them. requiring mandatory treatment instead of prison for non-violent drug offenders is only one step -- but an important one. treatment is the path to saving lives, and for as long as i am governor of new jersey treatment will be mandatory in our system and i will not yield. [applause] i am proud that in these last

two years we've also launched a program to integrate employment services with treatment, so that we can help those with drug addiction not only get clean but get back to work. i am proud that together we enacted an overdose protection law to provide legal protection to people and especially to health care professionals who are trying to help. i am proud that we are trying to help non-violent offenders get access to college through the nj-step program.

and today, i would like to announce our next steps in helping those battling the disease of drug addiction by improving the way we deliver these services. right now there are numerous federal, state, and county government programs, providers and nonprofit partners, who fund and deliver some form of adult addiction services. how to access those services can be difficult and overwhelming when confronted with the unintended bureaucracy of options. contacting multiple agencies and trying to identify the right treatment is challenging enough,

but even more so for individuals in crisis. if we are able to make it easier for individuals battling addiction and their loved ones to access the right services at the right time, we can save lives. this year, our administration will launch the first phase of a reform effort to make all of these services available from a single point of entry. there is no "wrong door" in this approach. those faced with addiction will be able to make one phone call to access available services and resources anywhere in the state. just one phone call to provide real time information, assess available treatment options, and connect them to the help they need right then and there. this is how good government is supposed to work. by coordinating all of our programs and services across state government that are designed to help those dealing with addiction allows us to maximize our resources, ensure dollars are not going to waste and get real-time information from our partners across the state. just one phone call to connect with someone who can walk an individual through the options that best work for their recovery process.

it's the smart way to make sure we don't have people stuck in a system utilizing services that don't actually work for them. once this reform is underway, we will extend this same concept to those adults with mental illness. planning for this has already begun. this coordinated approach builds on our commitment to rethink how government services are delivered so that we are being smarter, more efficient, and more targeted. going back to 2010, we put in place a model to better connect populations most in need of assistance with the kind of care they actually need -- whether seniors, people with disabilities, or adults with substance abuse or mental illness. we reformed the state's medicaid program and created an innovative system that gives senior citizens and people with disabilities easier access to care and greater choice. our whole emphasis has been to deliver the right level of service to the right person, in the right place. as a result, we've increased and improved the options of assistance and care provided in a home setting and in the community, while reducing our

reliance on more traditional institutional care, whether in nursing homes or developmental centers. this approach has worked under medicaid, improving services and holding down costs for seniors those with developmental disabilities, and for all eligible citizens and families. under my administration, new jersey's medicaid spending growth on these groups has trailed the national average and has been cited as the second lowest in the region. we are also taking this model directly to our communities. [applause]

last fall we created the facing addiction task force, a 12-member team chaired by pastor joe carter of newark's new hope baptist church and co-chaired by former governor jim mcgreevey to fight drug addiction by ending the stigma and focusing on treatment and prevention. [applause]

i thank them for their willingness to step up and lead this fight. they have come forward with a one-stop model for connecting comprehensive services to ex-offenders battling addiction as they leave incarceration or drug court and reenter society. this is just smart government. by helping an individual connect the dots from treatment to temporary housing to employment and training services, we are helping them lay their own foundation for a successful re-entry into society. in newark, paterson, atlantic city, toms river, trenton, and jersey city, a single physical location will be run by a

non-profit organization in coordination with our administration, local officials, and community partners. by directly connecting those who have suffered from addiction to the services they need at a most critical juncture, we are helping them avoid a cycle of dependency by transitioning them from government services to the workplace. this doesn't just reduce long-term service costs to the state, but is the best way to ensure they become hopeful happy, and productive members of our society. now, of all the long term challenges we face, one of the largest and most immediate is

our obligation to provide pension and health benefits for state and local employees. this is not just a new jersey problem. this is a national problem. states across the country are

