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 value” for Russia’s invasion into Ukraine at his first State of the Union handle to Congress.

“All through our historical past we’ve realized this lesson – when dictators don’t pay a value for his or her aggression, they trigger extra chaos,” Biden stated within the first moments of the speech. “They hold transferring. 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 might divide us right here at house. Putin was mistaken. We had been prepared.”

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

“We’re becoming a member of with European allies to seek out and seize their yachts, their luxurious flats, their non-public 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 gasoline pump.

“My prime 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 transferring quicker and cheaper in America. Extra jobs the place you may earn a superb residing 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 12 months.

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

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

Biden additionally vowed to crack down on international carriers transferring 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 asserting a crackdown on firms overcharging American companies and customers,” Biden stated.

Biden argued that his insurance policies will not increase taxes on anybody “incomes lower than $400,000 a 12 months.”

“I could also be mistaken, 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. might deploy a vaccine inside 100 days.

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

Biden addressed considerations about social media and bullying and stated that that social media platforms “should be accountable for the nationwide experiment they’re conducting on our youngsters for revenue.” He additionally stated tech firms must “cease accumulating private information on our youngsters.”

Biden additionally advocated for a plan to “supercharge” the “most cancers moonshot” that President Barack Obama launched six years in the past with a aim of slicing the most cancers loss of life fee by at the very least 50% over the subsequent 25 years. He referred to as on Congress to fund ARPA-H, the Superior Analysis Initiatives Company for Well being. The company shall be patterned after DARPA, the Protection Dept. venture that led to the Web and GPS.

“We’re stronger at present than we had been a 12 months in the past,” Biden stated within the conclusion to the simply over hour lengthy speech. “And we shall be stronger a 12 months from now than we’re at present. That is our second to fulfill and overcome the challenges of our time.”