State of the Union: Biden says Putin was `wrong’ and will `pay a price’ for invasion

President Biden stated that Vladimir Putin should “pay a worth” for Russia’s invasion into Ukraine at his first State of the Union tackle to Congress.

“All through our historical past we’ve realized this lesson – when dictators don’t pay a worth for his or her aggression, they trigger extra chaos,” Biden stated within the first moments of the speech. “They hold shifting. And, the prices and threats to America to the world hold rising.”

Biden introduced as a part of the U.S. response to the Russian invasion that the U.S. is closing its airspace to Russian planes.

Putin’s warfare “was premeditated and unprovoked,” Biden stated. “He rejected efforts at diplomacy. He thought the West and NATO wouldn’t reply. And, he thought he may divide us right here at dwelling. Putin was flawed. We had been prepared.”

Biden added that the U.S. Division of Justice is assembling a activity power to go after the alleged crimes of the Russian oligarchs.

“We’re becoming a member of with European allies to search out and seize their yachts, their luxurious residences, their personal jets,” Biden stated. “We’re coming for you.”

Biden vowed to battle inflation throughout the speech. Shopper costs over the previous 12 months have jumped by 7.5% amid hovering inflation on the grocery retailer, in addition to the fuel pump.

“My high precedence is getting costs below management,” Biden stated.

“Decrease your prices, not your wages,” Biden added. “Make extra vehicles and semiconductors in America. Extra infrastructure and innovation in America. Extra items shifting sooner and cheaper in America. Extra jobs the place you may earn a superb dwelling in America. And, as a substitute of counting on international provide chains, let’s make it in America.”

Biden introduced that the U.S. and its allies will launch 60 million barrels of oil from reserves, together with 30 million from U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Biden stated below his infrastructure plan, the U.S. will begin fixing 65,000 miles of freeway and 1,500 bridges this yr.

Biden known as for the worth of prescribed drugs to be decreased and for the worth of insulin to be capped at $35 a month. He additionally known as for Medicare to barter the worth of prescribed drugs. Biden additionally advocated for a plan to scale back the price of childcare and he needs minimal wage to be raised to $15 an hour.

“Drug firms will do very effectively with their revenue margins,” Biden stated. “Whereas we’re at it, I do know we now have nice disagreements on this flooring. Let’s let Medicare negotiate the worth of prescribed drugs.”

Biden additionally vowed to crack down on international carriers shifting items out and in of America, claiming that these international carriers raised costs by as a lot as 1,000% throughout the pandemic.

“Tonight, I’m saying a crackdown on firms overcharging American companies and customers,” Biden stated.

Biden argued that his insurance policies will not elevate taxes on anybody “incomes lower than $400,000 a yr.”

“I could also be flawed, however my guess is that if we took a secret poll on this flooring, that we might all agree that the current tax system ain’t honest,” Biden added.

Biden stated the U.S. is able to deploy new vaccines if one other variant of Covid had been to emerge, saying the U.S. may deploy a vaccine inside 100 days.

“Over the previous, we now have gotten significantly better at detecting new variants,” Biden stated. “If obligatory, we’ll be capable to develop new vaccines inside 100 days as a substitute of perhaps months or years.”

Biden addressed issues about social media and bullying and stated that that social media platforms “have to be accountable for the nationwide experiment they’re conducting on our kids for revenue.” He additionally stated tech firms have to “cease amassing private information on our kids.”

Biden additionally advocated for a plan to “supercharge” the “most cancers moonshot” that President Barack Obama launched six years in the past with a purpose of reducing the most cancers dying price by no less than 50% over the subsequent 25 years. He known as on Congress to fund ARPA-H, the Superior Analysis Tasks Company for Well being. The company might be patterned after DARPA, the Protection Dept. mission that led to the Web and GPS.

“We’re stronger at present than we had been a yr in the past,” Biden stated within the conclusion to the simply over hour lengthy speech. “And we might be stronger a yr from now than we’re at present. That is our second to fulfill and overcome the challenges of our time.”