sixty years ago, when the russians beat us into space, we didn't deny sputnik was up there. [laughter] obama: we didn't argue about the science, or shrink our research and development budget. we built a space program almost overnight, and twelve years later, we were walking on the moon. [applause] pres. obama: that spirit of discovery is in our dna. america is thomas edison and the wright brothers and george washington carver. america is grace hopper and katherine johnson and sally ride.

america is every immigrant and entrepreneur from boston to austin to silicon valley racing to shape a better future. [applause] obama: that is who we are. and, over the past seven years, we've nurtured that spirit. we have protected an open internet, and taken bold new steps to get more students and low-income americans online. we've launched next-generation manufacturing hubs, and online tools that give an entrepreneur everything he or she needs to start a business in a single day. but we can do so much more. last year, vice president biden said that with a new moonshot, america can cure cancer. last month, he worked with this congress to give scientists at the national institutes of health the strongest resources

that they have had in over a decade. [applause] pres. obama: well -- [applause] pres. obama: so tonight, i'm announcing a new national effort to get it done. and because he's gone to the mat for all of us, on so many issues over the past forty years, i'm putting joe in charge of mission control. [applause] pres. obama: for the loved ones we've all lost, for the family we can still save, let's make america the country that cures cancer once and for all. what do you say? [applause]

pres. obama: medical research is critical. we need the same level of commitment when it comes to developing clean energy sources. [applause] pres. obama: look, if anybody still wants to dispute the science around climate change, have at it. you will be pretty lonely because you'll be debating our military, most of america's business leaders, and the majority of the american people, almost the entire scientific community, and 200 nations around the world who agree it's a problem and intend to solve it. [applause] pres. obama: but even if, even if the planet wasn't -- even if 2014 wasn't the warmest year on record, until 2015 turned out to be even hotter, why would we want to pass up the chance for american businesses to produce and sell the energy of the

future? [applause] pres. obama: listen, seven years ago we made the single biggest investment in clean energy in our history. here are the results. in fields from iowa to texas, wind power is now cheaper than dirtier, conventional power. on roof tops, from arizona to new york, solar is saving americans tens of millions of dollars a year on their energy bills and employs more americans than coal in jobs that pay better than average. we're taking steps to give homeowners the freedom to generate and store their own energy. something, by the way, that environmentalists and tea partyers have teamed up to support.

meanwhile, we've cut our imports of foreign oil by nearly 60% and cut carbon pollution more than any other country on earth. [applause] pres. obama: gas under two bucks a gallon ain't bad either. murmuring]nd obama: now we've got to accelerate the transition away from old, dirtier energy sources. rather than subsidize the past, we should invest in the future. especially in communities that rely on fossil fuels, we do them no favor when we don't show them where the trends are going. that's why i'm going to push to change the way we manage our oil

and coal resources so that they better reflect the cost they impose on taxpayers and our planet and that way we put money back into those communities and put tens of thousands of americans to work building a 21st century transportation system. [applause] pres. obama: now, none of this is going to happen overnight. and, yes, there are plenty of entrenched interests who want to protect the status quo. but the jobs we will create, the money we'll save, the planet we'll preserve, that is the kind of future our kids and grandkids deserve. and it's within our grasp. climate change is just one of many issues where our security is linked with the rest of the

world. that's why the third big question that we have to answer together is how to keep america safe and strong without either isolating ourselves or trying to nation-build everywhere there's a problem. i told you earlier, all the talk of america's economic decline is political hot air. well, so is all the rhetoric you hear about our enemies getting stronger and america getting weaker. let me tell you something. the united states of america is the most powerful nation on earth. period. [applause] pres. obama: period. it's not even close. it's not even close. it's not even close. we spend more on our military

than the next eight nations combined. our troops are the finest fighting force in the history of the world. [applause and whistling] obama: no nation attacks us directly or our allies because they know that's the path to ruin. surveys show our standing around the world is higher than when i was elected to this office and when it comes to every important international issue. people of the world do not look to beijing or moscow to lead. they call us. [applause]

pres. obama: so, it's useful to level the set here, because when we don't, we don't make good decisions. now, as someone who begins every day with an intelligence briefing, i know this is a dangerous time. but that's not primarily because of some looming super power out there and it is certainly not because of diminished american strength. in today's world, we're threatened less by evil empires and more by failing states. the middle east is going through a transformation that will play out for a generation. rooted in conflicts that date back millennia. economic headwinds are blowing in from a chinese economy that is in significant transition. even as their economy severely

