By Rachna Choudhry, 1/20/2015
It’s Time for the State of the Union!
On Tuesday evening, 9pm EST, the President will give the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress. (POPVOX will be live tweeting during the State of the Union, linking issues he discusses with proposals pending before Congress. So join us on Twitter @POPVOX or check out #SOTU.) As President Obama explained: “My presidency is entering the fourth quarter. Interesting stuff happens in the fourth quarter.” So stay tuned on POPVOX!
A Bit of SOTU History
The Constitution requires the President to "from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient."
George Washington delivered the first message before Congress on Jan. 8, 1790. Thomas Jefferson discontinued the practice of delivering the address in person; he saw it as too monarchical. Instead, a written version was sent to Congress to be read by a clerk — until Woodrow Wilson in 1913. Some Presidents during the latter half of the 20th century have sent written addresses. The last President to do this was Jimmy Carter in 1981. President Obama's speech tonight will be the 93rd in person Annual Messages/State of the Union. (Learn more about the history.)
The State of the Union – 2015
Updated 1/21/15: Here’s a look at the key issues President Obama addressed in the State of the Union – paired with bills pending in Congress supporting (and opposing) his proposals.
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Raising Wages
“And to everyone in this Congress who still refuses to raise the minimum wage, I say this: If you truly believe you could work full-time and support a family on less than $15,000 a year, try it. If not, vote to give millions of the hardest-working people in America a raise.” – President Obama
“Of course, nothing helps families make ends meet like higher wages. That’s why this Congress still needs to pass a law that makes sure a woman is paid the same as a man for doing the same work." – President Obama
Related Bill: Original Living Wage Act (HR 122): "Would link the minimum wage to fifteen percent over the federal poverty threshold for a family of four ($23,850) and increases the minimum wage automatically every four years to ensure that inflation does not erode its purchasing power. Under current poverty guidelines, this legislation would cause the national minimum wage to be increased from $7.25 to approximately $13.00," according to the bill sponsor.
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Charting a new course on Cuba
“In Cuba, we are ending a policy that was long past its expiration date. When what you’re doing doesn’t work for 50 years, it’s time to try something new.” – President Obama
Related Bill: Free Trade with Cuba Act (HR 403): “would lift the long-standing embargo on trade with Cuba to give American companies their fair share,” according to the bill sponsor. Cuba sits 90 miles off the US coast and has a GDP of $60 billion.
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Immigration action
“Passions still fly on immigration, but surely we can all see something of ourselves in the striving young student, and agree that no one benefits when a hardworking mom is snatched from her child, and that it’s possible to shape a law that upholds our tradition as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.” – President Obama
Related bills:
Defund Executive Amnesty Act (HR 227): prohibits the use of funds for certain immigration-related policies, including executive orders or any other executive policy issued after March 11, 2011, that provides for parole, employment authorization, deferred action, or any other immigration benefit or relief for individuals who are unlawfully present in the United States (with exceptions for asylum, temporary protected status, or cancellation of removal by an immigration judge).
Repeal Executive Amnesty Act (S 129): to repeal executive immigration overreach, to clarify that the proper constitutional authority for immigration policy belongs to the legislative branch.
HRes 11: Providing for authority to initiate litigation for actions by the President or other executive branch officials inconsistent with their duties under the US Constitution with respect to the implementation of the immigration laws.
Save America Comprehensive Immigration Act (HR 52): Provides a path to earned access to legalization for those who meet certain eligibility requirements, among them: Residency requirement (The alien was physically present in the United States for a continuous period of not less than 5 years immediately preceding the date on which this provision was enacted and has maintained continuous physical presence since then); and Community service (if older than 18, has performed at least 40 hours of community service), according to the bill sponsor.
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Internet
“I intend to protect a free and open Internet, extend its reach to every classroom, and every community – and help folks build the fastest networks so that the next generation of digital innovators and entrepreneurs have the platform to keep reshaping our world.” – President Obama
Related bills:
Community Broadband Act (S 240): Would "preserve the rights of cities and localities to build municipal broadband networks. Internet access is increasingly a necessity, yet rural and low-income communities continue to face barriers to broadband adoption. Municipal broadband can often provide an affordable, reliable option.,” according to the bill sponsors.
HR 279: to “ensure the Internet remains open and free from government interference by limiting the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) authority to regulate broadband under Title II of the Communications Act. The FCC has stated it plans to reclassify broadband Internet access as a public utility under Title II rather than an information service,” according to the bill sponsors.
Online Competition and Consumer Choice Act (HR 196 and S 40 in the Senate) would “require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to ban so-called “paid prioritization” agreements between a broadband provider and a content provider,” according to bill sponsors.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee and Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will also be holding hearings on draft legislation which "guarantees that Internet users will continue to be the decision makers for the content they want, while ensuring that innovation and investment continue to fuel the robust future of the Internet," according to the committees.
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Affordable Care Act
“We can’t put the security of families at risk by taking away their health insurance…” – President Obama
Related Bills:
HR 370: To repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.
