U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

1 

69–011 2017

115th Congress, 1st Session – – – – – – – – – – – – – House Document 115–1 

PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS BEFORE A JOINT SESSION 

OF CONGRESS 

MESSAGE 

FROM

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES 

TRANSMITTING

THE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS BEFORE A JOINT SESSION OF 

CONGRESS 

MARCH 1, 2017.—Message and accompanying papers referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered 

to be printed 


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To the Congress of the United States: 

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, the First 

Lady of the United States, and Citizens of America: 

Tonight, as we mark the conclusion of our celebration of Black 

History Month, we are reminded of our Nation’s path toward civil 

rights and the work that still remains. Recent threats targeting 

Jewish Community Centers and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries, 

as well as last week’s shooting in Kansas City, remind us that 

while we may be a Nation divided on policies, we are a country 

that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms. 

Each American generation passes the torch of truth, liberty and 

justice—in an unbroken chain all the way down to the present. 

That torch is now in our hands. And we will use it to light up 

the world. I am here tonight to deliver a message of unity and 

strength, and it is a message deeply delivered from my heart. 

A new chapter of American Greatness is now beginning. 

A new national pride is sweeping across our Nation. 

And a new surge of optimism is placing impossible dreams firmly 

within our grasp. 

What we are witnessing today is the Renewal of the American 

Spirit. 

Our allies will find that America is once again ready to lead. 

All the nations of the world—friend or foe—will find that America is strong, America is proud, and America is free. 

In 9 years, the United States will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our founding—250 years since the day we declared our 

Independence. 

It will be one of the great milestones in the history of the world. 

But what will America look like as we reach our 250th year? 

What kind of country will we leave for our children? 

I will not allow the mistakes of recent decades past to define the 

course of our future. 

For too long, we’ve watched our middle class shrink as we’ve exported our jobs and wealth to foreign countries. 

We’ve financed and built one global project after another, but ignored the fates of our children in the inner cities of Chicago, Baltimore, Detroit—and so many other places throughout our land. 

We’ve defended the borders of other nations, while leaving our 

own borders wide open, for anyone to cross—and for drugs to pour 

in at a now unprecedented rate. 

And we’ve spent trillions of dollars overseas, while our infrastructure at home has so badly crumbled. 

Then, in 2016, the earth shifted beneath our feet. The rebellion 

started as a quiet protest, spoken by families of all colors and 

creeds—families who just wanted a fair shot for their children, and 

a fair hearing for their concerns. 


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But then the quiet voices became a loud chorus—as thousands of 

citizens now spoke out together, from cities small and large, all 

across our country. 

Finally, the chorus became an earthquake—and the people 

turned out by the tens of millions, and they were all united by one 

very simple, but crucial demand, that America must put its own 

citizens first . . . because only then, can we truly MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. 

Dying industries will come roaring back to life. Heroic veterans 

will get the care they so desperately need. 

Our military will be given the resources its brave warriors so 

richly deserve. 

Crumbling infrastructure will be replaced with new roads, 

bridges, tunnels, airports and railways gleaming across our beautiful land. 

Our terrible drug epidemic will slow down and ultimately, stop. 

And our neglected inner cities will see a rebirth of hope, safety, 

and opportunity. 

Above all else, we will keep our promises to the American people. 

It’s been a little over a month since my inauguration, and I want 

to take this moment to update the Nation on the progress I’ve 

made in keeping those promises. 

Since my election, Ford, Fiat-Chrysler, General Motors, Sprint, 

Softbank, Lockheed, Intel, Walmart, and many others, have announced that they will invest billions of dollars in the United 

States and will create tens of thousands of new American jobs. 

The stock market has gained almost three trillion dollars in 

value since the election on November 8th, a record. We’ve saved 

taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars by bringing down the 

price of the fantastic new F–35 jet fighter, and will be saving billions more dollars on contracts all across our Government. We have 

placed a hiring freeze on non-military and non-essential Federal 

workers. 