struggling to fund critical programs because pension and health costs are eating up taxpayer dollars. we first took the lead to try and solve this problem in 2011 when a republican governor and a democratic legislature came together to go up against the entrenched special interests. it was hard. it was loud. it was the right thing to do. together we defied the conventional wisdom and enacted historic reforms that reduce the cost to taxpayers by over $120 billion over the next three decades. this was a huge first step. today, the health of the pension system is stronger than it was five years ago. in fact, gains have totaled over $35 billion -- which is way above projections -- thanks to our sound management and smart investment strategy. but the fact is that while we have been making up ground, the pension fund is underfunded because of poor decisions by governors and legislatures of

both parties, over decades, not years. these sins of the past have made the system unaffordable. but we do not have the luxury to ignore this problem. we know this because even as our administration has contributed more money to the system than any in history, it is not enough. the pension fund's problem is a long-term one. and it is related to every other program in state government.

right now the $90 billion unfunded liability for pensions and health benefits is three times the size of the annual state budget. think of this way -- in order to close the current shortfall in just the pension system alone every family in new jersey would have to write a check for $12,000. that is the nature of long-term entitlements which grow faster than the economy, and in that regard our problem here in new jersey is not that different from washington's entitlement problem. for all of these reasons, last summer i appointed a bipartisan commission of experts -- a pension and health benefits task force -- to make recommendations for tackling the twin problems of pension and health benefit costs. i asked them to think outside the box, and they are hard at work. i thank the members of the commission -- led by tom healy

a former assistant secretary of the u.s. treasury -- on their efforts and willingness to tackle this pressing issue. a long-term solution and sustainable future for our pension and health benefit plans are difficult but worthy things to achieve. we took a historic first step in 2011. let's make 2015 the year we finish the job. [applause] now coming out of the last recession, america remains a country ill at ease. america's economy is growing but it is not growing enough. new jersey's economy is growing but it is not growing enough. last week's jobs report was good, but real wages declined. the economy is simply not as strong as it could be, or as it should be.

we are a nation beset by anxiety. it is understandable. economic growth is low by post-war recovery standards. america's leadership in the world is called into question because of a pattern of indecision and inconsistency. during this time of uncertainty it seems our leaders in washington would rather stoke division for their own political gain. and this culture of divisiveness and distrust has seeped into our communities and our neighborhoods. as i traveled the country over the last year, this anxiety was the most palpable emotion i saw and felt. i saw it on the streets of chicago and felt it in the

suburbs of maryland. i heard it from farmers in kansas and from teachers in colorado. i felt it from veterans in maine and from workers in arkansas. but the wisest words came from an 82 year old woman in florida. she grabbed my hand and asked me a simple, but powerful question, "what's happened to our country? we used to control events. now events control us." but right here, in this great state, we have the tools to get back on track. we know that, time and again economic growth has delivered the most good for the most people.

and we know that the policies of lower taxes and less intrusive government have created higher economic growth and better paying jobs for our middle class. we know that a commitment to education at every level is another key to a better tomorrow. we just have to have the courage to fix those schools we know aren't working and to empower principals, teachers, parents, and students to reach for the sky, and the wisdom to invest in the schools, colleges, and universities that can take us there. we know that our ability to make these investments in education infrastructure, our cities and our communities is dependent on our willingness to control the smothering costs of entitlements. we know these things as a people, yet too often in the past our leaders have failed to act on them and the result is a sense of drift.

let me be clear. we need to address this anxiety head on. we need to renew the spirit and the hopes of our state, our country and our people. a renewal of our commitment to the hard-working families who are the backbone of our state. a renewal of our commitment to the simple belief that our people deserve better than a bloated national government that imposes costs on our states which suffocate our people. a renewal of our commitment to the ideal -- and the hard work to make it happen --that new jersey's best days can lie ahead. that we don't have to accept anything less. a renewal of our commitment to the belief that new jersey and its people deserve better from us, those they have chosen to lead. we need a new jersey renewal and

an american renewal. i renew my commitment to new jersey today to make the lives of our citizens more prosperous, more healthy, better educated and truly optimistic. so that when we stand here in one year, our today will be better than our yesterdays and our tomorrow will be filled with real opportunity.

