Recap: 2023 State of the Union address

The president discussed the economy, healthcare and bipartisanship, among other topics at the Feb. 7 address. WikiCommons

President Joe Biden delivered his third State of the Union address Feb. 7 to a joint session of Congress, calling for a new tax for billionaires and bipartisan support on topics such as immigration and assault weapon bans.

In terms of the economy, Biden noted that the unemployment rate is currently at 3.4%, the lowest in over 50 years. He also stated that of the over 12 million jobs created by the economy, at least 800,000 of them are in manufacturing.

“For decades, the middle class has been hollowed out,” Biden said. “Too many good-paying manufacturing jobs moved overseas, factories closed down (and) once thriving cities and towns many of you represent became shadows of what they used to be. Along the way, something else we lost (was our) pride, our sense of self-worth. I ran for president to fundamentally change things to make sure our economy works for everyone.”

The 46th president also asked for a minimum tax applying to billionaires to be created, though he did not specify what the tax rate or income threshold would be. Weeks after last year’s State of the Union address, he proposed a 20% tax rate for individuals earning at least $100 million.

Another topic Biden tackled was that of the federal deficit. He announced that he signed a law that would lower the deficit by $114 billion, which would be accomplished by “cracking down on wealthy tax cheats.”

He also criticized former President Donald Trump’s administration on their handling of the national debt. A ProPublica article published in January 2021 found that Trump increased the national debt by about $7.8 trillion. While former Presidents George W. Bush and Abraham Lincoln had also increased the debt while they were in office, these were attributable to two foreign conflicts and a civil war, respectively.

For healthcare, Biden called for the cost of insulin to be $35 for everyone, and he also called for out-of-pocket drug costs to be no more than $2,000 a year for seniors on Medicare. Both of these policies will go into effect in 2025. In September 2022, it was announced that seniors on Medicare would be capped at $35 starting in January 2023.

“Bringing down prescription drug costs doesn’t just save seniors money,” Biden said. “It cuts the federal deficit by hundreds of billions of dollars because these prescription drugs are drugs purchased by Medicare to keep their commitment to the seniors. Instead of paying $400 or $500 a month, you’re paying $50. That’s a lot of savings from the federal government.”

Additionally, over 16 million people enrolled in the Affordable Care Act during the Nov. 1, 2022 to Jan. 15, 2023 open enrollment period, a record breaking number.

Regarding police reform, the president pivoted his focus to the damaged trust between law enforcement and their local communities. During this segment, RowVaughn and Rodney Wells, the parents of Tyre Nichols who attended as first lady Jill Biden’s guests, received a bipartisan standing ovation.

He emphasized having more first responders and professionals specializing in mental health and substance abuse issues respond to calls requiring these services, as well as having community intervention and violence/gun violence prevention programs.

This past May, Biden signed an executive order containing key points from the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, an act that was passed in the House of Representatives and failed to be brought to the Senate in 2020 and 2021.

“We all want the same thing: neighborhoods free of violence (and) law enforcement who earn the community’s trust,” Biden said. “Just as every cop who puts on the badge has the right to go home at night, so does everybody else out there. Our children have the right to come home safely. Equal protection under the law is the convenience we have with each other in America.”

He also echoed his plans for 500,000 new electric vehicle charging stations to be built in all 50 states, including Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, something that comes on the heels of Biden’s goal to have half of all vehicle sales be for electric vehicles by 2030.

As for education, Biden spoke on his plan to reduce student debt by forgiving no more than $20,000 for tens of millions of borrowers. However, this plan is currently the subject of federal lawsuits filed by six states, who argue that the administration “overstepped its authority.”

Biden also increased the amount of money working and middle-class families can receive from the Pell Grant, shifting from $6,495 to $7,395, an increase of $900.

Other topics Biden emphasized were cancer, LGBTQ+ rights and aiding veterans with their mental health.

On the bipartisan legislation that he signed within the last year, Biden mentioned one that would lower shipping costs by 90% for American farmers, businesspeople and consumers. He also spoke of his wish for immigration, banning assault weapons and preventing fake technology from collecting kids and teenagers’ personal data to be bipartisan issues.