Public Option Deficit Reduction Act (HR 265): “would create a publicly run health insurance plan that would be available in every Obamacare marketplace, an option that would save $158 billion over 10 years,” according to the bill sponsor.
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A simpler, fairer tax code
“We need a tax code that truly helps working Americans trying to get a leg up in the new economy, and we can achieve that together.” – President Obama
Related Bills:
Child Care Deduction (S 180): "Would allow middle-class families to deduct the cost of child care from their taxes as a business expense. The legislation would create a new tax deduction, allowing families to deduct as much as $14,000 a year for child care expenses ($7,000 for one child). Families would have the option of choosing an above-the-line deduction to help mitigate the high cost of child care," according to the bill sponsor.
Alternative Maximum Tax Act (HR 144): "Would create a maximum level of taxation that any one individual can be subjected to from all levels of government combined – federal, state, municipalities, and other taxing authorities. Under this legislation, no individual would be responsible for a level of personal taxation greater than 50% of their income, and Jolly’s commitment is to then work to significantly reduce that threshold," according to the bill sponsor.
Fairness in Taxation Act (HR 389): Would impose increased rates of tax with respect to taxpayers with more than $1,000,000 taxable income.
Paying a Fair Share Act (The "Buffett Rule") (HR 389 and S 161 in the Senate): "Would help ensure that multi-million-dollar earners pay at least a 30 percent effective federal tax rate, and would generate over $70 billion in revenue over ten years," according to bill sponsors. "The legislation would apply only to taxpayers with income over $1 million – including capital gains and dividends. Taxpayers earning over $2 million would be subject to a 30% minimum federal tax rate. The tax would be phased in for incomes between $1 million and $2 million, with those taxpayers paying a portion of the extra tax required to get them to a 30% effective tax rate. The bill also includes language to preserve the incentive for charitable giving."
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Military power and diplomacy
“And tonight, I call on this Congress to show the world that we are united in this mission by passing a resolution to authorize the use of force against ISIL. We need that authority.” – President Obama
“I keep all options on the table to prevent a nuclear Iran… But new sanctions passed by this Congress, at this moment in time, will all but guarantee that diplomacy fails." – President Obama
Related Bills:
War Powers Repeal Resolution (HR 120): " would repeal the War Powers Resolution and return the power to go to war to its rightful place—the United States Congress,” according to the bill sponsor.
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Voting rights
“On this 50th anniversary of the great march from Selma to Montgomery and the passage of the Voting Rights Act, we can come together, Democrats and Republicans, to make voting easier for every single American.” – President Obama
Related Bills:
HR 411: to promote early voting in elections for Federal office and to prevent unreasonable waiting times for voters at polling places used in such elections.
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Paid sick days and paid maternity leave
“Today, we are the only advanced country on Earth that doesn’t guarantee paid sick leave or paid maternity leave to our workers.” – President Obama
Related Bills:
Working Family Flexibility Act (S 233): "Would free workers to choose the best way to alleviate the difficulties of juggling work, home, kids, and community, " according to the bill sponsor. "Gives private-sector employers the ability to offer their employees the option of comp time or overtime pay, both accrued at 1½ times the overtime hours worked. Federal, State & local governments are currently allowed to offer comp time to their employees, but private-sector employers are banned from doing so by federal law. Requires employers who decide to offer this option to their employees to establish a written agreement with the employee outlining the options and to allow each employee to voluntarily choose the option that best fits his needs. Requires that comp time agreements be included in the collective bargaining agreement negotiated between the union and the employer for any employee represented by a union. Allows employees who choose to accrue comp time to accrue up to 160 hours each year. Allows employees to “cash out” their accrued comp time at the traditional overtime pay rate at any time throughout the year. Maintains all existing employee protections, including the current 40-hour workweek and overtime accrual, and provides additional safeguards to ensure that the choice to use comp time is voluntary. Requires employers to pay employees at the traditional overtime rate for any unused comp time at the end of each calendar year."
Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act (HR 313): "Would provide federal employees, who are also veterans with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or greater, with 104 hours of “Wounded Warrior leave” during their first year in the federal workforce so that they may seek medical treatment for their service-connected disabilities without being forced to take unpaid leave or forego their appointments altogether." according to the bill sponsor.
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Trade Deals
“I’m asking both parties to give me trade promotion authority to protect American workers, with strong new trade deals from Asia to Europe that aren’t just free, but are also fair. It’s the right thing to do.” – President Obama
Stay tuned for related bills.
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Free community college
"We still live in a country where too many bright, striving Americans are priced out of the education they need. It’s not fair to them, and it’s sure not smart for our future. That’s why I’m sending this Congress a bold new plan to lower the cost of community college – to zero.” – President Obama
Stay tuned for related bills.
Republican Response to SOTU
Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) delivered the Republican response to the State of the Union address. She was elected in Nov. 2014 as the first woman to serve in federal elected office from the State of Iowa and also became the first female combat veteran elected to serve in the Senate. (Read her bio.)
— Please keep in mind that highlighting a bill doesn't imply a POPVOX endorsement in any way. Rather, we're simply trying to offer one more way to stay informed of a complex legislative system. —