We have begun to drain the swamp of government corruption by 

imposing a 5 year ban on lobbying by executive branch officials— 

and a lifetime ban on becoming lobbyists for a foreign government. 

We have undertaken a historic effort to eliminate job-crushing 

regulations, creating a deregulation task force inside of every Government agency; imposing a new rule which mandates that for 

every 1 new regulation, 2 old regulations must be eliminated; and 

stopping a regulation that threatens the future and livelihoods of 

our great coal miners. 

We have cleared the way for the construction of the Keystone 

and Dakota Access Pipelines—thereby creating tens of thousands of 

jobs—and I’ve issued a new directive that new American pipelines 

be made with American steel. 

We have withdrawn the United States from the job-killing TransPacific Partnership. 

With the help of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, we have formed 

a Council with our neighbors in Canada to help ensure that women 

entrepreneurs have access to the networks, markets and capital 

they need to start a business and live out their financial dreams. 

To protect our citizens, I have directed the Department of Justice 

to form a Task Force on Reducing Violent Crime. 


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I have further ordered the Departments of Homeland Security 

and Justice, along with the Department of State and the Director 

of National Intelligence, to coordinate an aggressive strategy to dismantle the criminal cartels that have spread across our Nation. 

We will stop the drugs from pouring into our country and poisoning our youth—and we will expand treatment for those who 

have become so badly addicted. 

At the same time, my Administration has answered the pleas of 

the American people for immigration enforcement and border security. By finally enforcing our immigration laws, we will raise 

wages, help the unemployed, save billions of dollars, and make our 

communities safer for everyone. We want all Americans to succeed—but that can’t happen in an environment of lawless chaos. 

We must restore integrity and the rule of law to our borders. 

For that reason, we will soon begin the construction of a great 

wall along our southern border. 

As we speak, we are removing gang members, drug dealers and 

criminals that threaten our communities and prey on our citizens. 

Bad ones are going out as I speak tonight and as I have promised. 

To any in Congress who do not believe we should enforce our 

laws, I would ask you this question: what would you say to the 

American family that loses their jobs, their income, or a loved one, 

because America refused to uphold its laws and defend its borders? 

Our obligation is to serve, protect, and defend the citizens of the 

United States. We are also taking strong measures to protect our 

Nation from Radical Islamic Terrorism. 

According to data provided by the Department of Justice, the 

vast majority of individuals convicted for terrorism-related offenses 

since 9/11 came here from outside of our country. We have seen the 

attacks at home—from Boston to San Bernardino to the Pentagon 

and yes, even the World Trade Center. 

We have seen the attacks in France, in Belgium, in Germany and 

all over the world. 

It is not compassionate, but reckless, to allow uncontrolled entry 

from places where proper vetting cannot occur. Those given the 

high honor of admission to the United States should support this 

country and love its people and its values. 

We cannot allow a beachhead of terrorism to form inside America—we cannot allow our Nation to become a sanctuary for extremists. 

That is why my Administration has been working on improved 

vetting procedures, and we will shortly take new steps to keep our 

Nation safe—and to keep out those who would do us harm. 

As promised, I directed the Department of Defense to develop a 

plan to demolish and destroy ISIS—a network of lawless savages 

that have slaughtered Muslims and Christians, and men, women, 

and children of all faiths and beliefs. We will work with our allies, 

including our friends and allies in the Muslim world, to extinguish 

this vile enemy from our planet. 

I have also imposed new sanctions on entities and individuals 

who support Iran’s ballistic missile program, and reaffirmed our 

unbreakable alliance with the State of Israel. 

