Was to seize, hold, defend terrain because they need to be able to extend it reach back into the theater and regain control of key terrain so that they can continue advancing across the pacific. I think the lesson today is given the arsenal the chinese created. We do not want to cede that space or give were going to leave this as we take you live to philadelphia at the tioga Marine Terminal where President Biden will be speaking about his economic agenda. Secretary granholm is speaking first. Section granholm he lifted us from our needs. Now as president secretary granholm he lifted us from our needs. Now as president he is looking to the future. Now we are jump starting a new Clean Hydrogen economy in the United States. This is really the Swiss Army Knife of clean energy solutions. It can do just about everything. Powering trucks, powering buses, heating home, fertilizing crops, revolutionizing ship, cleaning up americas manufacturing industry. Increasing our Nations Energy security. Itll make us energy independent. And its going to ensure that Energy Workers who have powered our nation for the last century will power our nation for the next century in clean energy. Our 7 billion investment in these Hydrogen Hubs matched by nearly 43 billion from the private sector, its a declaration, thatsers 50 billion, thats a huge investment. That is a declaration that america will build the most advanced clean energy technologies, america will attract the most historic clean energy investment. And america will create the highest paying, longest lasting Clean Energy Jobs in the world. And this, right . This is what National CleanEnergy Policy looks like. Projects that bring pride to our workers. Work that delivers prosperity and security to our communities. And communities that save money while breathing cleaner air and saving the planet. Under President Bidens leadership and powered by the heart and soul of the greatest workers in the world, the Clean Energy Future is ours to win. Thank you, mr. President. Please welcome philadelphia mayor jim kenny. Mayor kenney thats a long walk. Thank you all for being here today. A special thank you to President Biden for coming back home. I say home for real for a visit. [applause] its also great to be here along so many of our valued partners and champions of the project. The department of Energy Secretary granholm, senator bob casey, senator john fetterman, representative Brendan Boyle. I want to recognize our team, former deputy of labor, the entire project team and all our incredible partners throughout philadelphia and the region and for too many to mention here that have our enduring gratitude for their essential work on this prompt. This has truly been a team effort and we are preuxing once again that we can accomplish big things when we Work Together, according to Governor Shapiro who is right on that one. When we Work Together we get it done. With todays announcement we look forward and exciting future for our city and our region. Philadelphia is faced with the challenges presented by our transitioning economy and a Climate Crisis thats already putting pressure on our aging infrastructure and working class and lowincome residents. We embrace this challenge as an opportunity to transform our city, create thousands of local, familysustaining jobs and working toward a Clean Energy Future. Over the next decade we have a once in a Generation Opportunity to see that our current Energy Workers are part of a Just Transition to the new Energy Economy and ensure the next generation of workers gets a chance to participate in the future of energy right here in philadelphia. Thanks to the 750 million ill say it again, 750 million in funding. [applause] philadelphia is moving closer to our vision of a city with opportunity for all. Where zip codes, socioeconomic status and identity are not determinants of success. As this project progresses well ensure that our work delivers measurable benefits to our communities, support ours world class unions and Building Trades and provides opportunities for philadelphiaians from every niebd get involved and build a Better Future for their families. I want to thank the president again for his ongoing support of our city and of our region. I love bind onlyics. Its prioritizing working people by growing our economy from the middle out and bottom up, not from the top down, providing opportunity for americans everywhere. We share this vision and the city of philadelphia is committed to building a future where all residents have clean, healthy, safe energy and Economic Opportunities that are accessible to all. We would not be able to do this work without federal investment and we look forward to seeing the benefits for years and decades to come. So glad everyone is here today. Im so glad were at an Industrial Site like this that has employed many, many thousands of people for so many years. Its going to be reinvigorated along with all our opportunities for a bright future. God bless you all and lets get to work. [applause] please welcome u. S. Representative Brendan