On Monday, Jan. 28 at 8 p.m. CT, President Barack Obama delivered his annual State of the Union address to Congress and citizens of the U.S. Obama’s speech focused on a few main points, including immigration reform, minimum wage, climate change, America’swithdrawlfrom Afghanistan and retirement savings.<\/p>\n
Obama began his speech with a report of how present policies were shaping the nation. He reported the lowest unemployment rate in over five years, a rebounding housing market, a manufacturing sector that’s adding jobs for the first time since the 1990s, more oil produced at home, slashed deficits and increased global faith in Americanbusiness.<\/p>\n
“Let’s make this a year of action,” Obama said. “That’s what most Americans want, for all of us in this chamber to focus on their lives, their hopes, their aspirations.”<\/p>\n
Along those lines, Obama said he was prepared to use executive orders to take significant action without the approval of Congress if he deemed the situation necessary.<\/p>\n
Other significant moments include Obama’s plan to raise minimum wage to $10.10 for federal contract workers, his comments on the need for equal pay for equal work for women, and the story of injured Army Ranger CoryRemberg, who was in attendance.<\/p>\n
\u200bRep. CathyMcMorrisRodgers from Washington gave the official Republican rebuttal to the State of the Union address.Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida also delivered an official response, which was in Spanish. Several other prominent voices in the GOP filmed or published rebuttals of their own.<\/p>\n
“Right now, the president’s policies are making people’s lives harder,”McMorrisRodgers said.”Republicans have plans to close the gap.”<\/p>\n