Finally, I have kept my promise to appoint a Justice to the 

United States Supreme Court—from my list of 20 judges—who will 


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defend our Constitution. I am honored to have Maureen Scalia with 

us in the gallery tonight. Her late, great husband, Antonin Scalia, 

will forever be a symbol of American justice. To fill his seat, we 

have chosen Judge Neil Gorsuch, a man of incredible skill, and 

deep devotion to the law. He was confirmed unanimously to the 

Court of Appeals, and I am asking the Senate to swiftly approve 

his nomination. 

Tonight, as I outline the next steps we must take as a country, 

we must honestly acknowledge the circumstances we inherited. 

Ninety-four million Americans are out of the labor force. 

Over 43 million people are now living in poverty, and over 43 

million Americans are on food stamps. 

More than 1 in 5 people in their prime working years are not 

working. 

We have the worst financial recovery in 65 years. 

In the last 8 years, the past Administration has put on more new 

debt than nearly all other Presidents combined. 

We’ve lost more than one-fourth of our manufacturing jobs since 

NAFTA was approved, and we’ve lost 60,000 factories since China 

joined the World Trade Organization in 2001. 

Our trade deficit in goods with the world last year was nearly $800 billion. 

And overseas, we have inherited a series of tragic foreign policy 

disasters. 

Solving these, and so many other pressing problems, will require 

us to work past the differences of party. It will require us to tap 

into the American spirit that has overcome every challenge 

throughout our long and storied history. 

But to accomplish our goals at home and abroad, we must restart 

the engine of the American economy—making it easier for companies to do business in the United States, and much harder for companies to leave. 

Right now, American companies are taxed at one of the highest 

rates anywhere in the world. 

My economic team is developing historic tax reform that will reduce the tax rate on our companies so they can compete and thrive 

anywhere and with anyone. At the same time, we will provide massive tax relief for the middle class. 

We must create a level playing field for American companies and 

workers. 

Currently, when we ship products out of America, many other 

countries make us pay very high tariffs and taxes—but when foreign companies ship their products into America, we charge them 

almost nothing. 

I just met with officials and workers from a great American company, Harley-Davidson. In fact, they proudly displayed five of their 

magnificent motorcycles, made in the USA, on the front lawn of the 

White House. 

At our meeting, I asked them, how are you doing, how is business? They said that it’s good. I asked them further how they are 

doing with other countries, mainly international sales. They told 

me—without even complaining because they have been mistreated 

for so long that they have become used to it—that it is very hard 

to do business with other countries because they tax our goods at 


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such a high rate. They said that in one case another country taxed 

their motorcycles at 100 percent. 

They weren’t even asking for change. But I am. 

I believe strongly in free trade but it also has to be FAIR 

TRADE. 

The first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, warned that 

the ‘‘abandonment of the protective policy by the American Government [will] produce want and ruin among our people.’’ 

Lincoln was right—and it is time we heeded his words. I am not 

going to let America and its great companies and workers, be taken 

advantage of anymore. 

I am going to bring back millions of jobs. Protecting our workers 

also means reforming our system of legal immigration. The current, 

outdated system depresses wages for our poorest workers, and puts 

great pressure on taxpayers. 

Nations around the world, like Canada, Australia and many others—have a merit-based immigration system. It is a basic principle 

that those seeking to enter a country ought to be able to support 

themselves financially. Yet, in America, we do not enforce this rule, 

straining the very public resources that our poorest citizens rely 

upon. According to the National Academy of Sciences, our current 

immigration system costs America’s taxpayers many billions of dollars a year. 

Switching away from this current system of lower-skilled immigration, and instead adopting a merit-based system, will have 

many benefits: it will save countless dollars, raise workers’ wages, 

and help struggling families—including immigrant families—enter 

the middle class. 

Another Republican President, Dwight D. Eisenhower, initiated 

the last truly great national infrastructure program—the building 

of the interstate highway system. The time has come for a new program of national rebuilding. 

America has spent approximately six trillion dollars in the Middle East, all this while our infrastructure at home is crumbling. 

With this six trillion dollars we could have rebuilt our country— 

twice. And maybe even three times if we had people who had the 

ability to negotiate. 