contracts, russia is pouring resources in to prop up ukraine and syria, client states they saw slipping away from their orbit. and the international system we built after world war ii is now struggling to keep pace with this new reality. it's up to us, the united states of america, to help remake that system. and to do that well, it means we've got to set priorities. priority number one is protecting the american people and going after terrorist networks. [applause] pres. obama: both al qaeda, and

now isil, pose a direct threat to our people because in today's world even a handful of terrorists who place no value on human life, including their own, can do a lot of damage. they use the internet to poison the minds of individuals inside our country. their actions undermine and destablize our allies. we have to take them out. but as we focus on destroying isil, over the top claims that this is world war iii just play into their hands. masses of fighters on the back of pickup trucks, twisted souls plotting in apartments or garages, they pose an enormous danger to civilians. they have to be stopped. but they do not threaten our national existence.

that is the story isil wants to tell. that's the kind of propaganda they use to recruit. we don't need to build them up to show that we're serious. and we sure don't need to push away vital allies in this fight by echoing the lie that isil is somehow representative of one of the world's largest religions. [applause] pres. obama: we just need to call them what they are. killers and fanatics. who have to be rooted out, hunted down, and destroyed. [applause]

pres. obama: and that's exactly what we're doing. for more than a year, america has led a coalition of more than 60 countries to cut off isil's finances, disrupt their plots, stop the flow of terrorist fighters, and stamp out their vicious ideology. with nearly 10,000 air strikes we're taking out their leadership, their oil, their training camps, their weapons. we're training, arming, and supporting forces who are steadily reclaiming territory in iraq and syria. if this congress is serious about winning this war and wants to send a message to our troops and the world, authorize the use of military force against isil. take a vote. [applause] pres. obama: take a vote.

but the american people should know that with or without congressional action, isil will learn the same lessons that terrorists before them. if you doubt america's commitment or mind to see that justice is done, just ask osama bin laden. [applause] pres. obama: ask the leader of al qaeda in yemen who was taken out last year. or the perpetrator of the benghazi attacks, who sits in a prison cell. when you come after americans, we go after you. and it may take time, but we have long memories, and our reach has no limits. [applause] pres. obama: our foreign policy

has to be focused on the threat from isis and al qaeda. but it can't stop there. for even without isil, even without al qaeda, instability will continue for decades in many parts of the world. in the middle east, in afghanistan, parts of pakistan, and parts of central america and africa and asia. some of these places may become safe havens for new terrorist networks. others will just fall victim to ethnic conflict or famine. feeding the next wave of refugees. the world will look to us to help solve these problems. and our answer needs to be more than tough talk or calls to carpet bomb civilians. that may work as a tv sound bite

but it doesn't pass muster on the world stage. we also can't try to take over and rebuild every country that falls into crisis. even if it's done with the best of intentions. that's not leadership. that's a recipe for quagmire. spilling american blood and treasure that ultimately will weaken us. it's the lesson of vietnam. it's the lesson of iraq. we should have learned it by now. [applause] pres. obama: fortunately, there is a smarter approach. a patient and disciplined strategy that uses every element of our national power. it's that america will always act, alone if necessary, to

protect our people and our allies. but on issues of global concern, we will mobilize the world to work with us and make sure other countries pull their own weight. that's our approach to conflicts like syria where we're partnering with local forces and leading international efforts to help that broken society pursue a lasting peace. that's why we built a global coalition with sanctions and principled diplomacy to prevent a nuclear-armed iran, and as we speak iran has rolled back its nuclear program, shipped out its uraniuim stockpile, and the world has avoided another war. [applause] pres. obama: that's how we stopped the spread of ebola in west africa. [applause]

pres. obama: our military, our doctors, our development workers, they were heroic. they set up the platform that then allowed other countries to join in behind us and stamp out that epidemic. hundreds of thousands, maybe a couple million lives were saved. that's how we forged a trans-pacific partnership to open markets and protect workers and the environment and advance american leadership in asia. it cuts 18,000 taxes on products made in america, which will then support more good jobs here in america. with tpp, china does not set the rules in that region. we do. you want to show our strength in the new century? approve this agreement. give us the tools to enforce it. it's the right thing to do. [applause]

