President Trump's Weekly Address With Democratic Party Response
WASHINGTON (CBS SF) -- Transcript of the weekly address to the nation by President Donald J. Trump, released Friday, July 21, 2017.
My fellow Americans,
On Monday, I signed a Presidential Proclamation declaring this to be "Made in America Week."
We believe that our country is stronger, safer, and more prosperous when we make more of our goods and our products right here in the USA. When we purchase products Made in America, the wealth, revenue and jobs all stay in our country – to be enjoyed by our people.
Since we first won our Independence, our Founders and many of our greatest leaders have promoted that we should afford a special level of protection to the products and goods manufactured within our borders. They understood that as a nation, we have common bonds with our fellow citizens and common obligations to each other. Making and buying made in America products brings us closer, and strengthens the ties that link us all together.
For too long, our government's policies have punished production in America while rewarding and encouraging the movement of production overseas, which is totally ridiculous. The result has been the loss of numerous industries, the decimation of entire communities, and years of sluggish growth and flat wages.
Throughout American history, our nation's best leaders have believed in the importance of protecting our domestic industry. This includes every President on Mount Rushmore.
George Washington encouraged Americans to produce their own goods so that our young nation could become truly independent.
Thomas Jefferson wrote that Americans should choose products made in America whenever possible – and by the way, I'm asking you to do that.
Abraham Lincoln warned that abandoning the policies that protect American industry would "produce want and ruin among our people."
Theodore Roosevelt stated in his First message to Congress that "Reciprocity must be treated as the handmaiden of protection."
James Monroe called on our nation to "cherish and sustain our manufacturers."
James Garfield said of our nation's manufacturers: "To them the country owes the splendor of the position it holds before the world."
William McKinley believed that when America protects our workers and industries, we "open up a higher and better destiny for our people."
And Calvin Coolidge stated that protecting American industry "enables our people to live according to a better standard… and receive a better rate of compensation than any people, anytime, anywhere on earth, ever enjoyed."
We are now, under the Trump Administration, reclaiming our heritage as a manufacturing nation. We are fighting to provide a level playing field for American Workers and Industries. Other countries will cease taking advantage of us, believe me.
We are going to build works of beauty and wonder – with American hands, American grit, and American iron, aluminum, and steel.
No longer will we allow other countries to break the rules, steal our jobs, and drain our wealth. Instead, we will follow two simple but very crucial rules: We will buy American and we will hire American.
Already, we have created over a million new jobs this year – and doing even better than anticipated. We are just getting started – believe me, we are just getting started.
For every job that comes back to this country, and every factory that reopens, and every town that is revitalized, we aren't just restoring American wealth, we are restoring American pride. We are restoring America's future – a future where millions will be lifted from welfare to work, where children will grow up in safe and vibrant communities, and where our nation will stand stronger than ever before.
And most importantly, it will be a future in which you – our citizens – always come first.
Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America – we are truly making it great again.
DEMOCRATIC PARTY RESPONSE:
Delivered by Patty Murray (D-WA) Friday, July 21, 2017
Hello, everyone. I'm here to talk with you today about one of the toughest fights we're in right now—the fight to stop Trump Care.
I've been so inspired by the stories we've heard from people across the country, from all walks of life. Parents and seniors. Republicans and Democrats. People of all ages—even toddlers!
Your voices matter. You are having an incredible impact. And we need you to keep up to it, because we haven't stopped Trump Care yet.
Nobody knows what this week will bring just yet. But we do know that President Trump and Republican Leader McConnell are doing everything they can to jam their mean bill through Congress. They don't care about the fact that families' premiums would skyrocket. They don't care about the tens of millions of people who would be kicked off of coverage. They are simply desperate for a hollow, political win—no matter what price patients and families would have to pay.
It's wrong, and it really does not have to be this way. For years Democrats have urged Republicans to drop the partisan political attacks related to health care and instead, join us to work on policies that actually help the people we serve, by making health care more affordable, getting more people covered, and continuing to improve quality of care.
Guess what? We're still at the table. We are ready to get to work right away, and there are only a few simple steps Republicans need to take to show they are serious about moving our health care system in the right direction for families.
First, drop Trump Care and the partisan, political effort to fully repeal the Affordable Care Act. Because families have roundly rejected Trump Care—that couldn't be clearer.
Second, stop sabotaging the health care system in ways that raise families' costs and create uncertainty. Since day one of the Trump Administration, the President of the United States himself has not only rooted for the failure of the health care system, he's actively pursued it. That's simply wrong. It is raising families' costs and limiting their choices. So Republicans have got to start cleaning up the mess they made.
And third, it's time for Republicans to tell us their ideas. Look, let's be honest, Trump Care isn't a health care bill, because what health care bill leaves families paying more and kicks tens of millions of people off of coverage? This bill was always about giving President Trump a hollow political win and handing massive tax breaks to special interests.
Democrats have put forward our ideas to stabilize markets and lower premiums next year for families, give people more choices, expand coverage, and more.
We believe health care is a right—not a privilege—and we are ready to keep working to make that goal a reality. And now, it's time for Republicans to step up and join us, so that we can get to work on policies that help make people healthier and more financially secure. That's what patients and families expect and that's what I hope Republicans will finally work with us to deliver.
Thank you again for speaking out against Trump Care and all the harm it would do to patients and families nationwide. You are the reason President Trump hasn't signed his awful bill into law yet, and we're only days away from making sure he doesn't ever get the chance.
Democrats will be fighting right alongside you. Let's keep it up.
