire another 20,000 workers.
And just a little while ago, Exxon Mobile announced $50 billion investment in United States.
This is our new American moment. There has never been a better time to start living the American Dream.
So to every citizen watching at home tonight — no matter where you have been, or where you come from, this is your time. If you work hard, if you believe in yourself, if you believe in America, then you can dream anything, you can be anything, and together, we can achieve absolutely anything.
Tonight, I want to talk about what kind of future we are going to have, and what kind of Nation we are going to be. All of us, together, as one team, one people, and one American family, can do anything.
We all share the same home, the same heart, the same destiny, and the same great American flag.
Together, we are rediscovering the American way.
In America, we know that faith and family, not government and bureaucracy, are the center of the American life. Our motto is “in God we trust.”
And we celebrate our police, our military, and our amazing veterans as heroes who deserve our total and unwavering support.
Here tonight is Preston Sharp, a 12-year-old boy from Redding, California, who noticed that veterans’ graves were not marked with flags on Veterans Day. He decided, all by himself, to change that, and started a movement that has now placed 40,000 flags at the graves of our great heroes. Preston: a job well done.
Young patriots like Preston teach all of us about our civic duty as Americans. Preston’s reverence for those who have served our Nation reminds us why we salute our flag, why we put our hands on our hearts for the pledge of allegiance, and why we proudly stand for the national anthem.
Americans love their country. And they deserve a Government that shows them the same love and loyalty in return.
For the last year we have sought to restore the bonds of trust between our citizens and their Government.
Working with the Senate, we are appointing judges who will interpret the Constitution as written, including a great new Supreme Court Justice, and more circuit court judges than any new administration in the history of our country.
We are defending our Second Amendment, and have taken historic actions to protect religious liberty.
And we are serving our brave veterans, including giving our veterans choice in their healthcare decisions. Last year, the Congress also passed, and I signed, the landmark VA Accountability Act. Since its passage, my Administration has already removed more than 1,500 VA employees who failed to give our veterans the care they deserve — and we are hiring talented people who love our vets as much as we do.
I will not stop until our veterans are properly taken care of, which has been my promise to them from the very beginning of this great journey.
All Americans deserve accountability and respect — and that is what we are giving to our wonderful heros, our veterans. So tonight, I call on the Congress to empower every Cabinet Secretary with the authority to reward good workers — and to remove Federal employees who undermine the public trust or fail the American people.
In our drive to make Washington accountable, we have eliminated more regulations in our first year than any administration in the history of our country.
We have ended the war on American Energy — and we have ended the war on beautiful clean coal. We are now very proudly an exporter of energy to the world.
In Detroit, I halted Government mandates that crippled America’s beautiful and great autoworkers — so we can get the Motor City reviving its engines once again, and that’s happening.
Many car companies are now building and expanding plants in the United States — something we have not seen for decades. Chrysler is moving a major plant from Mexico to Michigan; Toyota and Mazda are opening up a plant in Alabama, a big one, and we haven’t seen this for a long time, all coming back. Very soon, plants will be opening up all over the country. This is all news Americans are unaccustomed to hearing — for many years, companies and jobs were only leaving us. But now they are rolling back, they are coming back; they wanted to be in the United States.
Exciting progress is happening every single day.
To speed access to breakthrough cures and affordable generic drugs, last year the FDA approved more new and generic drugs and medical devices than ever before in our country’s history.
We also believe that patients with terminal conditions, terminal illness should have access to experimental treatments immediately that could potentially save their lives.
People who are terminally ill should not have to go from country to country to seek a cure — I want to give them a chance right here at home. It is time for the Congress to give these wonderful, incredible Americans the “right to try.”
One of my greatest priorities is to reduce the price of prescription drugs. In many other countries, these drugs cost far less than what we pay in the United States, and it’s very, very unfair. That is why I have directed my Administration to make fixing the injustice of high drug prices one of our top priorities for the year. Prices will come down substantially, watch.
America has also finally turned the page on decades of unfair trade deals that sacrificed our prosperity and shipped away our companies, our jobs, and our Nation’s wealth.
The era of economic surrender is totally over.
From now on, we expect trading relationships to be fair and very importantly to be reciprocal.
We will work to fix bad trade deals and negotiate new ones, good ones, and they will be fair.
And we will protect American workers and American intellectual property, through strong enforcement of our trade rules.
As we rebuild our industries, it is also time to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure.
America is a nation of builders. We built the Empire State Building in just 1 year — isn’ it not a disgrace that it can now take 10 years just to get a minor permit of approved for the building of a simple road?
I am asking both parties to come together to give us the safe, fast, reliable, and modern infrastructure our economy needs and our people deserve.
Tonight, I am calling on the Congress to produce a bill that generates at least $1.5 trillion for the new infrastructure investment that our country are so desperate we need.
Every Federal dollar should be leveraged by partnering with State and local governments and, where appropriate, tapping into private sector investment — to permanently fix the infrastructure deficit, and we can do it.
Any bill must also streamline the permitting and approval process — getting it down to no more than two years, and perhaps even one.
Together, we can reclaim our great building heritage. We will build gleaming new roads, bridges, highways, railways, and waterways all across our land. And we will do it with American heart, American hands, and American grit.
We want every American to know the dignity of a hard day’s work. We want every child to be safe in their home at night. And we want every citizen to be proud of this land that we all love so much.
We can lift our citizens from welfare to work, from dependence to independence and from poverty to prosperity.
As tax cuts create new jobs, let us invest in workforce development and let’s open job training which we need so badly. Let us open great vocational schools so our future workers can learn a craft and realize their full potential. And let us support working families by supporting paid family leave.
As America regains its strength, this opportunity must be extended to all citizens. That is why this year we will embark on reforming our prisons to help former inmates who have served their time get a second chance.
Struggling communities, especially immigrant communities, will also be helped by immigration policies that focus on the best interests of American workers and American families.
For decades, open borders have allowed drugs and gangs to pour into our most vulnerable communities. They have allowed millions of low-wage workers to compete for jobs and wages against the poorest Americans. Most tragically, they have caused the loss of many innocent lives.