pres. obama: let me give you another example. 50 years of isolating cuba, that failed to promote democracy. it set us back in latin america. that's why we've restored diplomatic relations, opened the door to travel and commerce, positioned ourselves to improve the lives with human people. -- lives of the cuban people. [applause] obama: so if you want to

consolidate our leadership and credibility in the hemisphere, recognize that the cold war is over. lift the embargo. the point is, american leadership in the 21st century is not a choice between ignoring the rest of the world, except when we kill terrorists, or occupying and rebuilding whatever society is unraveling. leadership means a wise application of military power. and rallying the world behind causes that are right. it means seeing our foreign

assistance as part of our national security, not something separate, not charity. when we lead nearly 200 nations to the most ambitious agreement in history to fight climate change, yes that helps vulnerable countries but it also protects our kids. when we help ukraine defend its democracy or colombia resolve a decades long war, that strengthens the international order we depend on. when we help african countries feed their people and care for the sick, it's the right thing to do. and it prevents the next pandemic from reaching our shores. right now we're on track to end the scourge of hiv/aids. that's within our grasp. and we had the chance to accomplish the same thing with malaria. something i'll be pushing this congress to fund this year. [applause] pres. obama: that's american strength. that's american leadership. and that kind of leadership depends on the power of our example. that's why i will keep working to shut down the prison at guantanamo. it is expensive, it is unnecessary, and it only serves as a recruitment brochure for our enemies. there's a better way. and that's why we need to reject any politics, any politics that target people because of race or religion. [applause]

pres. obama: let me just say this. [applause] pres. obama: this is not a matter of political correctness. this is a matter of understanding just what it is that makes us strong. the world respects us not just for our arsenal. it respects us for our diversity and our openness, and the way we respect every faith. his holiness pope francis told this body from the very spot i'm standing on tonight that to imitate the hatred and violence of tyrants and murderers is the best way to take their place.

when politicians insult muslims, whether abroad or our fellow citizens, when a mosque is vandalized, or a kid is called names, that doesn't make us safer. that's not telling it like it is. it's just wrong. it diminishes us in the eyes of the world. [applause] pres. obama: it makes it harder for us to achieve our goals. it betrays who we are as a country. [applause]

pres. obama: "we the people," our constitution begins with those three simple words. words we've come to recognize mean all the people, not just some. words that insist we rise and fall together. perfect is how we might our union. that is bringing me to the fourth and maybe most important thing i want to say tonight. the future we want, all of us want, opportunity and security for our families, a rising standard of living, a sustainable, peaceful planet for our kids, all of that is within our reach. but it will only happen if we work together. it will only happen if we can

have rational, constructive debates. it will only happen if we fix our politics. a better politics doesn't mean we have to agree on everything. this is a big country. different regions. different attitudes. different interests. that's one of our strengths, too. our founders distribute power between states and branches of government and expected us to argue. just as they did. fiercely. over the size and shape of government. over commerce and foreign relations. over the meaning of liberty and the imperatives of security. but democracy does require basic bonds of trust between its citizens. it doesn't work if we think the people who disagree with us are

all motivated by malice. it doesn't work if we think that our political opponents are unpatriotic. or trying to weaken america. democracy grinds to a halt without a willingness to compromise. or when even basic facts are contested or when we listen only to those who agree with us. our public life withers when only the most extreme voices get all the attention. and most of all, democracy breaks down when the average person feels their voice doesn't matter. when the system is rigged in favor of the rich or the powerful or some special interest. too many americans feel that way right now.

it is one of the few regrets of my presidency that the rancor and suspicion between the parties has gotten worse instead of better. i have no doubt a president with the gifts of lincoln or roosevelt might have better bridged the divide. and i guarantee i'll keep trying to be better so long as i hold this office. but my fellow americans, this cannot be my task or any president's alone. there are a whole lot of folks in this chamber, good people who would like to see more cooperation, who would like to see a more elevated debate in washington. but feel trapped by the imperatives of getting elected. by the noise coming out of your base. i know. you've told me. the worst kept secret in washington. and a lot of you aren't enjoying