we may argue from time to time over the best means to get things done. that's the nature of public debate and i will always be willing to engage in it with you. but our goal, together, should be to make sure that new jersey remains one place where a better life is possible -- for us, for our children, and for their children -- through determination, hard work, and a commitment to the greater good. there is no better example of what we can achieve if we put aside party and pettiness than the results we are seeing in camden.

a city devoid of hope five years ago, a city riddled with violent

crime five years ago, a city beset by a corrupt and ineffective government five years ago, a school system that failed camden's families almost every day just five short years ago. then an outstanding leader stepped forward for mayor. a county government stepped in to lead boldly. and i asked all of you to support a new vision for camden. did we just throw money at the problem as has been done before? no. we demanded partnership and accountability and we are getting results. through the economic opportunity act of 2013 a city that has suffered from divestment for decades is now seeing a new tomorrow. $600 million dollars of private investment in camden in the last

year alone. in a city suffering from epidemic crime, we acted boldly. we terminated the city police department and, partnering with the county, put a new metro division on the streets with 400 officers for the same price we were paying for 260. the results? murder down 51%.

[applause] firearm assaults down by 1/3. all violent crime down 22%. police are working with neighborhood groups to bring calm and peace across the city. in camden schools, we partnered with the local groups to bring new leadership to the schools and a renewed accountability to the classroom.

the urban hope act has expanded opportunity and new schools are being built once again in camden in a public-private partnership. hope and optimism are up --fear of failure is down. in camden's downtown, a new medical school and new investment by rutgers university is helping to bring bright new citizens to camden's neighborhoods. no one could have believed it was possible five years ago. today, it is happening because we put action and results ahead of politics, partisanship and a shared failed history.

i am a republican and she is a democrat. if you are willing to put down the sword of partisan politics, i will extend my hand and we will rebuild your cities the way we rebuilt camden. [applause]

january 13, 2015. we are at the beginning of the new year. in this year, let us recommit to the principle of action -- to creating the conditions for growth, to preparing our children for a better future, to addressing our long-term problems, and to valuing every life. that is our job as public servants. and that should be our common agenda for the year ahead. i believe in a new jersey renewal which can help lead to an american renewal both in every individual home and in homes around the world. i pray today that you will join me in that renewal as so many of you in this chamber and in this state have done before over the last five years. i am proud to be your governor and i will never stop fighting for our new jersey renewal. thank you,

god bless you, and god bless the great state of new jersey. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org]

>> the house gavels and at noon today for general speeches. at 2:00, there is a resolution condemning the paris attacks in

paris. they will adjourn the late afternoon in reparation of the state of the union address. the senate gavels and at 10:00. if they will debate the keystone xl pipeline up. there are votes on amendments in the afternoon. you can watch the house live on seas and and the senate on c-span2. pennsylvania governor tom wealth will be sworn in today as the 47th governor. we'll be live from harrisburg on c-span3. coming up, the european unions represented for foreign policy is in washington. we will be live from the brookings institution at 2:45

p.m. eastern on c-span3. tonight, the president delivers his state of the union address. coverage begins at 8:00 p.m. eastern, including his speech and the republican response. you can watch the speech and congressional reaction on c-span2. >> at the state of the state address, jay inslee spoke about funding for early childhood education, innovation, and entrepreneurship. he spoke before the state house of representatives in olympia. this is 25 minutes.