Boyle. [applause] rep. Boyle what a great day for philadelphia. First the phillies last night, again beat the Atlanta Braves in the playoffs. Plus plus. [applause] and now here we are in the heart of my district, here in philadelphia, to welcome back the president of the United States, to announce a 750 Million Investment that will create over 20,000 job right here in our area. [applause] just for a moment i want to take a step back. This didnt happen by accident. Think of where we were just three short years ago. The height of the pandemic. Death, disease, and despair. Highest unemployment since the great recession. Then President Biden and Congressional Democrats took office. And what did we do . We got to work. For the American People. The American Rescue plan. The chips and science act. The Inflation Reduction Act. And the funding for why were here. What was in the bipartisan infrastructure bill. That is what has made our recovery happen. When you look all around the world, they are still struggling to recover from the pandemic. Here in america, the greatest job creation of any single president ial term in american history. Thank you, President Biden. We see all around the world today, they are just attempting to get back to where they were prepandemic. We have already caught up and are surging ahead. Its one thing to recover, its another thing to build for the future. Weve done one and are now doing another. Thats what being here is all about. You know, when i talked about the 20,000 jobs being created, thanks in part to this federal investment, almost all of them are union jobs. As the president likes to say, its the middle class that built america and it is organized labor that built the american middle class. So you already heart second retear grant holm talk about granholm talk about the advancements being made in science. The advancements in clean energy. Dont forget that. There are folks in washington, d. C. , that crazy place where i work, who like to say that, oh, no, we have to accept the Climate Crisis or well lose jobs. Completely false. And were proving it false right here. The new jobs that are being created are jobs in the new economy and new energy. You know, right here, along the tbhevengs Delaware River in philadelphia, we have always been a major engine for Economic Growth in the United States. Its those jobs that brought my dad and my mothers parents to come to philadelphia. To know that right here, future generations of our city and our entire area will be employed. Its exciting. Its invigorating. And mr. President , again, i just want to say, on behalf of everyone in my district, thank you, President Biden. Please welcome u. S. Senator bob casey. Sen. Casey good afternoon, everyone. Im one of the last speakers until you get to the president , the governor and so many others. But im honored to be here today to talk about two things. Union jobs and a Clean Energy Future. Thats why were here together today. To celebrate this investment in the people of southeastern pennsylvania and beyond. Throughout this whole region and throughout our state. So were grateful for this. I want to thank the president for his work in passing the infrastructure bill. A law that i voted for, proudly. We did get votes from didnt get votes from too many on the other side but ill leave that for someone else to count up the votes but im damn proud i voted for the infrastructure, investment, and jobs act. Were honored to be here today with President Biden. Were honored that Governor Shapiro is here, secretary granholm, mayor kenney, and member of Congress Brendan Boyle who preceded me. I also want to thank the men and women of organized labor who are here. Thank you for being here today. Give yourselves and your unions a round of applause. [applause] but were here today to celebrate those union job. And the investment in a Clean Energy Future. Thanks to this infrastructure law, this region, the philadelphia region, southeastern pennsylvania, won a highly competitive award to create the mid atlantic clean energy hub. To generate hydrogen from renewable and nuclear energy. This is a good day. For this region. Its a good day for the men and women of organized labor to sell bait the highskilled work force that is here in southeastern pennsylvania. So its a good day for pennsylvania. Its also a good day for the region beyond pennsylvania. And its a really good day for the United States of america. Thanks for making it possible, you, the workers who made this possible. Thanks very much. Please welcome pennsylvanias governor, josh shapiro. Governor shapiro how we doing, philly . [applause] so listen, i know its a challenging moment right now overseas. I know its a challenging moment right here in our beloved city. So many in philly are hurting right now. Two more Police Officers were shot last night. One fatally. And i know words cannot express my anger and sadness, nor any of yours, and i know we all join in collective prayer for our Fallen Police officer and for every single woman and man who puts on that uniform. The philadelphia police, the Pennsylvania State police, or any of our Police Departments across this commonwealth. We are indebted to each and every one of them. Were keeping Law Enforcement in our prayers. As sad a moment as this is for our city, its also a miami to feel hopeful. A moment to feel optimistic. You know, when 95 collapsed this summer, the eyes of the world were on us. Philadelphia. Pennsylvania. We showed that we can do big things when we Work Together. We showed we can get the job done. You see, we reopened i95 in just how many days . 