being trapped in that kind of rancor. but that means if we want a better politics, and i'm addressing the american people now, if we want a better politics, it's not enough just to change the congressman or change a senator. or even change a president. we have to change the system to reflect our better selves. i think we've got to end the practice of drawing our congressional districts so politicians can pick their voters and not the other way around. [applause] pres. obama: let a bipartisan group do it. [applause]

pres. obama: i believe we've got to reduce the influence of money in our politics so that a handful of families or special interests can't bankroll our elections. [applause] obama: and if our existing approach to campaign finance reform can't pass muster in the courts, we need to work together to find a real solution. because it's a problem. and most of you don't like raising money. i know. i've done it. we've got to make it easier to vote, not harder. we need to modernize it. [applause] pres. obama: this is america. we want to make it easier for people to participate. and over the course of this year, i intend to travel the country to push for reforms that do just that. but i can't do these things on my own. changes in our political process, in not just who gets elected but how they get elected, that will only happen

when the american people demand it. it depends on you. that's what's meant by a government of, by, and for the people. what i'm suggesting is hard. it's a lot easier to be cynical. to accept that change is not possible. and politics is hopeless. and the problem is, all of the folks who are elected don't care. and to believe that our voices and our actions don't matter. but if we give up now, then we forsake a better future.

those with money and power will gain greater control over the decisions that could send a young soldier to war or allow another economic disaster or roll back the equal rights and voting rights that generations of americans have fought, even died to secure. and then, as frustration grows, there will be voices urging us to fall back into our respective tribes, to scapegoat fellow citizens who don't look like us or pray like us or vote like we do or share the same background. we can't afford to go down that path. it won't deliver the economy we want. it will not produce the security we want. but most of all, it contradicts everything that makes us the envy of the world.

so, my fellow americans, whatever you may believe, whether you prefer one party or no party, whether you supported my agenda or fought as hard as you could against it, our collective futures depend on your willingness to uphold your duties as a citizen. to vote, to speak out, to stand up for others, especially the weak. especially the vulnerable. knowing that each of us is only here because somebody somewhere stood up for us. [applause] pres. obama: we need every american to stay active in our

public life and not just during election time. so that our public life reflects the goodness and the decency that i see in the american people every single day. it is not easy. our brand of democracy is hard. but i can promise, in a little over a year from now, when i no longer hold this office, i will be right there with you as a citizen, inspired by those voices of fairness, of grit and good humor and kindness that have helped america travel so far. voices that helped us not see ourselves first and foremost as black or white or latino or asian, gay or straight, immigrant or native-born, but as

americans first bound by a common dream. voices dr. king believed would have the final word, voices of unarmed truth and unconditional love. they are out there, those voices. they don't get a lot of attention, they don't seek a lot of fanfare, but they are busy doing the work that this country needs doing. i see them everywhere i travel in this incredible country. i see you, the american people, and in your daily acts of citizenship, i see our future unfolding. i see it is a worker on the assembly line. shifts to keepra

his company open. i see it in the boss who pays instead of wages laying them off. i see it in the dreamer that stays up late at night to finish her science project and the teacher that comes in early. maybe with some extra supplies she bought because she knows that young girl may someday cure a disease. i see it in the american who served his time, they bad mistakes as a child, but is now dreaming of starting over. i see it in the business owner who gives them that second chance. the protester determined to prove that justice matters, and the young cop walking the beat, treating everyone with respect, doing the brave, quiet work of keeping us safe. [applause]

obama: i see it in the soldier who gives almost everything to save his brother's, the nurse who tends to him until he can run a marathon. the community that lines up to cheer him on. it is the son who finds the courage to come out for who he is, and the father whose love for that son overrides everything he has been taught. i see it in the elderly woman who will wait in line to cast her vote as long as she has to, the new citizen who casts his vote for the first time, the volunteers at the polls who believe every vote should count. each of them, in different ways, know how much that precious right is worth. that is the america i know. that's the country we love. clear eyed, bighearted,

undaunted by challenge, optimistic that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word. that is what makes me so hopeful about our future. [applause] obama: i believe in change because i believe in you, the american people. that is why i stand here as confident as i have ever been that the state of our union is strong. thank you, god bless you, god bless the united states of america. [applause] [applause] [applause and cheering]

[applause]

president obama: what's going on, others. happy new year. [laughter] >> do you have a pencil or pen? >> no, i don't. [indiscernible conversation] >> thank you for getting back to

the hope and change. pres. obama: this one you should probably -- >> it worked. president obama: i cannot personalize it. it -- i cannalize personalize it. >> appreciated, see you in palm springs. president obama, there you go. >> see you. >> thank you. >> say hi to michelle, all right?