[applause] >> mr. president, mr. speaker, madam chief justice, distinguished justices of the court, honored officials members of the washington state legislature, tribal leaders, local government officials members of the consular corps and my fellow washingtonians. good afternoon. i want to begin today by thanking oso chaplain

joel johnson; the members of the marysville pilchuck high school choir; my family members - especially trudi; the 13 newest members of the legislature who have stepped up to serve this state; and the people and communities of washington that over the past 125 years have given us the great state we celebrate today. i also want to mention a member of our legislative family, the late representative roger freeman. he was proud to represent his community. but most of all, roger was proud to be a father to his two children and a devoted husband to his wife, sonya. our thoughts are with them today. the new representative from the 30th district is carol gregory and i extend a warm welcome to her and thank her for her

willingness to take on this work. [applause] in our country's northwest corner, facing both the pacific ocean and the future, is the most innovative, most resourceful, most dynamic state in our nation. we're known as the evergreen state - not only because of our prodigious forests and the verdant green of our spring wheat, but also because of our ever-present entrepreneurial zeal, our social progress and our technological genius. washington state has remained evergreen throughout its first 125 years because in every moment of crisis, in every year of challenge, in every decade of change, washingtonians have chosen the path that takes us forward.

we invest in ourselves. we invest in a legacy worthy of our children and grandchildren. we have done this, time and time again, with the firm conviction that our people, our communities and our economy will grow and prosper if we summon the confidence to make these investments. today, our state stands at another crossroads. one path leads to an economy that works for all washingtonians, supports thriving communities and preserves a healthy environment. the other path leads to a slow erosion of our shared prosperity, a widening gap of inequality and a deterioration of our clean air and water. if we rise to the challenge, as

we always have, we will choose the best path for washington. as you know, from day one i've focused on job creation in our state, and the issues we'll talk about today - education, transportation, clean energy - all work together to build an economy that works for everyone. it should please us all to know that our economy continues to rebound. our state has added 150,000 jobs over the past two years. but that growth has not been shared equally, either geographically or across the economic spectrum. the right path for washington is an economy that provides opportunity for all. [applause] we know that expanding

educational opportunities, launching a transportation construction program and fighting carbon pollution will put us on the right course. our most fundamental commitment needs to be to the very youngest washingtonians. we know the greatest untapped asset in the state is the potential of a 3- and 4-year-old. the latest neuroscience research at the university of washington shows that at this age, children's minds have a tremendous capacity for learning. early learning is the best investment we can make in our future. [applause] but our success will require a continuum of education, from early learning all the way

through higher education. that's why my proposal makes a $2.3 billion investment in our children's future, including the largest-ever state investment in early learning. this means 6,000 more low-income children could attend high-quality preschools. my proposal fully funds class-size reductions in kindergarten through third grade. my proposal provides all-day kindergarten across the state. it gives our teachers their first cost-of-living allowance since 2008. it helps families struggling with the costs of higher education by freezing tuition and boosting financial aid so that 17,000 more students can get scholarships. these investments are not based on wishful thinking. they are based on a rock-solid foundation of proven strategies established reforms and demonstrable student performance.

we know what works. we know what it takes. i have visited a lot of classrooms in the past two years. and i have been continually impressed by the great teaching and innovative learning i've seen. and these opportunities must be available for all our children at all our schools. because let me tell you, we have whip-smart kids ready for takeoff. [applause] but the future demands a higher level of achievement. investing in stem and workforce training pays off in attracting the most innovative companies on the planet. today we can celebrate elon musk's announced plans to open a space x engineering center in washington with the potential to hire up to

1,000 people. [applause] we know that a child spends an average of six hours a day in the school building. we also know what children need in those other 18 hours. every morning, they need to start the day with nutritious food in their bellies. they need a way to get to school safely. they need a coat to protect them from the elements as they get to and from school. and at night, they need a warm, safe, stable place to sleep with a roof over their heads. [applause] the budget we agree on should nurture all our students, in and out of the classroom, because we know how hard it is to educate a

homeless, hungry, sick child. our families and our communities also need the vital services that allow them to function - nurses, mental health facilities, police officers and firefighters - the full range of services that help make washington a great place to live and raise a family. we've been cutting those services to balance our budget and it's no longer working. over the past six years, we've cut existing and projected spending in our state budget by $12 billion. make no mistake: we've found savings and efficiencies as well. among other examples we're saving an average of $1.6 million annually on leasing costs. the department of social and health services saved $3.5 million in energy costs in 2013 alone. and we're saving $2 million a year in long-distance