12 days. [applause] 12 days. We did that, i think, fundamentally for two reasons. Number one, because 95 was rebuilt with the hands of organized labor right here in philadelphia. [applause] and number two, as the mayor knows, we had a great partner in President Joe Biden. We sure did. Now, the president is back here today to announce the next partnership, the next big thing that we are going to accomplish together here in the city of philadelphia and across this great commonwealth. The president is going to announce shortly that he has selected the commonwealth of pennsylvania to be the center of the clean Energy Universe going forward. [applause] and hear me on this. Hear me on. This im competitive as hell, there arent many states that are part of this, but pennsylvania is the only state in the nation to secure two regional Hydrogen Hubs. Two of them. Right here in the commonwealth. [applause] our team worked incredibly hard on that. Were so proud of them we feel continue be more grateful to senator casey and our entire federal delegation for leading this forward. Look, grit and ingenuity, toughness, that helped pennsylvania build this nation. It helped pennsylvania rebuild i95 in just 12 days. And it will now lead the next chapter in our american story around innovation and opportunity and clean energy. Right here in the commonwealth for our nation. Look, the president of course is no stranger to pennsylvania. He knows what were capable of here in the commonwealth. So do i. With these two hubs, we will now be able to connect the dots between the best, most highly Trained Union work force in the entire country, our world of Higher Education and science and innovation, industry, everybody is going to be rowing together as we write this next chapter in our american story. The president of the United States came back to philadelphia today because he believes in us. The president came back to pennsylvania today because he wants us to be the center of the clean Energy Universe. And the president hoaf United States came back here today because he believes in us and so do i and together we are going to get it done. Thank you all very much. Let us get to work thank you. [applause] please welcome the Business Manager for the philadelphia building and construction straidz council, ryan boyer. And construction trades council, ryan boyer. [applause] mr. Boyer thank you. First, let me welcome my loud, rowdy sisters and brothers to the philadelphia building trade, come on [cheers and applause] im honored and privileged to be here today to present the most laborfriendly president in the history of the United States of america, our president , joe biden. [applause] joe biden has prioritized the needs of working families, union families, more than any other president in the history of our nation. Against significant opposition, joe biden advanced and signed the biggest infrastructure package in our generation. Literally billions of dollars of investment in our roadsering, bridges, schools and all of our communities will benefit from this, with thousands of goodpaying union jobs. [applause] and with the help of my good friends in the building trade, jim snell, all the guys here, mark lynch, we will have a welltrained, wellprepared union Work Force Ready to go. [applause] these jobs and opportunities they present will change the trajectory of many of our communities. And thats really just the beginning. Joe biden has earned our support time and time again. Next year, we will send him back to the white house to continue this critical and most important work. You dont know about north philadelphia competitiveness. For us, the whole city, the whole region, theres no alternative. Its either joe biden or we go to hell in a handbasket. Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, please join me in welcoming our friend, our pennsylvania, he comes to us all the time, so give him a warm pennsylvania welcome to the president of the United States, President Joe Biden [applause] [hail to the chief playing] pres. Biden hello, everybody. Good to be almost home. Guy, i live in delaware, ok. And by the way, im a big pennsylvania guy. You have an advantage in philly. One, i married a philly girl. Two, youre between scranton and womennington. You guys have no sense of humor, man. Look, ryan, thanks for the introduction, i really mean it. Before i get started i want to acknowledge two brave Police Officers, on a serious note, were shot last night. One was killed at the philadelphia airport. I talked to the chief and the mayor about