At the Asian Pacific American Institute For Congressional Studies’ 30th Annual Gala, President Biden ripped former President Trump while recognizing the contributions of AAPI citizens to the U.S.
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NewsTranscript
00:00 (Applause.)
00:13 >> The President: Hello, hello, hello.
00:15 (Applause.)
00:18 Whoa, what a crowd.
00:20 Please, have a seat if you have one.
00:23 (Laughter.)
00:24 Well, thank you, Judy Chu, for that introduction
00:28 and for your leadership of the Congressional
00:30 Asian Pacific American Caucus.
00:31 By the way, I was raised early on by a guy
00:35 who became my, sort of, sponsor
00:37 when I got here as a 30-year-old kid, Danny Inouye.
00:40 (Applause.)
00:44 And Norm Mineta was a close friend as well,
00:46 so I got trained early on.
00:48 Thank you, leaders of the House Democratic Caucus
00:51 and Leader Jeffries -- you're here somewhere, I'm told.
00:54 I can't see you, but I know you're here --
00:56 and Whipp Clark, Chair Aguilar,
01:00 and all the members of Congress here tonight.
01:02 Thank you, thank you, thank you also to the Asian Pacific
01:05 American Institute of Congressional Studies
01:07 for 30 years of empowering AANHP leaders
01:12 all across the government.
01:14 And let me say, I have kept our commitment
01:17 to having an administration that looks like America.
01:20 I made that commitment when I got elected.
01:23 While members of the AANHPI community at every level,
01:28 led by the incredible Vice President of the United States,
01:30 Kamala Harris --
01:32 (Applause.)
01:35 -- and so many here today, including my Cabinet --
01:38 U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai;
01:41 Acting Labor Secretary Judy Sue --
01:46 Julie Sue; Director of my Office of Science and Technology --
01:52 where is she? Where is she?
01:54 (Applause.)
01:55 Stand up, kid. I like that dress. Let them see your gown.
01:58 (Applause.)
02:03 And thanks to all of you -- leaders of labor, business,
02:06 philanthropy, civil rights, arts, culture,
02:08 and so much more -- all of you --
02:11 and I mean all of you -- represent a simple truth.
02:13 There is no singular Asian American, Native Hawaiian,
02:17 or Pacific Islander identity.
02:19 The diversity of cultures and breadth of your achievements
02:22 that has shaped and strengthened the fabric of our country.
02:26 The fastest-growing demographic in the United States --
02:28 you represent how we're a nation of immigrants,
02:31 a nation of dreamers, a nation of freedom.
02:33 That's the America we share. That's the America we know.
02:38 And you've made incredible progress.
02:40 Fifteen million new jobs recorded.
02:43 Historic low levels of unemployment.
02:45 Record small business creation.
02:47 In fact, loans from our Small Business Administration --
02:50 AANHPI -- small business is up by 44 percent
02:54 compared to the previous administration.
02:56 (Applause.)
02:58 Because we extended child care tax credits
03:01 during the pandemic --
03:02 which not one Republican voted for, I might add --
03:05 we cut Asian American child poverty
03:08 by nearly 25 percent, to a record low.
03:10 (Applause.)
03:12 The lowest cost across the board --
03:14 we finally beat Big Pharma and gave Medicare the power
03:17 to negotiate prescription drug prices.
03:19 (Applause.)
03:22 We're also capped into the $35-a-month down
03:24 from about $400 a month for seniors in Medicare,
03:27 including for millions in this community.
03:29 Our reforms not only save lives -- guess what?
03:34 They save the taxpayers $160 billion.
03:37 (Applause.)
03:38 A hundred and sixty -- because Medicare no longer has to pay
03:41 those exorbitant prices.
03:44 We're also making college more affordable
03:46 by relieving student debt for millions of borrowers,
03:48 including many in this community.
03:50 (Applause.)
03:51 That's worth clapping for, I promise you.
03:53 How we can be the leader of the world
03:59 out in the best education world, I don't understand.
04:02 We increased Pell Grants by $800 a year --
04:04 the largest increase in a decade --
04:06 which matters to 40 percent of the AANHPI students
04:10 they rely on Pell Grants. Folks --
04:13 (Applause.)