>> thank you, mother. thank you. [indiscernible conversation] [laughter] >> john lewis, i love you. >> good to see you. >> happy new year, everybody. obama: i know, we're working on it. >> he knows. [laughter] [indiscernible conversation]

>> why don't you send it so i can personalize it? >> all right. pres. obama: don't fall, i will catch you. i promised you i wanted, and didn't i? >> you look cute without it. how have you been? this is one of my favorites. >> it is an honor. >> mayor coleman is here. obama: good to see you. how are you? good to see you, brother.

you told me, he is a real player. >> will do. indiscernible conversation] pres. obama: thank you. >> thank you. >> great. obama: how have you been? >> great. we still love you and we hope you will come when you are a regular citizen again. pres. obama: hey, i like the beard. as gray as my hair. >> good job. >> eight more years.

pres. obama: eight more years for you! i will vote for you. [laughter] >> great job. >> oh, i don't. pres. obama: let me look at this one last time. that is kind of girl. hey, guys. you guys doing good? >> careful! pres. obama: thank you, guys. i was talking to you. >> thank you. conversation]

>> the question is now the motion to adjourn. those in favor say i, those in favor say it know. those in favor have it. accordingly, the house stands adjourned until 9:00 a.m. tomorrow. governor nikki haley delivered the state of the union response. she spoke for 10 minutes. >> at good evening. i am nikki haley, evan of the great state of south carolina. i am speaking tonight from columbia, our state capital. we have a rich and complicated history. one that proves the last -- the adage that each day can be better than the last. i am going to talk about a brighter american future, but say a few words

about president obama, who just gave his last presidential address. he broke historic barriers and inspired millions of americans. did before, tonight he spoke eloquently about grant things. he is at his best when he does that. he often falls short of his soaring words. feelingricans are still the squeeze of an economy to week to raise income levels. we are feeling a crushing national debt. a health care plan that has made insurance less affordable and doctors less available. even worse, we are facing the most dangerous terrorist threat our country has seen since september 11. and this president appears unwilling or unable to deal with it. soon the obama presidency will

end. and america will have it chance to turn in a new direction. that direction is what i want to talk about tonight. at the outset i will say this. you have paid attention to what has been happening in washington and you are not naive, neither am i. i see what you see, and many of your frustrations are mine as well. a government that has grown day after day year after year yet doesn't serve us any better. a frustration with the same endless conversations we hear over and over again. a frustration with promises made and never cap. we need to be honest with each other hand with ourselves. while democrats in washington bear much responsibility for the problems, they do not bear all of it. there more than enough blame to go around. we as republicans need to own that truth. we need to recognize our

contributions to the erosion of the public trust in america's leadership. we need to accept we have played a role in how and why our government has broken. and then we need to fix it. the foundation that has made america the last best hope of earth hasn't gone anywhere. it still exists. it is up to us to return to it. for me, that starts right where it always has. i'm a proud daughter of indian immigrants. who reminded him of my brothers, my sister, and me every day how blessed we were to live in this country. south, my in numeral family did not look like our neighbors and we didn't have much. there were times that were tough. but we had each other. we had the opportunity to do anything, and to be anything, as

long as we were willing to work for it. my story is not that different from millions of other americans. immigrants have been coming to our shores for generations to live the dream that is america. they wanted better for their children than what they had for themselves. that remains the dream of all of us. in this country we have seen time and again that that dream is achievable. today we live in a time of threats like few others in recent memory. during anxious times it can be tempting to follow the siren call of the angriest voices. we must resist that temptation. no one who is willing to work hard, abide by our laws, and love our traditions should ever deal unwelcome in this country. at the same time, that does not mean we just flat out open our orders. we can't do that. we cannot continue to allow immigrants to come here illegally.