Here tonight are two fathers and two mothers: Evelyn Rodriguez, Freddy Cuevas, Elizabeth Alvarado, and Robert Mickens. Their two teenage daughters — Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens — were close friends on Long Island. But in September 2016, on the eve of Nisa’s 16th Birthday, such happy time it should be, neither of them came home. These two precious girls were brutally murdered while walking together in their hometown. Six members of the savage gang MS-13 have been charged with Kayla and Nisa’s murders. Many of these gang members took advantage of glaring loopholes in our laws to enter the country as unaccompanied alien minors - and wound up in Kayla and Nisa’s high school.
Evelyn, Elizabeth, Freddy, and Robert: Tonight, everyone in this chamber is praying for you. Everyone in America is grieving for you. I wanted to let you know that And 320 million hearts are breaking for you. We cannot imagine the depth of your sorrow, but we can make sure that other families never have to endure this pain.
Tonight, I am calling on the Congress to finally close the deadly loopholes that have allowed MS-13, and other criminal gangs, to break into our country. We have proposed new legislation that will fix our immigration laws, and support our ICE and Border Patrol Agents, so that this can never happen again.
The United States is a compassionate nation. We are proud that we do more than any other country to help the needy, the struggling, and the underprivileged all over the world. But as President of the United States, my highest loyalty, my greatest compassion, and my constant concern is for America’s children, America’s struggling workers, and America’s forgotten communities. I want our youth to grow up to achieve great things. I want our poor to have their chance to rise.
So tonight, I am extending an open hand to work with members of both parties — Democrats and Republicans — to protect our citizens of every background, color, religion, and creed. My duty, and the sacred duty of every elected official in this chamber, is to defend Americans — to protect their safety, their families, their communities, and their right to the American Dream. Because Americans are dreamers too.
Here tonight is one leader in the effort to defend our country: Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Celestino Martinez — he goes by CJ. CJ served 15 years in the Air Force before becoming an ICE agent and spending the last 15 years fighting gang violence and getting dangerous criminals off our streets. At one point, MS-13 leaders ordered CJ’s murder and they wanted happen quickly. But he did not cave to threats or to fear. Last May, he commanded an operation to track down gang members on Long Island. His team has arrested nearly 400, including more than 220 from MS-13 gang members. And I have to tell you, what the border and the ICE agent done, we have sent thousands and thousands of MS-13 horrible people out of this country or into our prisons, so I just wanted to congratulate you, CJ, you are brave guy. Thank you very much. And I asked CJ, what is the secret? He said, we are just tougher than they are, and I like that answer.
CJ: Great work. Now let us get the Congress to send you, and all the people in this great chamber have to do it, and we have no choices, CJ, we are going to send you reinforcements, and send to you quickly.
Over the next few weeks, the House and Senate will be voting on an immigration reform package.
In recent months, my Administration has met extensively with both Democrats and Republicans to craft a bipartisan approach to immigration reform. Based on these discussions, we presented the Congress with a detailed proposal that should be supported by both parties as a fair compromise — one where nobody gets everything they want, but where our country gets the critical reforms it needs and must have.
Here are the four pillars of our plan:
The first pillar of our framework generously offers a path to citizenship for 1.8 million illegal immigrants who were brought here by their parents at a young age — that covers almost three times more people than the previous administration covered. Under our plan, those who meet education and work requirements, and show good moral character, will be able to become full citizens of the United States over a 12-year period.
The second pillar fully secures the border. That means building a wall on the Southern border, and it means hiring more heroes like CJ to keep our communities safe. Crucially, our plan closes the terrible loopholes exploited by criminals and terrorists to enter our country — and it finally ends the horrible and the dangerous practice of “catch and release.”
The third pillar ends the visa lottery — a program that randomly hands out green cards without any regard for skill, merit, or the safety of the American our people. It is time to begin moving towards a merit-based immigration system — one that admits people who are skilled, who want to work, who will contribute to our society, and who will love and respect our country.
The fourth and final pillar protects the nuclear family by ending chain migration. Under the current broken system, a single immigrant can bring in virtually unlimited numbers of distant relatives. Under our plan, we focus on the immediate family by limiting sponsorships to spouses and minor children. This vital reform is necessary, not just for our economy, but for our security, and for the future of the America, our future.
In recent weeks, two terrorist attacks in New York were made possible by the visa lottery and chain migration. In the age of terrorism, these programs present risks we can just no longer afford.
It is time to reform these outdated immigration rules, and finally bring our immigration system into the 21st century.
These four pillars represent a down-the-middle compromise, and one that will create a safe, modern, and lawful immigration system.
For over 30 years, Washington has tried and failed to solve this problem. This Congress can be the one that finally makes it happen.
Most importantly, these four pillars will produce legislation that fulfills my ironclad pledge to only sign a bill that puts America first. So let us come together, set politics aside, and finally get the job done.
These reforms will also support our response to the terrible crisis of opioid and drug addiction, never been has it before as it has been like now, it is terrible, we have to do something about it.
In 2016, we lost 64,000 Americans to drug overdoses: 174 deaths per day. Seven per hour. We must get much tougher on drug dealers and pushers if we are going to succeed in stopping this scourge.
My Administration is committed to fighting the drug epidemic and helping get treatment for those in need, for those have been terribly hurt. The struggle will be long and will be difficult — but, as Americans always do, in the end, we will succeed, we will prevail.
As we have seen tonight, the most difficult challenges bring out the best in America.
We see a vivid expression of this truth in the story of the Holets family of New Mexico. Ryan Holets is 27 years old, and an officer with the Albuquerque Police Department. He is here tonight with his wife Rebecca. Last year, Ryan was on duty when he saw a pregnant, homeless woman preparing to inject heroin. When Ryan told her she was going to harm her unborn child, she began to weep. She told him she did not know where to turn, but badly wanted a safe home for her baby.
In that moment, Ryan said he felt God speak to him: “You will do it — because you can.” He took out a picture of his wife and their four kids. Then, he went home to tell his wife Rebecca. In an instant, she agreed to adopt. The Holets named their new daughter Hope.
Ryan and Rebecca: You embody the goodness of our Nation. Thank you, and congratulations.
As we rebuild America’s strength and confidence at home, we are also restoring our strength and standing abroad.
Around the world, we face rogue regimes, terrorist groups, and rivals like China and Russia that challenge our interests, our economy, and our values. In confronting these horrible dangers, we know that weakness is the surest path to conflict, and unmatched power is the surest means of our true and great defense.