To launch our national rebuilding, I will be asking the Congress 

to approve legislation that produces a $1 trillion investment in the 

infrastructure of the United States—financed through both public 

and private capital—creating millions of new jobs. 

This effort will be guided by two core principles: Buy American, 

and Hire American. 

Tonight, I am also calling on this Congress to repeal and replace 

Obamacare with reforms that expand choice, increase access, lower 

costs, and at the same time, provide better Healthcare. 

Mandating every American to buy government-approved health 

insurance was never the right solution for America. The way to 

make health insurance available to everyone is to lower the cost of 

health insurance, and that is what we will do. 

Obamacare premiums nationwide have increased by double and 

triple digits. As an example, Arizona went up 116 percent last year 

alone. Governor Matt Bevin of Kentucky just said Obamacare is 

failing in his State—it is unsustainable and collapsing. 


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One third of counties have only one insurer on the exchanges— 

leaving many Americans with no choice at all. 

Remember when you were told that you could keep your doctor, 

and keep your plan? 

We now know that all of those promises have been broken. 

Obamacare is collapsing—and we must act decisively to protect 

all Americans. Action is not a choice—it is a necessity. 

So I am calling on all Democrats and Republicans in the Congress to work with us to save Americans from this imploding 

Obamacare disaster. 

Here are the principles that should guide the Congress as we 

move to create a better healthcare system for all Americans: 

First, we should ensure that Americans with pre-existing conditions have access to coverage, and that we have a stable transition 

for Americans currently enrolled in the healthcare exchanges. 

Secondly, we should help Americans purchase their own coverage, through the use of tax credits and expanded Health Savings 

Accounts—but it must be the plan they want, not the plan forced 

on them by the Government. 

Thirdly, we should give our great State Governors the resources 

and flexibility they need with Medicaid to make sure no one is left 

out. 

Fourthly, we should implement legal reforms that protect patients and doctors from unnecessary costs that drive up the price 

of insurance—and work to bring down the artificially high price of 

drugs and bring them down immediately. 

Finally, the time has come to give Americans the freedom to purchase health insurance across State lines—creating a truly competitive national marketplace that will bring cost way down and 

provide far better care. 

Everything that is broken in our country can be fixed. Every 

problem can be solved. And every hurting family can find healing, 

and hope. 

Our citizens deserve this, and so much more—so why not join 

forces to finally get it done? On this and so many other things, 

Democrats and Republicans should get together and unite for the 

good of our country, and for the good of the American people. 

My administration wants to work with members in both parties 

to make childcare accessible and affordable, to help ensure new 

parents have paid family leave, to invest in women’s health, and 

to promote clean air and clear water, and to rebuild our military 

and our infrastructure. 

True love for our people requires us to find common ground, to 

advance the common good, and to cooperate on behalf of every 

American child who deserves a brighter future. 

An incredible young woman is with us this evening who should 

serve as an inspiration to us all. 

Today is Rare Disease day, and joining us in the gallery is a 

Rare Disease Survivor, Megan Crowley. Megan was diagnosed with 

Pompe Disease, a rare and serious illness, when she was 15 

months old. She was not expected to live past 5. 

On receiving this news, Megan’s dad, John, fought with everything he had to save the life of his precious child. He founded a 

company to look for a cure, and helped develop the drug that saved 


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Megan’s life. Today she is 20 years old—and a sophomore at Notre 

Dame. 

Megan’s story is about the unbounded power of a father’s love for 

a daughter. 

But our slow and burdensome approval process at the Food and 

Drug Administration keeps too many advances, like the one that 

saved Megan’s life, from reaching those in need. 

If we slash the restraints, not just at the FDA but across our 

Government, then we will be blessed with far more miracles like 

Megan. 

In fact, our children will grow up in a Nation of miracles. 

But to achieve this future, we must enrich the mind—and the 

souls—of every American child. 