04:17 -- when I was growing up, $800 makes a lot of difference
04:19 to a family.
04:21 More people have health insurance today than ever before.
04:24 And I'm proud that my administration announced
04:26 DACA recipients will finally have access to healthcare
04:29 through the Affordable Care Act.
04:31 (Applause.)
04:34 By the way, the first bill I entered
04:37 is the most comprehensive immigration reform bill
04:39 in decades.
04:41 It includes a pathway to citizenship for DREAMers
04:43 and expands the number of green cards
04:45 so many more families can build their American Dream together.
04:49 Unfortunately, those provisions are not included
04:52 in the recent bipartisan border bill.
04:53 That was the first bill I ever introduced
04:55 when I became President.
04:57 But this bill had majority -- that bipartisan bill
04:59 has majority support in the House and Senate.
05:02 But I was told that other guy -- that loser --
05:06 (Laughter and applause.)
05:17 -- I think he's having trouble.
05:19 (Laughter.)
05:20 Trump called Republicans and blocked that Senate bill,
05:24 got on the phone and said it'd be a win for Biden
05:27 and a loser for him.
05:28 So, they have to make sure you don't allow it to get to a vote.
05:31 But he's wrong. Republicans in Congress must act
05:36 because it's the right thing to do,
05:37 and America needs it done.
05:39 (Applause.)
05:43 Thanks to the decades of advocacy by so many of you,
05:46 I'm proud our administration recently announced major changes
05:51 in how federal government collects and reports
05:53 federal data on race and ethnicity.
05:55 By disaggregating data on a community that's so diverse,
05:59 we can better serve the entire community.
06:03 After all, if our government doesn't really see
06:05 the difference between Korean Americans
06:07 and, distinctly from Filipino Americans,
06:09 how in the hell can they address the needs of each community?
06:12 And we've changed that. It's disaggregation.
06:15 (Applause.)
06:18 We're also making historic investments
06:19 to rebuild our roads and our bridges
06:21 and to lead the world in science and innovation.
06:24 That includes the most significant investment ever --
06:27 ever, ever, anywhere in the history of the world --
06:29 on climate.
06:31 I'm so proud, with your help, that the new report,
06:36 co-released by 20 major climate organizations
06:39 from the Sierra Club to the Sunrise Movement,
06:42 credited our administration with making more than --
06:45 taking 300 actions related to climate,
06:47 conservation, public health, and clean energy.
06:50 I signed the most significant gun safety law
06:52 in nearly 30 years, which I know matters to the community
06:56 that I mourn with.
06:58 And I remember, in Atlanta, Half Moon Bay, and Monterey Park,
07:04 this guy said, when the last shooting occurred,
07:07 he said -- what were you asking about?
07:09 He said, "Just get over it. Get over it."
07:11 Oh, anyway, I'll be good.
07:15 Together, we'll not stop until we ban assault weapons again --
07:20 this time permanently.
07:22 (Applause.)
07:24 I can go on, but I'm between you and your dinner.
07:27 The point is, we're -- (laughter)
07:29 -- we're lowering costs,
07:30 we're expanding opportunities with your help,
07:33 we're protecting freedoms.
07:34 That's in stark contrast to my predecessor's view and of you.
07:38 Look, I'll never forget him lying about the pandemic,
07:43 telling Americans to inject bleach into their skin.
07:45 I wonder if he did it. (Laughter.)
07:50 It might explain some things. Anyway.
07:55 (Laughter.)
07:57 We'll not forget the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes
08:00 during the pandemic.
08:01 And I was proud to have signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act
08:05 with your support to help states, cities,
08:07 and better report, respond, prevent crime.
08:10 (Applause.)
08:12 We're also providing historic levels of funding
08:14 to public safety in local communities.
08:16 That is delivering results.
08:17 We're seeing near -- a near 50-year low
08:20 in violent crime in America.
08:22 According to the Justice Department,
08:23 hate crimes targeting Asian Americans fell by 33 percent
08:27 from 2021 to 2022.
08:28 But there's still more to do so that every community feels safe.