For this reason, I am asking the Congress to end the dangerous defense sequester and fully fund our great military.
As part of our defense, we must modernize and rebuild our nuclear arsenal, hopefully never having to use it, but making it so strong and powerful that it will deter any acts of aggression by any other nation or anyone else. Perhaps someday in the future there will be a magical moment when the countries of the world will get together to eliminate their nuclear weapons. Unfortunately, we are not there yet, sadly.
Last year, I also pledged that we would work with our allies to extinguish ISIS from the face of the Earth. One year later, I am proud to report that the coalition to defeat ISIS has liberated very close to almost 100 percent of the territory once held by these killers in Iraq and Syria and any other locations as well. But there is much more work to be done. We will continue our fight until ISIS is defeated.
Army Staff Sergeant Justin Peck is here tonight. Near Raqqa last November, Justin and his comrade, Chief Petty Officer Kenton Stacy, were on a mission to clear buildings that ISIS had rigged with explosives so that civilians could return to the city.
Clearing the second floor of a vital hospital, Kenton Stacy was severely wounded by an explosion. Immediately, Justin bounded into the booby-trapped unbelievably dangerous and unsafe building and found Kenton in a very bad shape. He applied pressure to the wound and inserted a tube to reopen an airway. He then performed CPR for 20 straight minutes during the ground transport and maintained artificial respiration through 2 hours of emergency surgery.
Kenton Stacy would have died if not for Justin’s selfless love for a fellow warrior. Tonight, Kenton is recovering in Texas. Raqqa is liberated. And Justin is wearing his new Bronze Star, with a “V” for “Valor.” Staff Sergeant Peck: All of America salutes you.
Terrorists who do things like place bombs in civilian hospitals are evil. When possible, we have no choice but to annihilate them. When necessary, we must be able to detain and question them. But we must be clear: Terrorists are not merely criminals. They are unlawful enemy combatants. And when captured overseas, they should be treated like the terrorists they are.
In the past, we have foolishly released hundreds and hundreds of dangerous terrorists, only to meet them again on the battlefield — including the ISIS leader, al-Baghdadi, who we captured, who we held, who we released .
So today, I am keeping another promise. I just signed an order directing Secretary Mattis to reexamine our military detention policy and to keep open the detention facilities at in Guantánamo Bay.
I am also asking the Congress to ensure that, in the fight against ISIS and al-Qa’ida, we continue to have all necessary power to detain terrorists — wherever we chase them down and wherever we find them, and in many cases, and then and now it will be in Guantánamo Bay.
At the same time, as of a few months ago, our warriors in Afghanistan also have new rules of engagement. Along with their heroic Afghan partners, our military is no longer undermined by artificial timelines, and we no longer tell our enemies our plans.
Last month, I also took an action endorsed unanimously by the US Senate just months before: I recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Shortly afterwards, dozens of countries voted in the United Nations General Assembly against America’s sovereign right to make this recognition. In 2016, American taxpayers generously send those same countries more than 20 billions of dollars in aid every year.
That is why, tonight, I am asking the Congress to pass legislation to help ensure American foreign-assistance dollars always serve American interests, and only go to America’s friends of America, not enemies of America.
As we strengthen friendships all around the world, we are also restoring clarity about our adversaries.
When the people of Iran rose up against the crimes of their corrupt dictatorship, I did not stay silent. America stands with the people of Iran in their courageous struggle for freedom.
I am asking the Congress to address the fundamental flaws in the terrible Iran nuclear deal.
My Administration has also imposed tough sanctions on the communist and socialist dictatorships in Cuba and Venezuela.
But no regime has oppressed its own citizens more totally or brutally than the cruel dictatorship in North Korea.
North Korea’s reckless pursuit of nuclear missiles could very soon threaten our homeland.
We are waging a campaign of maximum pressure to prevent that from ever happening.
Past experience has taught us that complacency and concessions only invited aggression and provocation. I will not repeat the mistakes of past administrations that got us into this dangerous position.
We need only look at the depraved character of the North Korean regime to understand the nature of the nuclear threat it could pose to America and to our allies.
Otto Warmbier was a hardworking student at the University of Virginia. On his way to study abroad in Asia, Otto joined a tour to North Korea. At its conclusion, this wonderful young man was arrested and charged with crimes against the state. After a shameful trial, the dictatorship sentenced Otto to 15 years of hard labor, before returning him to America last June — horribly injured and on the verge of death. He passed away just days after his return.
Otto’s wonderful Parents, Fred and Cindy Warmbier, are with us tonight — along with Otto’s brother and sister, Austin and Greta. You are powerful witnesses to a menace that threatens our world, and your strength truly inspires us all, thank you very much. Tonight, we pledge to honor Otto’s memory with total American resolve, thank you.
Finally, we are joined by one more witness to the ominous nature of this regime. His name is Mr. Ji Seong-ho.
In 1996, Seong-ho was a starving boy in North Korea. One day, he tried to steal coal from a railroad car to barter for a few scraps of food which as very hard to get. In the process, he passed out on the train tracks, exhausted from hunger. He woke up as a train ran over his limbs. He then endured multiple amputations without anything to dull the pain. His brother and sister gave what little food they had to help him recover and ate dirt themselves — permanently stunting their own growth. Later, he was tortured by North Korean authorities after returning from a brief visit to China. His tormentors wanted to know if he had met any Christians. He had — and he resolved after that to be free.
Seong-ho traveled thousands of miles on crutches across China and Southeast Asia to freedom. Most of his family followed. His father was caught trying to escape, and was tortured to death.
Today he lives in Seoul, where he rescues other defectors, and broadcasts into North Korea what the regime fears the most - the truth.
Today he has a new leg, but Seong-ho, I understand you still keep those old crutches as a reminder of how far you have come. Your great sacrifice is an inspiration to us all. Thank you.
Seong-ho’s story is a testament to the yearning of every human soul to live in freedom.
It was that same yearning for freedom that nearly 250 years ago gave birth to a special place called America. It was a small cluster of colonies caught between a great ocean and a vast wilderness. But iIt was home to an incredible people with a revolutionary idea: that they could rule themselves. That they could chart their own destiny. And that, together, they could light up the entire world.