charges through a new service. we need to continue this work. but we've reached the place where multiple courts have said we cut too much or neglected to fund adequately and have now ordered us to do a better job on foster care, mental health and protecting vulnerable children. i know some people say they haven't noticed the cuts. let me tell you: the man handcuffed to a gurney in an emergency room due to lack of beds in a mental health ward ... he notices. the woman who was a victim of domestic violence and couldn't get emergency housing ... she notices. the college students whose tuition went up 50 percent ... they sure notice. what can seem invisible to some

of us is painfully real to others. [applause] in the prosperous future we all want, we cannot leave so many people behind. some see the road ahead paved only with cuts to services. some consider only revenue as options. both camps will ultimately realize that neither view is the definitive answer. we're going to approach our work with a bold spirit of seeking solutions rather than finding excuses, and a can-do attitude of kicking aside our differences instead of kicking the can down the road. the same is true with transportation.

without action, there will be a 52 percent cut in the maintenance budget, and 71 bridges will become structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. without action commute times will continue to rise, robbing us of time with our families. without action our ability to move goods efficiently will be diminished. the tragic and catastrophic landslide in snohomish county last year reminds us that entire communities are cut off from the rest of the state when we lose transportation infrastructure. but now imagine a transportation system that moves the entire state forward. one that improves reliability and safety addresses congestion and maintenance, creates jobs and offers more choices. as you know, i've been working

for a balanced, multimodal transportation package since my first day in office. in december, i proposed a plan that builds on the bipartisan spirit of past efforts by offering a good-faith compromise to spark action this legislative session. it keeps us safe by fixing our bridges, patching our roads and cleaning our air and water. it also embraces efficiency, saves time and money, and drives results that the public can trust through real reform. finally, it's a plan that delivers a transportation system that truly works as a system. a system that transcends our old divides and rivalries. no more east versus west, urban versus rural or roads versus transit. now i welcome your suggestions for improvement. but the state

cannot accept a continued failure to move on transportation. let's get this done. [applause] there's another thing my transportation plan does. it institutes a carbon pollution charge that would have our largest polluters pay rather than raising the gas tax on everyone. under my plan, it's the polluters who pay. we face many challenges, but it is the growing threat of carbon pollution that can permanently change the nature of washington as we know it. it's already increasing the acidity of our waters, increasing wildfires and increasing asthma rates in our children, particularly in

low-income communities and communities of color. we have a moral obligation to act. our moral duty is to protect a birthright. future washingtonians deserve to a healthy washington. [applause] every generation has the duty to pass on healthy air and water to the next. and when we do, we will know that although we are a small part of the world, we are 7 million washingtonians strong who stand for preserving the grandeur of our state. if we don't stand up for the health of the state, who will?

the people who are less than 1 percent of the world are leading the world in aerospace, leading the world in software and now can lead the world in clean energy, because that's who we are. [applause] what we lack in numbers, we more than make up for in our innovative spirit. by next year, countries and states that are responsible for half the world's carbon pollution will have instituted limits on those emissions. and when we act together with other states and nations, we can do something even bigger. by locking arms with oregon california and british columbia through the pacific coast

collaborative, we become a region of 53 million people comprising the world's fifth-largest economy. won't it be great when the west coast leads, while washington dc is stymied by gridlock? [applause] i am pleased there is a growing consensus that it is time to act. we must meet the carbon pollution limits enacted by this body in 2008. i have proposed a comprehensive solution that caps carbon emissions, creates incentives for clean technology and transportation, invests in energy efficiency and makes our own government operations more efficient. for all we do here together in the next few months, for all our