Education is the civil rights issue of our time. 

I am calling upon Members of both parties to pass an education 

bill that funds school choice for disadvantaged youth, including millions of African-American and Latino children. These families 

should be free to choose the public, private, charter, magnet, religious or home school that is right for them. 

Joining us tonight in the gallery is a remarkable woman, 

Denisha Merriweather. As a young girl, Denisha struggled in 

school and failed third grade twice. But then she was able to enroll 

in a private center for learning, with the help of a tax credit scholarship program. Today, she is the first in her family to graduate, 

not just from high school, but from college. Later this year she will 

get her masters degree in social work. 

We want all children to be able to break the cycle of poverty just 

like Denisha. 

But to break the cycle of poverty, we must also break the cycle 

of violence. 

The murder rate in 2015 experienced its largest single-year increase in nearly half a century. 

In Chicago, more than 4,000 people were shot last year alone— 

and the murder rate so far this year has been even higher. 

This is not acceptable in our society. 

Every American child should be able to grow up in a safe community, to attend a great school, and to have access to a high-paying job. 

But to create this future, we must work with—not against—the 

men and women of law enforcement. 

We must build bridges of cooperation and trust—not drive the 

wedge of disunity and division. 

Police and sheriffs are members of our community. They are 

friends and neighbors, they are mothers and fathers, sons and 

daughters—and they leave behind loved ones every day who worry 

whether or not they’ll come home safe and sound. 

We must support the incredible men and women of law enforcement. 

And we must support the victims of crime. 

I have ordered the Department of Homeland Security to create 

an office to serve American Victims. The office is called VOICE— 

Victims Of Immigration Crime Engagement. We are providing a 

voice to those who have been ignored by our media, and silenced 

by special interests. 


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Joining us in the audience tonight are four very brave Americans 

whose government failed them. 

Their names are Jamiel Shaw, Susan Oliver, Jenna Oliver, and 

Jessica Davis. 

Jamiel’s 17-year-old son was viciously murdered by an illegal immigrant gang member, who had just been released from prison. 

Jamiel Shaw Jr. was an incredible young man, with unlimited potential who was getting ready to go to college where he would have 

excelled as a great quarterback. But he never got the chance. His 

father, who is in the audience tonight, has become a good friend 

of mine. 

Also with us are Susan Oliver and Jessica Davis. Their husbands—Deputy Sheriff Danny Oliver and Detective Michael 

Davis—were slain in the line of duty in California. They were pillars of their community. These brave men were viciously gunned 

down by an illegal immigrant with a criminal record and two prior 

deportations. 

Sitting with Susan is her daughter, Jenna. Jenna: I want you to 

know that your father was a hero, and that tonight you have the 

love of an entire country supporting you and praying for you. 

To Jamiel, Jenna, Susan and Jessica: I want you to know—we 

will never stop fighting for justice. Your loved ones will never be 

forgotten, we will always honor their memory. 

Finally, to keep America Safe we must provide the men and 

women of the United States military with the tools they need to 

prevent war and—if they must—to fight and to win. 

I am sending the Congress a budget that rebuilds the military, 

eliminates the Defense sequester, and calls for one of the largest 

increases in national defense spending in American history. 

My budget will also increase funding for our veterans. 

Our veterans have delivered for this Nation—and now we must 

deliver for them. 

The challenges we face as a Nation are great. But our people are 

even greater. 

And none are greater or braver than those who fight for America 

in uniform. 

We are blessed to be joined tonight by Carryn Owens, the widow 

of a U.S. Navy Special Operator, Senior Chief William ‘‘Ryan’’ 

Owens. Ryan died as he lived: a warrior, and a hero—battling 

against terrorism and securing our Nation. 

I just spoke to General Mattis, who reconfirmed that, and I 

quote, ‘‘Ryan was a part of a highly successful raid that generated 

large amounts of vital intelligence that will lead to many more victories in the future against our enemies.’’ Ryan’s legacy is etched 

into eternity. For as the Bible teaches us, there is no greater act 

of love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. Ryan laid down 

his life for his friends, for his country, and for our freedom—we will 

never forget him. 