That is what our country has always been about. That is what Americans have always stood for, always strived for, and always done.
Atop the dome of this Capitol stands the Statue of Freedom. She stands tall and dignified among the monuments to our ancestors who fought and lived and died to protect her.
Monuments to Washington and Jefferson — and to Lincoln and King.
Memorials to the heroes of Yorktown and Saratoga — to young Americans who shed their blood on the shores of Normandy, and the fields beyond. And others, who went down in the waters of the Pacific and the skies all over Asia.
And freedom stands tall over one more monument: this one. This Capitol. This living monument to the American people.
We have people whose heroes live not only in the past, but all around us — defending hope, pride, and the American way.
They work in every trade. They sacrifice to raise a family. They care for our children at home. They defend our flag abroad. They are strong moms and brave kids. They are firefighters, police officers, border agents, medics, and Marines.
But above all else, they are Americans. And this Capitol, this city, and this Nation, belong entirely to them.
Our task is to respect them, to listen to them, to serve them, to protect them, and to always be worthy of them.
Americans fill the world with art and music. They push the bounds of science and discovery. And they forever remind us of what we should never ever forget: The people dreamed this country. The people built this country. And it is the people who are making America great again.
As long as we are proud of who we are, and what we are fighting for, there is nothing we cannot achieve.
As long as we have confidence in our values, faith in our citizens, and trust in our God, we will not fail.
Our families will thrive.
Our people will prosper.
And our Nation will forever be safe and strong and proud and mighty and free.
Thank you, and God bless America.
议长先生，副总统先生，各位国会议员，第一夫人，以及我的美国同胞们：自我第一次站在这个讲台上，在这个庄严的厅堂里代表美国人民发表演讲，关注他们的关切，述说他们的希冀，表达他们的梦想以来，已经过去了快一年的时间。
那个晚上，我们的新政府就着手采取了非常迅速的行动。一股崭新的乐观情绪席卷了整个国家。从那开始后的每一天，我们都怀着清晰的愿景，正义的使命勇往直前，为了全体美国人民的福祉，让美国再次伟大。
在过去一年，我们实现了了不起的进步和非凡的成就。我们直面已经预料到的和从来没想象过的挑战。我们分享了胜利的喜悦和艰辛的痛苦。我们经历了洪水、火灾与风暴。但历经所有，我们看到了美利坚美丽的灵魂和钢铁的脊梁。
每一次考验锻造出了新的美国英雄，都在提醒我们是谁、我们能成为谁。我们看到民间志愿团队“卡真海军”驾驶渔船冲向飓风卷席后的受灾现场、营救伤员。我们看到陌生人在拉斯维加斯的阵阵枪声中相互庇护。我们听说了很多美国人的故事，就像海岸警卫队海军军士艾什莉•莱珀特，她今晚就在现场，与梅拉尼娅坐在一起。
哈维飓风期间，艾什莉乘坐一架最先抵达现场的直升机。经历了18个小时的狂风骤雨，艾什莉冒着生命危险，从深水中挽救出40多条生命。艾什莉，我们都感谢你，非常感谢你。
