Highlight 7 Normative Statements To the Congress of the United States: As I send

ID: 1213585 • Letter: H

Question

Highlight 7 Normative Statements

To the Congress of the United States:

As I send you this Economic Report of the President, the United States

has just concluded a breakthrough year. In 2014, our economy added jobs

at the fastest pace since the 1990s. The unemployment rate plunged to

its lowest point in over 6 years, far faster than economists predicted.

Ten million Americans gained the security of health coverage. And we

continued to cut our dependence on foreign oil and invest in renewable

energy, making us number one in the world in oil, gas, and wind power.

These achievements took place against a backdrop of longerterm

economic strength. Since the crisis, we’ve seen our deficits cut by twothirds,

our stock market double, and health care inflation at its lowest rate

in 50 years. The housing market is rebounding. Manufacturers are adding

jobs. More Americans are finishing college than ever before.

Now America is poised for another good year, as long as Washington

works to keep this progress going. But even as the economic recovery is

touching more lives, we need to do more to restore the link between

hard work and opportunity for every American. That’s the idea behind

middle-class economics—the simple fact that our country does best when

everyone has a fair shot, does their fair share, and plays by the same set

of rules.

Over the course of this year, I will continue to put forward ideas to

make that fundamental value a reality—not just so that more Americans

can share in their country’s success, but so that more Americans can

contribute to their country’s success. At this moment when our economy

is growing and creating jobs, we’ve got to work twice as hard, especially

in Washington, to build on our momentum. And I will not let politics or

partisanship roll back the progress we’ve achieved on so many fronts.

I want to work with the Congress to invest in middle-class economics

in three key ways.

First, let’s help working families achieve greater security in a world

of constant change. That means giving Americans the peace of mind that

comes with knowing they’ll be able to afford childcare, college, health

care, a home, and retirement.

At a time when having both parents work is an economic necessity

for many families, high-quality, affordable childcare isn’t a nice-to-have—

it’s a must-have. That’s why I’ve proposed tripling the maximum child tax

credit to $3,000 per child per year, and creating more slots in childcare

programs nationwide.

Meanwhile, we’re the only advanced country in the world that doesn’t

guarantee workers either paid sick leave or paid maternity leave. Let’s help

more States adopt paid leave laws and put it to a vote in Washington too,

because no parent should ever have to choose between earning a paycheck

and taking care of a sick child.

Of course, nothing helps families make ends meet like raising

wages. We still need to pass a law that guarantees women equal pay

for equal work. We still need to make sure employees get the overtime

they’ve earned. We still have a minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. That

means minimum-wage workers are actually earning 20 percent less than

they were when President Reagan was in office. It’s time to give some of

America’s hardest-working people a raise, because wages of $14,500 a year

are simply not enough to support a family.

In a 21st century economy, we should lower taxes on working families

and make mortgage premiums more affordable, so responsible families

can own their own homes. And we should strengthen programs like Social

Security, Medicare, and Medicaid that help workers save for retirement

and protect them from the harshest adversities. These ideas will make a

meaningful difference in the lives of millions of Americans, and I look

forward to working with the Congress to get them done.

Second, middle-class economics means helping more Americans

upgrade their skills so that they can earn higher wages down the road.

By the end of the decade, two in three jobs will require some higher

education. Yet far too many young people are priced out of college. That

can’t stand in the 21st century, and that’s why my Administration has

Economic Report of the President | 5

announced a bold new plan to offer 2 free years of community college

to responsible students. Let’s work together to make college as free and

universal as high school, because a modern economy requires a highly

educated workforce.

While we strengthen the higher education system, my Administration

is working to update our job training system and connect community

colleges with local employers to train workers directly for existing, highpaying

jobs. And I’ve encouraged more companies to offer educational

benefits and paid apprenticeships so more workers have a chance to earn a

higherpaying job even if they don’t have a higher education.

Finally, as we better train our workers, we need to ensure that our

economy keeps creating high-skilled, high-wage jobs for our workers to

fill. That means building the most competitive economy anywhere, so that

more businesses locate and hire in the United States.

Let’s start by making sure that our businesses have 21st century

infrastructure—modern ports, stronger bridges, better roads, clean

water, clean energy, faster trains, and the fastest internet. A bipartisan

infrastructure plan would create thousands of middle-class jobs and

support economic growth for decades to come.

Investments in science, technology, and research and development

can fuel new inventions and breakthroughs that will keep American

businesses one step ahead of the competition. And protecting a free and

open internet, and extending its reach to every classroom and community

in America, will ensure that the next generation of digital innovators and

entrepreneurs have the platform to keep reshaping our world.

At a time when 95 percent of the world’s consumers live outside our

borders, new trade agreements would help American businesses reach new

markets and put stronger environmental and labor standards in place, to

ensure that all countries are playing by the same, fair set of rules. The

trade deals that my Administration is negotiating in the Atlantic and the

Pacific regions would do just that.

And to make our economy more competitive, let’s build a tax code

that truly helps middle-class families get ahead. Let’s reform our business

tax system to close wasteful loopholes, lower the rate, and simplify the

system so small business owners spend less time on accounting and more

time running their businesses. And let’s reform our broken immigration

system, so the United States continues to be the number one destination

for highly-skilled immigrants.

Over the past 6 years, America has risen from recession freer to

write our own future than any other nation on Earth. A new foundation

is laid. A new future is ready to be written. It’s up to all of us—Democrats,

Republicans, and Independents—to write it together.

the white house

february 2015

Explanation / Answer

To the Congress of the United States:

As I send you this Economic Report of the President, the United States