fiscal woes, for all our short-term demands, we know that the most enduring legacy we can leave is a healthy, clean, beautiful evergreen state. i will not, and in the deepest part of my heart i hope you will not allow this threat to stand. we also know the challenge of carbon pollution brings great economic opportunities for our state. i've seen companies in washington moving full steam ahead to seize these opportunities and create jobs: at itek in bellingham, which is not only one of our state's largest solar panel manufacturers, but produces the most powerful solar panels in the industry. at unienergy in mukilteo, where its groundbreaking vanadium flow battery is leading the way in the field of storage

technologies for renewable energy. and at macdonald-miller, which is not only reducing the carbon footprint of commercial buildings, but last year added 300 jobs to our state. we are leaders in this state. when we act, others follow. let's shape that action together. let's test our ideas. let's fashion a washington carbon pollution action plan suited to the genius and leadership capabilities of our great state. [applause] we can do this. it's already been done successfully in many other places, including 10 states and 35 countries. i can't tell you today what our joint efforts will produce, but i can say that after six years of no progress on this front washingtonians deserve action on carbon pollution. in developing my budget, i took

the same approach to looking to tested solutions in developing revenue proposals this year. here's the sad truth: washington has the nation's most unfair tax system. the nation's most unfair tax system. our lowest-paid workers pay nearly 17 percent of their income in taxes while the top 1 percent pay less than 3 percent. a new teacher pays three times more in taxes as a percentage than our wealthiest citizens. we know there are many forces driving inequality, but we can make policy choices that move us toward an economy that works for all washingtonians. we can work toward a fairer tax system, and we should.

[applause] that's why i am proposing to eliminate five tax loopholes that no longer measure up when compared with educating our kids. that's why we're asking the wealthiest washingtonians to do a little more. i am proposing a new capital gains tax on the sale of stocks, bonds and other assets. it is estimated that less than 1 percent of the state's taxpayers would be affected. this exempts any capital gains on retirement accounts, homes, farms and

forestry. as i mentioned, this is new to us, but certainly not a new concept nationally. forty-one states have this system already. and here's something else we can do to bring a modicum of fairness to our tax system - a system that relies so heavily on sales tax revenue and affects our working families so disproportionally. i am proposing we fund the working families tax rebate, which was passed by the legislature in 2008 but never funded. this could help more than 500,000 working families in washington mostly in rural and economically struggling counties. [applause] i've always believed that if you work full time, you should be able to provide for your family's most basic needs.

that's why i will continue to work with legislators to help working families through polices such as a minimum wage increase and paid sick leave. [applause] so we begin this 64th legislative session at a crossroads. the time of recession and hollowing out is behind us. it is now time for reinvestment. i have a deep and abiding belief in our ability to lead the world and to build on our first 125 years. that is why we should choose the upward path that leads to more opportunity, greater prosperity and a better quality of life for everyone. let's walk this path together.

we can make this choice with the full confidence that there are no better people to invest in than washingtonians, there is no better place to invest in than washington and there is no better time to invest than 2015. [applause] so let's get to work. go hawks. a thank you. thank you. [applause] [applause] >> the heritage foundation host

a panel on judicial elections and campaign finance laws. that is live at 12:30 p.m. eastern on c-span3. the european union's representative on foreign policy is in washington. we will be live from the brookings institution at 2:45 p.m. eastern, also on c-span3. tonight, president obama delivers his state of the union address. live coverage begins at 8:00 p.m. eastern including the speech and the gop response delivered by joni ernst. we will have your reaction through open phones.

you can watch the speech and congressional responses on c-span2. >> live today, washington journal is next. at 10:00, mac thornberry on the agenda for the 114th congress. the house returns for general speeches. the house takes a a resolution condemning the terrorist attacks in paris. coming up, a discussion on the process for president writing the state of the union address.

at 8:45 a.m., we will preview the tax reform proposal and congressional action. host: among the people sitting the first lady's books night at the seated communion are a doctor who survived ebola and immigrants from the u.s.. tonight, stated the new -- a state of the union coverage starts at the clock. you can watch on c-span. 32 million people watched the speech last year.