我们听说了像消防员大卫•道尔堡这样的美国人的故事。他今天也在场。大卫迎着重重困难，营救了被困在加州夏令营的60名儿童。对着所有还在德克萨斯、佛罗里达、路易斯安那、波多黎各和维尔京群岛恢复重建的受灾民众，我想告诉大家，我们与你们同在，我们爱你们，我们必将一起度过难关，一如既往。
感谢大卫，和像大卫一样勇敢的加州人民。非常感谢你们，大卫，做得好。
在过去的一年里，有些难关甚至触及这个大厅里的人。今晚，这个厅堂里有一个人堪称国会史上最坚强的议员之一，他中了一枪几乎死去，但在三个半月后又回到了工作岗位。他是来自路易斯安那州的传奇，众议院议员史蒂夫•斯卡利斯。
史蒂夫，我想他们（指鼓掌的国会议员）很喜欢你。我们由衷感激那些付出英勇努力的国会警察、亚历山德里亚当地警察、医生、护士和护理人员。他们挽救了他的生命，以及这个大厅里的其他很多生命。
在那次可怕的枪击事件后，我们团结一心，不是以共和党人或民主党人的身份，而是作为美国人民的代表。但只在悲剧发生时才聚集在一起是不够的。今晚，我呼吁大家抛开分歧，寻求共同点，建构一个我们需要为人民建立的共同体。这才是关键。他们是当选的我们，需要去服务的人。
在过去的一年里，世界见证了我们一直以来都知道的事实，那就是美国人民是世界上最无畏、勇敢、坚定的民族。如果有一座山，我们会翻过它。如果有一道边界，我们会跨越它。如果有一个挑战，我们会战胜它。如果有一个机会，我们会抓住它。所以今晚，让我们首先认可我们的联邦依然坚强，因为我们的人民依然坚强。
我们将一起建设一个安全、强大且骄傲的美国。自选举以来，我们创造了两百四十万个工作岗位，其中仅仅是制造行业就新增了二十万个岗位。非常了不起。而且，在多年的停滞后，现在我们终于看到工资水平开始上涨。失业率达到了45年以来的新低。
另一件让我非常自豪的事情是，非裔美国人的失业率达到历史最低水平，西班牙裔美国人的失业率同样处在有史以来的最低点。小企业的信心在历史上从未达到如此高的水平。短短一段时间内，股市交易屡创新高，创下8万亿美元的纪录，甚至更高。
对美国人民来说，好消息是，401k计划、退休金、养老金和大学储蓄金都在不断上涨。正如11个月前我向美国人民所做出的承诺，我们已经实行了美国历史上最大的减税和改革。
我们大规模减税为中产阶级和小型企业带来巨大解脱，为辛勤工作的美国人降低税率。我们几乎把每个人的标准扣除额增加了一倍。现在，一对夫妇挣的第一个2.4万美元，是完全免税的。我们还将儿童税收抵免提高一倍。一个年收入7.5万美元的典型四口之家将减少纳税2000美元，相当于税款减半。从今年四月起，你将不必根据老旧失灵的税制交税。从下个月开始，数以百万计的美国人将获得更多实得工资。比现在多得多。
我们为年收入低于5万美元的美国人取消了一项特别残酷的税收条例。他们被迫支付巨额罚款，仅仅因为负担不起政府制定的医疗计划。我们已经废除了灾难性的奥巴马医改的核心规定，如今个人强制参保令已经消失。谢天谢地。
我们将营业税税率从35%降低到21%，这样美国公司就可以与世界上任何地方的任何人竞争。据估计，仅这些变化，家庭平均收入就会增加超过4000美元，这可是一大笔钱。小企业也获得了大规模减税，现在可以扣除20%营业收入。
今晚，在座的史蒂夫•斯图布(Steve Staub)和桑迪•凯普林格(Sandy Keplinger)，他们的斯图布制造公司，一家坐落俄亥俄州的小而美的企业，刚刚经历了创业二十年来最景气的一年。
由于税收改革，他们正在加薪，再雇佣14名员工，并扩张到到隔壁大楼。感觉不错。
斯图布公司的一位员工科里•亚当斯，今晚也和我们在一起。科里是纯正的美国工人，他从高中开始养活自己，在2008年的经济衰退中，失去了工作，后来被斯图布返聘，在那里接受培训成为一名焊工。和许多勤奋的美国人一样，科里计划将他被免除的税款，用于投资他的新家，以及他两个女儿的教育。科里，请站起来。这家经营得很好的公司，他们老板告诉我，科里是一个很棒的焊工。恭喜你，科里。
自从我们立法通过减税以来，大约有三百万人都从中受益。其中每个人都减免了数以千计美元的税务，而且减免的金额每月甚至每周都在增加。苹果公司刚刚宣布计划在美国国内投资三亿五千万美元，并增加两万个工作岗位。同时，就在不久之前，埃克森美孚宣布在美国境内投资五百亿美元，就在不久之前。事实上，现在就是我们全新的美国时刻。是我们开始实践美国梦的最佳时机。
因此，对于今晚守候在家的每一位美国公民，无论你身处何方、来自何处，这就是你的时代。勤勉工作、坚信自我，如果你对美国保有信任，那么你就可以对任何事情心怀梦想并予以实现。与各位同在，我们无所不能。
在这个晚上，我希望谈谈我们将去向何方，我们将会成为一个怎样的国家。我们所有人只要团结成一个团队，一个民族，一个美利坚大家庭，就可以做到任何事情。同在这一面伟大的美国旗帜之下，我们共享家园，共通心意，共履使命。我们正在一起重新探索美国道路。在美国，我们知晓生活的核心是围绕着信仰与家庭，而非政府与官僚。“相信上帝”是我们恪守的箴言。
我们也赞美我们的警察，我们的军队，以及我们的退伍军人，他们是我们的英雄，值得我们彻底而坚定的支持。今晚我们请来了普雷斯顿•夏普，从加利福尼亚州莱丁来的12岁男孩，他注意到在退伍军人节那天，退伍军人的坟墓上没有装饰国旗。他决定亲自发起一项运动，迄今已经为退伍军人的坟墓插上了40000面国旗。普雷斯顿，干得漂亮。
像普雷斯顿这样的爱国者们教会了我们所有人如何去践行我们作为美国人的公民责任。我刚刚还遇到了普雷斯顿，我可以说，他是个很特别的人。他的未来会很美好。普雷斯顿，非常感谢你所做的一切，非常感谢。普雷斯顿对那些为国效力者的敬意提醒着我们，我们为什么要升起国旗，为什么要将双手放在胸口默念我们忠诚的誓言，为什么要自豪地为国歌肃然起立。
美国人民热爱他们的国家，他们值得拥有一个能够对他们回报以同样的爱和忠诚的政府。在过去的一年里，我们努力重建公民和政府之间的信任。我们和参议院合作，任命了依据原文解读宪法的法官，包括一名杰出的新任最高法院大法官，我们任命的巡回法院法官也比历史上任何一届政府都多。我们也全力以赴地捍卫我们的宪法第二修正案，采取了历史性的行动来保护我们的宗教自由。