this. They put their lives on the line to protect the city. We owe them a debt of gratitude. We are praying for them and their families today. I also want to say im worried about the situation in israel. The more we learn about the attack, the more horrifying it becomes. More than 1,000 innocent lives lost including at least 27 americans. These guys make they make al qaeda look pure. Theyre pure evil. They said from the begin, the United States, make no mistake about it, stands with israel. The United States stands with israel. [applause] secretary of state blinken was in israel yesterday, secretary austin is there today. Were making sure israel has what it needs to defend itself and respond to these attacks. Its also a priority for me to address the humanitarian crisis in gaza. At my direction, our teams are working in the region, including communicating directly with the governments of israel, egypt, jordan and other arab nations and the United Nations to surge support and humanitarian consequences to help. We cant lose sight of the fact that the overwhelming majority of palestinians have nothing to do with hamas or hamas attacks. Theyre suffering as well. This morning i spoke with the family members of all those Americans Still unaccounted for on a zoom call for about an hour and 10 or 15 minutes. Theyre going through agony not knowing what the status of their sons, daughters, husbands, wives, children are. Its gut wrenching. I asheurd them my personal commitment to do Everything Possible, Everything Possible to return every missing american to their fanlies. Were working around the clock. To secure the release. [applause] of americans held by hamas in. Close cooperation with israel and our partners around the region. Were not going to stop until we bring them home. Folks, now for the reason to be here. Secretary granholm, no one is more enthusiastic about building our Clean Energy Future than you are. We also ive got so many friends here today. Pennsylvania delegation. Josh shapiro, governor. Mary kennedy is an old friend, one of my closest friends in the senate and politics, bobby casey. Representative Brendan Boyle is always there. Governor carney from delaware and tom carper, two of the best people i have ever worked with the new jersey delegate, i tell him all the time philadelphia may be small but we own the Delaware River. Cory booker who couldnt be here, hes on the dwownd in israel. I want to thank him for pushing so hard for the projects were about to talk about Governor Phil Murphy couldnt be here, hes also a strong, strong supporter. And one thing before we get started. Lets go phillies [applause] did you watch that game last night . This is a good year, man. This is a good year. Were going to win the series and the nfl. Look, if i didnt say that, bobby would be up here on the stage with me. You heard me say it before. When i think climate, i think jobs. Goodpaying jobs. Union jobs. Thats by the way, im serious. Look, let me get one thing straight about unions. The reason im so prounion, middle class built america. Wall street did not build the middle class. Unions built the middle class. [applause] thats why. I mean, im not thats not a joke. Im deadly earnest about that. And its especially true when it comes to clean energy and manufacturing. When the Public Sector and the private sector come together, proving we can do big things in america. One of the things i worried about was that, you know, we talked about people that used there used to be an argument that you cant have industrial policy dictated by the government. Guess what . I found that when you when the government invests in the needs of the American People rlg invests in america and the American People, guess what . The private sector jumps on real quick in. Fact ive asked c. E. O. s this question repeatedly. When the United States invests considerable resources in new industry, does it encourage or discourage businesses to get in . And the answer is clear. It encourages them to get in. Federal investments attract private Sector Investment a lot of it. Creates jobs in Industries Like clean energy and demonstrates were all in this together. Thats what its all about today. Im here to announce one of the largest advanced manufacturing investments in the history of this nation. 7 billion in federal investments is going to attract 40 billion in private investment in Clean Hydrogen power. [applause] spread over 16 states. Spending tens of thousands of good paying jobs, many most union jobs. Its a 50 billion investment. I reckon the competitiveness leads to a stronger economy. And combating climate change. Its all part of my plan to make things in america. There was a law early on, back in the 1930s, it said it wasnt only good but we should encourage, when the president has money, to spend that the Congress Gave him, that president should do two things. One is make sure he or she invests that money by making sure that money is being spent on american projects by American Workers with american products. And guess what . President s all along kept saying, well