State of the Union AddressesNixon, Richard M. (Richard Milhous)
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State of the Union Addresses
Nixon, Richard M. (Richard Milhous)
Presidents -- United States -- Messages; United States -- Politics and government -- Sources
Now we face a new situation. As other nations move rapidly forward in
technology, the answer to the new competition is not to build a wall around
America, but rather to remain competitive by improving our own technology
still further and by increasing productivity in American industry.
Our new monetary and trade agreements will make it possible for American
goods to compete fairly in the world's markets--but they still must
compete. The new technology program will put to use the skills of many
highly trained Americans, skills that might otherwise be wasted. It will
also meet the growing technological challenge from abroad, and it will thus
help to create new industries, as well as creating more jobs for America's
workers in producing for the world's markets.
This second session of the 92d Congress already has before it more than 90
major Administration proposals which still await action.
I have discussed these in the extensive written message that I have
presented to the Congress today.
They include, among others, our programs to improve life for the aging; to
combat crime and drug abuse; to improve health services and to ensure that
no one will be denied needed health care because of inability to pay; to
protect workers' pension rights; to promote equal opportunity for members
of minorities, and others who have been left behind; to expand consumer
protection; to improve the environment; to revitalize rural America; to
help the cities; to launch new initiatives in education; to improve
transportation, and to put an end to costly labor tie-ups in
transportation.
The west coast dock strike is a case in point. This Nation cannot and will
not tolerate that kind of irresponsible labor tie-up in the future.
The messages also include basic reforms which are essential if our
structure of government is to be adequate in the decades ahead.
They include reform of our wasteful and outmoded welfare
system--substitution of a new system that provides work requirements and
work incentives for those who can help themselves, income support for those
who cannot help themselves, and fairness to the working poor.
They include a $17 billion program of Federal revenue sharing with the
States and localities as an investment in their renewal, an investment also
of faith in the American people.
They also include a sweeping reorganization of the executive branch of the
Federal Government so that it will be more efficient, more responsive, and
able to meet the challenges of the decades ahead.
One year ago, standing in this place, I laid before the opening session of
this Congress six great goals. One of these was welfare reform. That
proposal has been before the Congress now for nearly 2 1/2 years.
My proposals on revenue sharing, government reorganization, health care,
and the environment have now been before the Congress for nearly a year.
Many of the other major proposals that I have referred to have been here
that long or longer.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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