我们同样也在回报我们勇敢的退伍军人，包括允许他们选择自己的医疗保障。去年，里程碑式的《弗吉尼亚州责任法案》在国会通过，也由我签署。自从该项法案通过以来，我的政府已经开除了超过一千五百名没能尽责向退伍军人提供健康服务的弗州职员。我们同时也在招聘和我们一样拥戴军人的人才。在这趟卓越旅程开始之时我就向退伍军人承诺，他们将得到良好的照顾。直到我实现承诺为止，我不会停止奋斗。所有的美国人都值得我们的负责和尊重。这也是我们向我们的英雄、我们的退伍军人所给予的。感谢你们。
因此今晚我向国会进行呼吁，赋予每一个内阁部长权力，奖励表现良好的人员，开除辜负了美国人民和公众信任的人员。为了让华盛顿更负责任，本届政府在执政第一年减少的管制比以往任何一届政府都多。
我们终结了对美国能源的战争。我们也终结了对美丽的清洁煤炭的战争。我们现在是一个骄傲的能源出口国。
在底特律，我废止了那些伤害美国伟大汽车工人们的条令，如此我们才能让这个汽车城市重新发动引擎。这就是正在发生的事。不少汽车公司正在美国新建扩建工厂，这是我们几十年来闻所未闻的。克莱斯勒将会把一家主要工厂从墨西哥迁至密歇根州。丰田和马自达也会在阿拉巴马州开建一家工厂，很大的一家。我们很久都没见过这种盛况，现在这一切都在卷土重来。
很快，汽车工厂和其他类型的工厂将遍开全国各地。这个消息美国人听起来会感到完全不习惯。这么多年，那些公司和工作机会只会离开我们。但现在，他们正咆哮归来，它们归来了，它们想置身于行动发生之地。它们想要留在美国。那就是他们想要的地方。
令人激动的进步每一天都在发生，为了能够加快我们寻找突破、治疗方法和廉价仿制药的速度，去年，食品药物监督管理局批准的新式和仿制药物及医疗器械达到史上最多。
我们同样相信患有致命疾病的病人也应该享有立即接受试验性治疗的权利——这些治疗可能挽救他们的生命。晚期的病人不应该被迫从其他国家寻找治疗方法。我想给他们在本国得到治疗的机会。国会应该给这些出色的美国人尝试的权利。我的一个重要工作是降低处方药的价格。在许多国家，这些药物的价格都比美国更低。这非常，非常地不公平。这也是为什么今年我将着重指令我的政府，努力修正药物的高昂价格带来的不公。价格将会大幅降低。请期待。
美国也终于开始淘汰几十年来牺牲我国繁荣、带走了我国企业、工作岗位和财富的不公平贸易条约。我们国家曾经失去了的财富，我们现在正迅速夺回。经济退让的时代已经结束。从现在开始，我们期待更加公平的贸易关系——更加重要的是，这些关系必须互惠。
我们将致力于修订不好的贸易条约，洽谈新条约，这些新条约将是良好的，将是公平的。同时，通过严格执行我们的贸易规范，美国工人及美国知识产权将得到保护。
我们在重振工业的同时，也在重振我们摇摇欲坠的基础设施。美国是一个建设者的国家。我们仅仅在一年之内就建造好了帝国大厦。所以当建造一条简单的道路需要花费十年时间取得许可，这难道不就成为了一件极为不光彩的事情么。
我呼吁两党一起努力，给我们一个安全，快捷，可靠，现代化的基础设施，这是我们的经济所需要的，也是我们的人民应得的。今晚，我呼吁国会推出法案，向我国急需的新基础设施投资至少1.5万亿美元。每一份联邦注资应当有对应的州与地方政府投资向匹配，若情形适当，也可引入私有部门投资，以永久地解决我国的基础设施负债。我们可以做到。任何法案必须同时简化项目批准审核程序，保证其在两年内完成，如果可以，甚至降低到一年。只要共同努力，我们可以复兴美利坚伟大的建筑业传统。
我们希望每一个美国人都知道辛勤工作的尊严。我们希望每一个孩子都能在家中得享安眠。我们也希望每一位公民能为这片我们深爱的土地感到骄傲。我们而已把我们的公民从福利维生提升到自力更生，从依赖提升到自立，从贫困提升到富足。
鉴于减税改革创造了新的工作岗位，让我们投资给劳动力的发展，让我们投资给职业培训，这都是我们非常需要的。我们要开设职业学校，这样我们未来的工人就能学一门手艺，实现全部潜能。让我们支持工薪家庭，支持带薪家庭假期。
随着美国恢复实力，机会应该遍及每一个公民。这就是为什么在今年我们会致力于改革鉴于制度，帮助刑满出狱的囚犯获得重启人生的机会。
贫困社区，尤其是移民社区，也会因我们聚焦美国工人与家庭利益的移民政策而获益。几十年来，开放的边界纵容毒品和匪帮进入我们最脆弱的社区。他们让数以百万计的低薪劳动力与最贫穷的美国人争夺工作与工资。
最悲惨的是，他们还夺走了许多无数的生命。今晚我们请来了两位父亲和两位母亲，艾福林•罗德里格斯，弗雷迪•奎瓦斯，伊丽莎白•艾尔瓦拉多，以及罗伯特•米肯斯。他们年轻的女儿，凯拉•奎瓦斯和妮萨•米肯斯曾经是一对居住在罗德岛州的好朋友。
但在2016年12月，妮萨16岁生日前一天，这原本应该是个好日子，可她们都没回家。这两个可爱的女孩被谋杀了——她们一起走在家乡的道路上，却被残忍地谋杀。六个来自野蛮的MS-13匪帮的歹徒被控对这起谋杀负责。很多像这样的匪帮成员就是利用我们法律上的漏洞，作为非法的、无监护人的外籍闲散青年进入了我们的国家，让凯拉和妮萨就读的高中陷入恐慌。
艾福林、弗雷迪、伊丽莎白和罗伯特。我们全体起立，与你们共同哀悼。谢谢。我希望你们知道，三亿两千万美国人的心灵现在与你们同悲。我们爱你们。谢谢。
丧女之痛是的强烈我们无法想象的，但我们可以保证其他家庭再也不需要承受这种苦痛。
今晚我呼吁国会修补我们法制上的致命漏洞，正是其纵容MS-13之流的犯罪团伙阑入我国。我们提倡以新的立法修补我们的移民法律，支持我们的移民关税执法局（ICE）和边境巡检部门——这些都是很棒的人，很棒，很棒，他们在危险中努力执勤——这样就能防止惨剧再度发生。
美国是一个有同情心的国家。我们感到骄傲是因为我们比任何一个国家都付出了更多，去帮助世界上各个角落有需要的、在挣扎的和处于弱势的群体。但作为美国总统，我至高的忠诚、我最大的同情、我日常的忧虑，都是为了美国的孩子们、美国挣扎的工人和我们被遗忘的社区。