we have exceptions. Only 30 needs to be. Only 40 . Guess what . I changed that. To invest in america and invest in america is what we do. We grow the economy from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top down. When i came to office, i was determined to move away from the trickle down economics. You know you usually hear when the wealthy do well everybody will do well . Not a whole hell of a lot dropped down to my dads Kitchen Table when i was growing up. Im serious. I decided were going to focus on building the middle class. When the middle class does well, everybody does well. The poor have a way up. The middle class do very well. The wealthy still do well but theyve got to start paying their taxes. Thats another issue. Folks, you know, the press started calling this my plan bidenomics. Todays announcement is a critical piece of that plan. Let me explain. I made it a goal for our country to get to net zero emissions from pollutants. No later than 2050. By the way its the only existential threat to humanity if we dont do this, if we dont stay below these numbers, the whole world is changing. Our kids are going to be, and our grandkids are going to be anyway, i dont want to think about it. Clean hydrogen will help us meet this goal. When it comes to charging our cars, powering our home, all we need is Clean Electricity to power, to get from solar and wind. Thats just fine. Were doing that. Were getting close to meeting that goal. When it comes to manufacturing things like steel, aluminum and other materials, factories need process materials at over 1,000 degrees fahrenheit to get that done. You cant you need to burn fuel to get that done. You cant get it done with wind and solar power. You cannot generate that much energy. Thats where Hydrogen Comes in. Hydrogen, you can power Industries Like the production of steel and aluminum. Its going to end up changing our transportation system, trucks, rail, planes. Clean hydrogen produces Energy Resources like wind and solar. That lets us get to you get to this place without putting more carbon in the atmosphere. When i put that forward, they said we couldnt do anything bipartisanly in the congress. I introduced the bipartisan infrastructure bill. It got passed. It got passed even though we only had a couple votes extra in the senate. It contained funding to harness the benefits of hydrogen and encouraged states to join together to create things called Hydrogen Hubs. Folk, those rubs are those hubs are about people coming together across state lines, across industry airks cross political parties, to build a stronger, more sustainable economy and to rebuild our communities. The hub is in the middle in the mid Atlantic Region is made up of 17 sites spanning southeastern pennsylvania, delaware, new jersey, and the hubs are existing infrastructure supporting oil industry and Oil Pipelines and refineries and repurposing, regenerating, storage, transport, use Clean Hydrogen instead. This hub alone will produce 100,000 tons of hydrogen per year. 100,000 tons. Up to 750 million in public investments attracting 2. 25 billion in private investment. And heres some examples of how its going to work. The Delaware City refinery in my state, vacant, owned by chesapeake utilities in georgetown, delaware. A former jet fuel terminal in new jersey. All use Renewable Energy like solar power to produce Clean Hydrogen. Plumbers, pipe fitterser were going to replace and retrofit Oil Pipelines, to transport the hydrogen here. Where fueling stations at the port of philadelphia in partnership with the philadelphia gas works will provide Clean Hydrogen to people to power trucks, heavy duty equipment, operated by longshoremen and teamsters. Thatll mean cleaner air. Since the equipment that runs on hydrogen produces fewer emissions than diesel. Cross town, on the site of the old Philadelphia Energy solutions refinery, a new bellwether district, hilco, will use Clean Hydrogen or steam to Power Generation to power on campuses where companies will do research and development for the next generation technologies. The city of philadelphia and southern pennsylvania, transportation authority, will use Clean Hydrogen to power their heavy duty vehicle fleets like street sweep, garbage truckser fuel cells an electronic buses. The Dupont Company going to use hydrogen to power their research and Development Operations as one of the most experimental stations in the world in wilmington, dwaimple here in the mid atlantic hub, every single one of these projects will use project labor agreements. Thats another way of saying union. [applause] by the way, its going to create 20,800 jobs. 20,00 jobs in this hub. Plumbers, pipe fitters, electricians, so much more. Were not just creating jobs here in the region. In western pennsylvania and ohio. West virginia. Hydrogen hub will bring another source of goodpaying jobs to the coal communities. So workers who powered our nation for generations can now work and produce Clean Hydrogen just like weve seen. Starting careers reclaiming abandoned mines, manufacturing advanced batteries and solar energy because they deserve it. It powered us for so long. Just like my hometown of kran ston. Scranton. The same communities, once thriving coal mining and power plant towns will now be the center of our new clean energy income. Were restoring home and community and dignity along the way. That was my commitment. Thats what were delivering. Were doing the same thing at the hub in the midwest. Hub in california. Another hub in the dakotas and minnesota. All across the country. From coast to coast. In the heartland were building a Clean Energy Future, here in america, not somewhere else. Taken together, the Emission Reductions from these Hydrogen Hubs will be the equivalent of taking 5. 