08:34 When Trump was in office,
08:36 he enacted a $2 trillion tax cut,
08:38 overwhelmingly benefitting the very wealthiest among us
08:41 and the biggest corporations that exploded the federal deficit.
08:45 His administration added more to the federal debt
08:49 than any previous presidential term.
08:52 And now he and the Congressional Republicans
08:53 want to do it all over again.
08:55 At the same time, they want to -- I love this word --
08:58 terminate -- I love the way these guys talk --
09:00 terminate the Affordable Care Act,
09:02 which would terminate a lot of lives,
09:05 denying millions of you and your families
09:06 in healthcare insurance,
09:08 denying protections for preexisting conditions
09:10 for literally several million people.
09:12 They want to undo what they finally got done
09:15 and then what we did --
09:18 finally got done to make up for it.
09:22 They want to -- they want to give power back to big pharma
09:26 to charge exorbitant prices and prescriptions.
09:28 And this is what they're saying in the platform.
09:30 Those of you in Congress know this.
09:31 My predecessor wants to cut Social Security and Medicare.
09:35 He said, "There's a lot of reasons
09:37 you can do it in terms of cutting."
09:39 Not on my watch.
09:41 (Applause.)
09:44 He brags about getting Roe v. Wade overturned.
09:46 But Kamala, I'm going to keep fighting to restore Roe v.
09:49 Wade as the law of the land again.
09:51 (Applause.)
09:56 And while we fight for comprehensive immigration
09:58 reform, Trump continues to vilify immigrants.
10:00 I can't believe the way this guy talks.
10:03 He talks about immigrants as rapists and murderers.
10:05 His words, not mine. He said, "They are not people.
10:09 They are not people."
10:11 He says, "Immigrants are poison and blood of this country."
10:14 Folks, that's not who we are.
10:17 Diversity is our strength as a nation.
10:19 It always has been and always will be.
10:22 (Applause.)
10:25 And my predecessor's prejudices lead him to obscure positions.
10:30 And they want a country for all of us.
10:33 That's what we want. Let me close with this.
10:35 Two years ago, I signed a landmark law
10:38 to pave the way for the creation of a National Museum
10:40 of Asian Americans, which is mentioned already.
10:42 Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, history and culture.
10:47 So, very proud to do so because it amplifies
10:51 why we are a great nation.
10:53 It matters. But Trump and his friends want to --
10:56 they want to erase history, not make history.
10:59 Together, we make history, all of us in this room.
11:01 And that's why I see all of you and we celebrate Asian American,
11:05 Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month,
11:07 including my dear friend we all miss and his family is here
11:10 tonight, Norm Mineta, who helped create this caucus.
11:13 (Applause.)
11:18 Norm once said, "Democracy is not a spectator sport.
11:23 Requires everyone's active participation.
11:25 You don't have to be running for office to be a public --
11:28 be in public service," end of quote.
11:30 Folks, there have always been competing values
11:34 and visions of what America should be.
11:37 My predecessors believed we were a country of revenge
11:39 and retribution.
11:41 I believe we're a nation of hope and opportunity for everybody.
11:44 (Applause.)
11:45 We're a country of honesty, decency, faith, fairness.
11:48 That's the future we're building together.
11:51 I see a future where we defend democracy, not diminish it.
11:55 I see a future where we protect freedoms, not take them away.
11:58 I see a future where the middle class finally has a fair shot
12:01 and the wealthy -- the wealthy finally begin
12:03 to pay their fair share so we can provide childcare,
12:07 paid leave, and so much more,
12:08 and still reduce the federal deficit.
12:10 (Applause.)
12:12 Folks, I see a future where we save the planet
12:17 from the climate crisis and our country from gun violence.
12:20 Above all, I see a future for all Americans.
12:23 I see a country for all Americans.
12:26 And it's because of you -- and I mean this sincerely;
12:29 I've never been more optimistic.
12:31 We just have to remember who in the hell we are.
12:32 We're the United States of America,
12:34 and there's nothing beyond our capacity
12:37 when we work together.
12:38 So let's keep working together because we can get so much done.
12:41 God bless you all, and may God protect our troops.
12:44 Thank you, thank you, thank you.
12:46 I mean it. Thank you.
12:48 (Applause.)