我希望我们的年轻人能够成长起来干大事。我希望我们的穷人能有站起来的机会。所以今晚，我向两党成员伸出合作之手，去保护我们各种背景、肤色、宗教和信仰的公民。我的职责、以及每一任这个大厅中民选长官的职责，是去守护美国人民，守护她们的安全、她们的家人、她们的社区，和她们实现美国梦的权利。因为美国人也是爱梦想的人。
今晚我们请到了一位捍卫国家事业的佼佼者，移民海关执法局本土安全调查处特别探员切雷斯蒂诺•马丁内兹。他的代号是DJ和CJ。他说，我叫哪个都可以，所以我叫他CJ。他在成为移民海关执法局探员之前在空军服役了15年，最近15年来又在打击帮派暴力，把危险的罪犯赶出我们的街道。是份苦差事。
有一次，MS-13匪帮的头目想要CJ的性命，而且他们要得还很紧。但CJ没有向危险和恐惧屈服。去年五月，他在长岛指挥了一次追踪匪帮的行动，他的团队一下子抓获了近400个帮派分子，其中超过220个来自MS-13帮。CJ，干得漂亮。
我必须告诉你们边境巡逻队和移民关税执法局的成就。我们将数千名MS-13的恐怖成员送出了我们的国土，或者是送进了我们的监狱。我只想恭喜你，CJ。你是一名勇敢的人。非常感谢你。我问CJ，秘诀是什么。他只是说，我们比他们更强悍。我喜欢这个答案。
现在，让全体国会，让这个大厅里的所有人为你——我们必须这么做，我们没得选择。CJ，我们要为你送去支援，而且给你的增援很快就到。这是你需要的。
在接下来的数周内，众议院和参议院将对一份移民改革法案进行投票。这几个月以来，我的政府和民主党及共和党都进行了多次会面，试图起草一份两党都能同意的移民改革方案。在这些会面的基础之上，我们向国会提交一份两党都应该支持的细致提案，这份提案也是双边公平妥协的结果。在这份法案中，没有任何一方达成了其全部目的，但我们的国家能从中得到它需要且是必须的改革。
以下是我们移民改革计划的四个支柱。
第一个支柱是我们为一百八十万从小被父母带到美国的非法移民打开慷慨之门。这一政策覆盖的人数比此前任何一届政府都要多出三倍。根据我们的计划，达到了教育和工作要求、且显示了良好道德特质的人们将能够在12年里成为合法美国公民。
第二个支柱是保卫边界。这意味着在南部国境线上建设有效的墙，雇佣更多像CJ这样的人来保证我们社区的安全。更重要的是，我们的计划能够消除此前被罪犯和恐怖分子利用来进入美国的法律漏洞。它也将终于能够终结危险的逮捕—释放过程。
第三个支柱是结束签证抽签制度，它不考虑申请人的技能和综合素质和美国人民的安全，随机发放绿卡。是时候开始建设一个基于申请人综合素质的移民系统了。这个系统应该接受拥有技能且愿意工作的申请人、能够对我们的社会作出贡献的申请人、热爱且尊重我们的国家的申请人。
第四个也是最后的一个支柱旨在终结连锁移民，保护核心家庭。根据现行的移民法，一名移民可以将无限多的远亲带进美国。在我们的计划下，我们将只关注直系家属，减少对其他人的接收：只接收配偶和孩子。这项重要改革不仅对我们的经济来说很有必要，对我们的安全和美国的未来同样重要。
过去的几周内，两起纽约袭击背后的恐怖分子都是通过抽签和连锁移民进入美国的。在恐怖主义盛行的时代，这些项目带来了我们不能承担的奉献。是时候对这些过时的移民规定进行改革了，并终于将我们的移民系统带入21世纪。
这四个支柱呈现了两党之间的妥协，将会创造一个安全、现代且合法的移民系统。三十多年以来，华盛顿尝试应对这个问题，但还是失败了。而本届国会终于有机会一劳永逸地解决。最重要的是，根据这四根支柱产生的立法将实现我坚实的承诺，把美利坚放在第一位。所以让我们一起努力，搁置政见争议，完成我们的目标。
这些改革也将支持我们应对类鸦片药物与毒品带来的危机。局势从来没有像现在这样严重。这太可怕了。我们必须做点什么。在2016年，因为吸毒过量64000名美国人死亡，每天就有174人。每小时就有7人。想要杜绝毒患，我们必须对贩毒分子强硬出手。本届政府致力于打击毒品传播，以及帮助有需要的人接受治疗。对于那些已经深受毒害的人，斗争将是艰苦漫长的。但我们终将胜利，因为我们美国人从来都是这样。我们终将克服。
正如我们今晚所见，只有在最困难的挑战中才能发现美国最优秀的品质。新墨西哥州一户人家的故事就是一个生动范例。莱恩今年27岁，是阿尔伯克基警局的一名警官。他今晚也在场，和他的妻子丽贝卡一起。
谢谢你，莱恩。去年，莱恩执勤时看到一个无家可归的孕妇正要注射海洛因。理智告诉她，这样会伤害自己还没出生的孩子，于是她开始哭泣。她告诉莱恩，她不知道要去哪里，但为了孩子，她十分想要一个安全的家。那一刻，莱恩说他觉得上帝跟他说了些什么：“你会去做的，因为你可以。”他听到这些话，拿出了妻子和孩子的照片。回家后他告诉了妻子丽贝卡。丽贝卡立刻答应了收留她。他们给这个女婴取名为“希望”。莱恩和丽贝卡，你们就是我们国家的美好的化身。谢谢你们，同时祝贺你们。
当我们在重塑美国内部的力量与信心时，我们也在国外恢复力量。全球范围内，我们追赶红色政权、恐怖组织、还有像中国与俄罗斯那样挑战我们利益、经济和价值观的对手。在与这些可怕危险对抗时，我们知道是软弱导致了冲突、而无法比拟的力量是捍卫我们自身最保险的方式。因此，我请求国会停止危险地削减开支，全力支持我们的伟大军队。
作为我国国防的一部分，我们必须更新、重建我们的核武库。但愿我们永远也不会真的用上它，但要让它强大到可以吓阻一切侵犯。也许在未来的某一天，世界各国共同废弃各自的核武，但那个时刻太过魔幻。很遗憾，我们现在还没到那一步。
去年，我也承诺把ISIS从地球上抹去。一年过去，我骄傲地宣布反ISIS联军已经解放了几乎所有ISIS刽子手占领下的地带，包括伊拉克和叙利亚。但我们还有很多工作要做。我们要持续作战，直到ISIS被彻底打败。
今晚我们请来了陆军上士贾斯汀•派克。去年11月，贾斯汀和他的战友肯顿•斯塔西军士长在拉卡附近执行任务，清理被ISIS放置爆炸物的建筑，让平民能够返回城市内。