5 million gaspowered vehicles off the road. 5. 5 million. [applause] and across america all these hubs are anchored in the promise to local communities, a promise to build these right. To ensure local priorities are at the forefront. Risks are mitigated and everyone benefits especially communities left behind like those who have suffered disproportionately if the legacy of pollution and environmental injustice. For example, here in pennsylvania, the oldest hbcu in the country is part of this hub and will be training workers for these new Clean Energy Jobs. Hubs, just one example of what were doing to rebuild america for all americans. Through the bipartisan infrastructure law which i helped write and pass, were making the most substantial investments since president eisenhower in roads, bridges, ports, airports, clean water, high speed internet. These are goodpaying jobs. Weve already announced over 38,000 projects across 4,500 communities across the nation. Here in pennsylvania weve already announced its going to get 10. 2 billion including for 300 specific projects across the state. Theres no better example [applause] theres no better example of how were rebuilding america, doing big things right here in philly where union labor, Great Team Effort to get i95 back up and running just 12 days with the help of the governor after a sthoasks highway collapsed. Anybody think wed be able to do that in 12 days . Never been done before. Were upgrading the airports from pittsburgh to lehigh value lee to here in philly. I want to tell you, and bobby, i say bobby, my good buddy, the guy from scranton, you know, casey, were investing 900 million, almost 1 billion, rebuild the montgomery locks and dams, were going to get moving on that. I promised bob, got a lot of money for amtrak. Were going to build it where is he . Were going to build that line from scranton to new york. [applause] were going to build that line of. We used to have it. Now weve got the money, were going to get it done. We created 13. 9 million new jobs across america. 13. 9. We created 850,000 manufacturing jobs. Twice as many as the Previous Administration created in all its time. The Unemployment Rate stayed below 4 for 20 straight months in a row. The longest stretch in 50 years. [applause] weve achieved a 70year low on Unemployment Rate for women. Weve seen record low unemployment for africanamerican and hispanic workers and people with disables. This is everybody. Not just a few people. This is everybody. By the way. Status shows we have the highest, highest share of working age americans in the work force in 20 years. Inflation is coming down. Its down 60 since last summer. Core inflation is the lowest level in dwreers and now we have the lowest inflation rate of any g7, any Major Industrial country in the world. Were creating good jobs in communities. We have more to do. Were creating good jobs across the country including in places that have been left behind for too long. Because factories shut down, towns were hollowed out, jobs were moved, people lost their sense of pride. How many small towns do you know in pennsylvania and across the midwest where there was a factory, where for 30, 40 years people were able to work and have a good, decent salary, live a middle class life, and all of a sudden Corporate America decides im going to find cheaper labor overseas. Im going to send the job overseas and import the product. Not anymore. Those jobs from overseas, theyre bringing them back. Were bringing them back bigtime. [applause] by the way, you live in a neighborhood, you live in a small town, your whole life, your father, your grandfather, youre able to make it. And all of a sudden theres nothing left. Kid comes to you and says i got a good education, mom. But i cant live here anymore. Theres no jobs. Were going to restore their pride as well. Under bidenomics you dont have to leave home to get a good job. Under bidenomics were investing in energy for the future so the future is made in america. Made in america. [applause] and folk, were just getting started. My invest in america agenda has led to manufacturing and attracting over half a trillion dollars in private investment in 2 1 2 years. In manufacturing. In the industry of the future. Spending on factory construction has kubled doubled in the last two years after growing only 2 under my predecessor. Now instead of exporting american jobs were creating american jobs and exporting american products. [applause] i really mean it. Think about it. I know this sounds boring but i really mean it. Thats good for everybody. Let me close with this. I came to office determined to get this country up again. So we could face the existential threat of climate and still grow. To fundamentally change our economy. And to transition this country to a Clean Energy Future. Todays announcement is part of a bigger vision to do just that. Were going to invest, under the Inflation Reduction Act i was able to put in 369 billion, 369 billion, and by the way, i reduced the budget by 1. 