Recapping Trump's Address to Congress

President Donald Trump spoke to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night, outlining policy goals for his presidency. In a speech that lasted a little over an hour and was interrupted by applause 94 times, Trump discussed a wide array of issues that he wants his administration to address. We’ve recapped his speech and the policy items he discussed below:

Trump started out by recapping what has happened in the first five weeks of his presidency, between meeting with CEOs of companies looking to create jobs and invest in the U.S., renegotiating defense deals. He noted several of the key executive actions he’s taken, from withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership and building the border wall, to imposing a lobbying ban on former government officials. He also mentioned steps taken to help American industry, which included the signing of a bill to repeal a regulation that hurt coal mining.

The widow of late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was in attendance and received a standing ovation when Trump thanked her for her husband’s service. Trump called on the Senate to "swiftly confirm his replacement," Judge Neil Gorsuch.

The focus then turned toward the economy, which Trump saying that it’s necessary to "restart the engine of the American economy" in order to address the many challenges America domestically and abroad. He said that his economic team was working on a tax reform package that lower tax rates for businesses to make them more competitive, while also saying there will be “massive tax relief for the middle class.”

On immigration, Trump called for a merit-based immigration system like those used by Canada and Australia, which involves admitting immigrants based on the skills they possess. Watch Trump outline the guiding principles of his immigration plan below:

Trump again called for the repeal of Obamacare and its replacement with a plan that provides consumers with more choices, lower costs, and better care. Republican senators will likely be encouraged by his statements, as elements of their plans to replace Obamacare made it into Trump’s five guiding principles for healthcare reform

• Americans with pre-existing conditions must have access to coverage, and people currently enrolled in plans through exchanges need a stable transition to the new system.

• Americans should get help purchasing coverage through refundable tax credits and expanded health savings accounts.

• States need resources and flexibility to implement Medicaid in a way that ensures no one is left without coverage.

• Legal reforms are needed to protect patients and doctors from unnecessary costs and reduce the price of prescription drugs.

• Americans should be able to purchase across state lines, which will reduce costs.

Trump praised the law enforcement community, and also said that more should be done to provide a voice to the victims of crime. He highlighted a provision in his executive order on sanctuary cities that creates an office in the Dept. of Homeland Security that provides services to the victims of crimes committed by unauthorized immigrants, and introduced three guests who will benefit from its existence — a father whose son was murdered and two widows of police officers killed.

Playing off of his recently announced plan to increase defense spending, Trump emphasized that America’s military will have the tools it requires to protect the nation. In one of the more memorable moments of his speech, Trump introduced the widow of Navy SEAL William "Ryan" Owens who was recently killed in the line of duty, and relayed that Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told him earlier in the day that the raid “generated large amounts of vital intelligence that will lead to many more victories in the future against our enemy.” Trump thanked an emotional Carryn Owens for her husband’s sacrifice, and she received the longest applause of the night, which lasted more than two minutes.

Wrapping things up, Trump asked listeners to think of what can achieved by unleashing the dreams of the American people, from curing diseases, to reaching distant worlds, lifting millions out of poverty and safe, prosperous communities. He said that it’s his mission to make "America greater than ever before" but that can only be achieved together because “we are one people with one destiny.” Linking this vision with an earlier reference to what America can achieve by its 250th birthday in 2021, Trump concluded his speech with this call for optimism and unity:

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— Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore.jpg) / Creative Commons)