State of the Union Addresses of Barack Obama, 2009-2016 — John Shaqi
State of the Union Addresses of Barack Obama, 2009-2016Obama, Barack
General
State of the Union Addresses of Barack Obama, 2009-2016
Obama, Barack
Presidents -- United States -- Messages; United States -- Politics and government -- Sources
Fourth, we need to invest in the skills and education of our people.
Now, this year, we've broken through the stalemate between left and
right by launching a national competition to improve our schools. And
the idea here is simple: Instead of rewarding failure, we only reward
success. Instead of funding the status quo, we only invest in reform,
reform that raises student achievement, inspires students to excel in
math and science, and turns around failing schools that steal the
future of too many young Americans, from rural communities to the inner
city. In the 21st century, the best antipoverty program around is a
world-class education. And in this country, the success of our children
cannot depend more on where they live than on their potential. When we
renew the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, we will work with
Congress to expand these reforms to all 50 States.
Still, in this economy, a high school diploma no longer guarantees a
good job. That's why I urge the Senate to follow the House and pass a
bill that will revitalize our community colleges, which are a career
pathway to the children of so many working families.
To make college more affordable, this bill will finally end the
unwarranted taxpayer subsidies that go to banks for student loans.
Instead, let's take that money and give families a $10,000 tax credit
for 4 years of college and increase Pell grants. And let's tell another
1 million students that when they graduate, they will be required to
pay only 10 percent of their income on student loans and all of their
debt will be forgiven after 20 years and forgiven after 10 years if
they choose a career in public service, because in the United States of
America, no one should go broke because they chose to go to college.
And by the way, it's time for colleges and universities to get serious
about cutting their own costs, because they too have a responsibility
to help solve this problem.
Now, the price of college tuition is just one of the burdens facing the
middle class. That's why last year, I asked Vice President Biden to
chair a task force on middle class families. That's why we're nearly
doubling the childcare tax credit and making it easier to save for
retirement by giving access to every worker a retirement account and
expanding the tax credit for those who start a nest egg. That's why
we're working to lift the value of a family's single largest investment,
their home. The steps we took last year to shore up the housing market
have allowed millions of Americans to take out new loans and save an
average of $1,500 on mortgage payments. This year, we will step up
refinancing so that homeowners can move into more affordable mortgages.
And it is precisely to relieve the burden on middle class families that
we still need health insurance reform. Yes, we do.
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