在清理一栋医院的二楼时，肯顿•斯塔西被炸成重伤。贾斯汀马上跳进了诡雷密布、危险不安全的建筑里，发现肯顿的状况很严重。他压紧肯顿的伤口，用管子充当呼吸道。在运送伤员的时候他一连为肯顿做了20分钟的人工呼吸，在两个半小时的时间里为他人工呼吸，直到肯顿接受应急手术。如果没有贾斯汀的战友情谊，肯顿已经死了。今晚，肯顿正在德克萨斯康复。贾斯汀则戴上了铜星勋章和V字奖章。陆军上士贾斯汀•派克，全美国向你致敬。
在诸如民用医院这样的地方放炸弹的恐怖分子是邪恶的。只要有机会，我们就必须消灭他们。只要有必要，我们就必须拘禁审问他们。但我们必须明确。恐怖分子比起罪犯更应该算作无法无天的敌方战斗人员。如果他们在海外被俘，他们应当获得与恐怖分子身份相对的处置。
在过去，我们粗率地释放了数以百计危险的恐怖分子，让他们又回到敌营回到战场，这其中也包括我们俘虏过又放走的ISIS头目。今天我兑现了又一个诺言。我在进场之前刚刚签署了一项命令，让国防部长马蒂斯重新审核我们的军事拘留政策，保证我们在关塔那摩湾的监禁设施开放。
我呼吁国会保证在对ISIS和基地组织的战斗中，我们将继续拥有关押恐怖分子的必要权力。无论我们在哪抓到这些恐怖分子，我们都将关押他们。
我们在阿富汗的战士有了新的作战原则。我们的战士和他们勇敢的阿富汗伙伴并肩作战，不再受到人工时间线的限制，我们不会让敌人知晓我们的计划。
上个月我刚刚采取了行动，并得到了参议院的一直支持。我承认耶路撒冷为以色列的首都。不久以后，数十个国家在联合国大会上投票反对美国作出这个决定的主权权力。2016年，美国纳税人慷慨地向这些国家提供了超过两百亿美元的援助。这也是为什么我在今晚呼吁国会，通过立法，确保美国的外国援助将持续符合美国利益，帮助我们的朋友而非敌人。
我们在世界各地巩固友谊的同时，也开始重新正视我们的对手。当伊朗人民奋起反对腐败专政时，我们并未沉默。在捍卫自由的勇敢斗争中，美国与伊朗人民站在一起。
我要求国会处理伊朗核问题的根本缺陷。我的政府也对古巴和委内瑞拉的共产主义和社会主义独裁实行了强硬制裁。但当今没有任何政权会比朝鲜的独裁统治更加全面地、残酷地压迫自己的公民。
朝鲜对核导弹的鲁莽追求很快就会威胁到我们的家园。为了防止这种状况发生，我们要发起一场运动，施加最大的压力。过去的经验告诉我们，自满和让步只会带来侵略和挑衅。我不会重犯过去那些让我们深陷危险的错误。我们只需要看到朝鲜政权道德败坏的特性，就能够明白它对美国和我们的盟友造成的核威胁的本质。
奥托•瓦姆比尔是弗吉尼亚大学的一名学生。在他在亚洲留学的期间，奥托参加了去往朝鲜的旅行。在这趟旅行结束之时，这名年轻人被逮捕，并被冠上了政权颠覆的罪名。在一场令人羞耻的审判后，朝鲜独裁政权判决奥托服刑15年的重度劳役。当他于去年6月返回美国时，他受了重伤且濒临死亡，在回国的数天后逝世。
奥托的父母，弗雷德和辛迪，今晚就在这里——还有奥托的弟弟妹妹，艾斯汀和格莱塔。你们有力地见证了一个正在威胁我们世界的鬼影，你们的坚韧鼓舞了我们所有人。今晚，我们誓言把对奥托的哀思化作美利坚的决心。
最后，另一名受到这个危险政权迫害的受害者也在现场。他的名字是池成镐（音译）。
在1996年，成镐还是一名饥饿的朝鲜男孩。一天，他试图从火车车厢内偷几块煤来换取一些食物。在此过程中，他由于饥饿而昏倒在轨道上。当他醒来时，发现火车已经碾过了他的下肢。在毫无镇痛的情况下，他经受了多次截肢。他的兄弟姐妹将自己仅有的食物给了他，自己只能吃土——这为他们的成长带来了永久性的缺陷。后来，在从中国的短途旅行回来后，他被朝鲜政权折磨。施刑者拷问他是否接触了任何基督徒。答案是肯定的，而且他决心追求自由。
成镐依靠拐杖在中国和东南亚奔走了数千英里努力获得自由。他大部分家人也追随了他的脚步。他的父亲在试图逃离时被逮捕，并被折磨致死。今天他住在首尔，他依然在努力救援其他脱北者，同时向朝鲜境内广播这个政权最害怕的东西：真相。
今天他有了一条新的腿，但成镐，我意识到你依然带着拐杖来提醒自己你已经走了多远。你的巨大牺牲为我们所有人带来启发。成镐的故事，就是人人向往自由生活的印证。
正是这种对自由的向往，近250年前，催生了美国这个特殊的地方。它原本只是被茫茫大海和广袤原野围困的一串殖民地，如今却变成了一个令人惊羡的民族的家园，其有一个革命性的理念：在这里，人们自我统治。他们自己规划自己的命运，齐心协力，照亮了这个世界。那是我们这个国家一直以来的愿景。那是我们一贯主张、为之奋斗、坚定不移的。
在这座国会大厦的圆顶上，伫立着自由女神像。她高大而威严的站在那些为她而战、而生、而死的，我们前辈的纪念碑当中。纪念碑为华盛顿和杰弗逊而造——为林肯和马丁•路德•金而造。它纪念约克顿和萨拉托加的英雄们——纪念那些将热血洒在诺曼底海岸和远方的田野上的年轻美国人。还有那些沉入太平洋海底，身陨亚洲天空中的人。
自由也高高屹立在另一座纪念碑上：就是这一座。这座国会大厦，这座活着的美国人民的纪念碑。这个民族的英雄不止活在过去，至今也辈出于我们之间——他们捍卫希望、骄傲，以及美利坚的道路。
他们从事着各行各业，牺牲小我养育家庭。他们在家照料孩子，在外护卫我们的旗帜。他们是坚强的母亲和勇敢的孩子。他们是消防员、警员、边防局工作人员、医生和海军陆战队。但更重要的是，他们就是美国人。这幢国会大厦，这座城市，这个国家，都属于他们。我们的职责是尊重他们、倾听他们，服务他们，保护他们，并且永不辜负他们。
美国人用艺术和音乐装点了世界。他们推动着科学发明的边界。他们永恒提醒着我们永远不应忘记：人民梦想了这个国家，人民铸就了这个国家，是人民让美国再次伟大。
只要我们为自己身为何人、为何而战感到骄傲，就没有我们做不到的事情。只要我们对我们的价值观、信仰和国民充满信心，并且坚信上帝，我们就不会失败。我们的家庭将蒸蒸日上。我们的人民将繁荣昌盛。我们的国家将永远安全、强大、骄傲、强力、自由。谢谢，上帝保佑美利坚。
翻译：世界说，文中一些地方有校正