terrorism, wee of must not let in refugees whose intentions cannot be determined. we must fix our broken immigration system. that's means of stopping illegal immigration and it means welcoming properly vetted immigrants regardless of their race or religion. just like we have for centuries. i have no doubt that if we act vocus, we can protect our borders, our sovereignty and our citizens. ,all the while remaining true to america's noblest legacies. this past summer south carolina was dealt a tragic blow. ordinaryerwise wednesday evening in june at the historic mother emanuel church inchina houston, -- charleston, 12 faithful men and

women went to bible study. that night someone new joined them. he did not look like them. he did not act like them. he did not sound like them. they didn't throw him out. they didn't call the police. they pulled up a chair and prayed with him for an hour. we lost nine incredible souls that night. what happened after the tragedy is worth pausing to think about. our state was struck with shock and pain and fear. but our people would not allow hate to win. we didn't have violence. we had a vigils. we didn't have riots. we had hugs. we did not destruct anyone else's race or religion. we turned toward god. and to the values that have long made our country the freest and greatest in the world. we removed a symbol that was being used to divide us. we found a strength to stop a domestic terrorist. and the hate that filled him.

there is a lesson in this. in many parts of society today. whether in academia, the media, or politics, there is a tendency to falsely equate noise with results. some people think that you have to be the loudest voice in the room to make a difference. that is just not true. often the best thing we can do is turn down the volume. when the sound is quieter we can actually hear what some of the saying,someone else is and that can make a world of difference. of course, that doesn't mean we won't have strong disagreements. we will. as we usher in this new era, republicans will stand up or our beliefs. if we held the white house, taxes would be lower. and we would put the brakes on runaway spending and debt. we would encourage american innovation and success and set of demonizing them.

we would be a success and good jobs would be available across our country. we would reform education so it works best not for washington bureaucrats and union bosses. we would end a disastrous health care program and actually let you keep your doctor. we would respect differences and modern families, but we would also insist on respect for religious liberty as a cornerstone of our democracy. we would recognize the importance of the separation of powers and honor the constitution in its entirety. and yes, that includes the second and 10th amendments. we would make international agreements that were celebrated in israel and protested in iran, not the other way around. and rather than just thanking our men and and women in uniform, we would actually strengthen our military. so both our friends and our

enemies would know that america seeks peace. but when we fight wars, we win them. decisions to make. our country is being tested. but we have been tested in the past and our country has always risen to the challenge. we have the guidance to be safe and peaceful. our forefathers paved the way for this. let's take our values and our strength. we used a symbol that was being used to divide us. there is an important lesson in this. thank you and god bless. we see here a word cloud of president obama's state of the union address. most prominente word was america. other words weren't economy and were.

>> students around the country c-span's student cam documentary contest, telling us the issue they want the candidates to discuss. we are following students as they produce their vdf. -- as they reduce their video. here is a tweet. studentsy eighth-grade were excited to hear been cartoon address -- to hear and arson -- and another tweeted that he was interest -- interviewed for their c-span product. 5000 is a grand prize of dollars, with total prizes of $100,000. march will be announced 9. for more information, visit our website, student cam.org will up, a talk at the

hudson institute about homeland security and terrorism. also today, a hearing on north korea's nuclear test. we'll have live coverage on a she and pacific starting at 9:00 a.m. on c-span3. and said to him, you know, we have college-age ,ids haven't here in alabama but it is really the kids in the elementary schools that are suffering. the african-american kids are getting poor education, horrible buildings. there's just not anything. separate and not equal. >> a documentary maker talks about her latest film about julius rosenwald and his partnership with booker t. washington and the african

american communities in the south to build schools and bring education to children in rural america. said, sears puts together these it houses, why houses. just build kit i want thesaid no, communities to build it. and so first, the six schools were built. that was an amazing. but that morphed into 5000 schools all over the south, including maryland. announcer: that is sunday night .n c-span at 9:00 a.m. eastern, two u.s. house returns for work on a sanctions bill. president obama at the university of nebraska in omaha for speech on economic opportunity. then, a state of the state address.

>> coming up, your reaction to last night's state of the union address will stop >> that's why i stand here as confident as i ever been, that the state of our union is strong. againpresident obama once describing the state of our union as strong and good morning, everyone. we will spend today's washington journal getting your reaction to the president's final state of the union to the country last night. minutes 44 seconds, his shortest of his presidency. he spent 15 minutes on foreign policy, 12 on politics, eight on the economy and 3.5 on the climate. the audience applauded 70 times. on