7 billion. Reduced the debt. While doing it. [applause] to fight climate change. Largest investment of its kind. Anywhere in the world. The single largest investment ever. And we invented the semiconductor. That little chip about the size of the end of your finger. Went to the moon. Affects nearly everything in our lives. Whether you have a cell phone, automobile, refrigerateor, sophisticated weapons systems. Guess what . We were initially producing 40 of them in the world. Guess what . We now produce less than 10 . Why . We took it overseas. So i have proposed legislation which i thought would be a slam dunk to pass, but we had some resistance from my maga friends. As a result Semiconductor Companies all over the world are investing hundreds of billions of dollars to bring chip production back home. For example, you know, just outside of ohio, outside of columbus, ohio, theres a thousand acres. Intel came along and said were going to invest there. Were going to invest over 20 billion. Were going to build these new factories. Twice the size of football fields. Guess what the average pay is . About 100,000 to 110,000 bucks a year. And you dont need a College Degree to get the job. Look, with this bipartisan infrastructure law, we see cranes in the air, shovels in the ground, pride coming back to cities and towns across the country. Nearly a century ago, franklin roosevelt, rural electrify case act, brought electricity to millions of americans. Generated significant Economic Growth and prosperity. Nearly 70 years ago president eisenhower launched the interstate highway system. The investment were making today will be for our kids and grandkids but those historic like those historic projects were in previous generations only bigger. Todays announcement is transformational. It joins a long line of transformational gestures we made since i took office. I truly believe this country is about to take off. For the first time in a long time were actually investing in america. Were investing in americans. Not just america. Were investing in our future. I can honestly say, i mean this, and i know i dont look it but ive been around for a while. [laughter] ive never been more optimistic about americas future. Just remember who in the hell we are. Were the United States of america. Theres nothing, nothing, nothing, beyond our capacity. If we Work Together. Nothing. [applause] because of you all were going to get it done. Were the leading country in the world. Were going to remain that way. God bless you awful may god protect our troops. Thank you. [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2023] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] back in washington, d. C. , on capitol hill, House Republicans have been meeting to choose their nominee for speaker. In the last 15 minutes, reports are theyve started their vote behind closed doors in their Candidate Forum on capitol hill. In addition to ohio representative jim jordan, austin scott of georgia also announced his candidacy for speaker. As politico reports, former Speaker Mccarthy said hes putting his support behind congressman jordan. As we hear who the republicans have chosen well have updates on the cspan networks. Before the Candidate Forum began, former Speaker Mccarthy and others talked to reporters about where things stood. How is it going in there . Mr. Mccarthy i thought it was going well. Im going to vote for jim. I think hes got the votes. Reporter hes running for speaker but whats your message to him . Mr. Mccarthy i think jim is better prepared in the process to be speaker. I dont think its right that every democrat voted to create chaos and part of the republicans joined with them. Today, the men and women of our military got paid. If gaetz had his way they wouldnt be being paid. Theyd be in the middle east. Our Border Agents wouldnt be paid. But this whole time we havent been able to follow through on our bill we were trying to get done. We havent been table do an invest. Weve got 4 of the caucus that wants chaos. Do you think itll go to the floor today . Mr. Mccarthy i dont know. Reporter do you see a scenario where you come out with the gavel at the end of this . Mr. Mccarthy no. Reporter what do you say to mr. Mccarthy what they just did in there, i probably would have won the nomination. Reporter do you think you still have the most power in the room . Mr. Mccarthy i dont know. Theyre just doing, t