To those allies who wonder what kind of friend America will be, 

look no further than the heroes who wear our uniform. 

Our foreign policy calls for a direct, robust and meaningful engagement with the world. It is American leadership based on vital 

security interests that we share with our allies across the globe. 


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We strongly support NATO, an alliance forged through the bonds 

of two World Wars that dethroned fascism, and a Cold War that 

defeated communism. 

But our partners must meet their financial obligations. 

And now, based on our very strong and frank discussions, they 

are beginning to do just that. 

We expect our partners, whether in NATO, in the Middle East, 

or the Pacific—to take a direct and meaningful role in both strategic and military operations, and pay their fair share of the cost. 

We will respect historic institutions, but we will also respect the 

sovereign rights of nations. 

Free nations are the best vehicle for expressing the will of the 

people—and America respects the right of all nations to chart their 

own path. My job is not to represent the world. My job is to represent the United States of America. But we know that America is 

better off, when there is less conflict—not more. 

We must learn from the mistakes of the past—we have seen the 

war and destruction that have raged across our world. 

The only long-term solution for these humanitarian disasters is 

to create the conditions where displaced persons can safely return 

home and begin the long process of rebuilding. 

America is willing to find new friends, and to forge new partnerships, where shared interests align. We want harmony and stability, not war and conflict. 

We want peace, wherever peace can be found. America is friends 

today with former enemies. Some of our closest allies, decades ago, 

fought on the opposite side of these World Wars. This history 

should give us all faith in the possibilities for a better world. 

Hopefully, the 250th year for America will see a world that is 

more peaceful, more just and more free. 

On our 100th anniversary, in 1876, citizens from across our Nation came to Philadelphia to celebrate America’s centennial. At that 

celebration, the country’s builders and artists and inventors 

showed off their creations. 

Alexander Graham Bell displayed his telephone for the first time. 

Remington unveiled the first typewriter. An early attempt was 

made at electric light. 

Thomas Edison showed an automatic telegraph and an electric 

pen. 

Imagine the wonders our country could know in America’s 250th 

year. 

Think of the marvels we can achieve if we simply set free the 

dreams of our people. 

Cures to illnesses that have always plagued us are not too much 

to hope. 

American footprints on distant worlds are not too big a dream. 

Millions lifted from welfare to work is not too much to expect. 

And streets where mothers are safe from fear—schools where 

children learn in peace—and jobs where Americans prosper and 

grow—are not too much to ask. 

When we have all of this, we will have made America greater 

than ever before. For all Americans. 

This is our vision. This is our mission. 

But we can only get there together. 


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We are one people, with one destiny. 

We all bleed the same blood. 

We all salute the same flag. 

And we are all made by the same God. And when we fulfill this 

vision; when we celebrate our 250 years of glorious freedom, we 

will look back on tonight as when this new chapter of American 

Greatness began. 

The time for small thinking is over. The time for trivial fights 

is behind us. 

We just need the courage to share the dreams that fill our 

hearts. 

The bravery to express the hopes that stir our souls. 

And the confidence to turn those hopes and dreams to action. 

From now on, America will be empowered by our aspirations, not 

burdened by our fears— 

inspired by the future, not bound by the failures of the past— 

and guided by our vision, not blinded by our doubts. 

I am asking all citizens to embrace this Renewal of the American 

Spirit. I am asking all members of Congress to join me in dreaming 

big, and bold and daring things for our country. 

And I am asking everyone watching tonight to seize this moment 

and— 

Believe in yourselves. 

Believe in your future. 

And believe, once more, in America. 

Thank you, God bless you, and God Bless these United States. 

DONALD TRUMP. 

THE WHITE HOUSE, February 28, 2017. 

Æ 


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