Thank you very much. Thank you for the kind introduction, mr. Speaker. Lieutenant governor duncan, speaker ralston, mayor bottoms, governor and mrs. Deal, president pro tem miller, speaker pro tem jones, and members of the General Assembly. Constitutional officers, members of the judiciary, members of the consular core and my fellow georgians. During my first state of the state speech i talked about a wise builder who put his house on a sure foundation. The rain and the winds came, the floodwaters rose, but the house stood firm. I tipped my hat to governor deal and those lawmakers that came before me. Those who poured the concrete and laid the footings. Hard working georgians who left this place better than they full count found it. One year ago i urged those in this room, this historic space, to join me in building a safer, stronger, and more prosperous state. A state where Small Businesses are empowered to grow, invest, and thrive. Where government is responsive and effective. A state where health care is affordable, accessible, and where the rights of the unborn are protected. I asked lawmakers, both republicans and democrats, to join me in the fight for georgias future, to crack down on gangs and sex trafficking, to invest in education and our educators, to stand up for our values and those we value, to put politics and partisanship behind us and unite for the greater good. Over the last 12 months, we have realized incredible success and endured hardships. We have seen the fruits of our labor and we have seen the power of gods providence. In 2019, we stood together on the construction site, building on a sure foundation. Im proud of what we accomplished, but there is still more work to be done. As your governor, i have been honored to travel this great state, and everywhere i go i start out by saying the same thing. It is a great time to be a geor georgian, wouldnt you agree . [ applause ] right now our Unemployment Rate is 3. 3 . Thats the lowest in our states history. We have a Record Number of hardworking georgians in the work force. Our state is the number one place for business for the seventh year in a row. During the last 12 months, since i addressed this joint session, we have added over 64,000 private sector jobs. Of the 371 Economic Development projects announced by the state in 2019, 79 of them are outside of atlanta. In communities like k row, cartersville and commerce, creating Economic Opportunity no matter what your zip code. The state of the state is strong, and, folks, we are just getting started. [ applause ] i was raised to work hard, and i know that my mom, who is in the audience today, remembers driving me around with a push mower in the trunk of her red buick la saber. We nicknamed it the reddog. I had a bunch of odd jobs growing up, but construction is the one that stuck. There is something about the process that drew me in. Every step is important. Every moment matters. I started with a pickup truck and a shovel, digging ditches, pouring concrete, and hammering nails. Over the years, i have built homes, apartments, light commercial, militarultiuse. I volunteered on habitat houses, remodeled the Rape Crisis Center in athens, and even built my own home where we live today. But i will be honest. Im proudest of what we are building right now. Under this gold dome we have framed the house with strong georgia grown lumber cut in a local sawmill and brought to the job site. In year two, its time to set our sights on the sheetrock, the siding, and the bricks. Each side of the structure will protect those inside by providing an environment rigpe for learning, opportunity, and growth. Every window looks to the future. A door that welcomes those in need and those who want help. While republicans and democrats disagree often, we all know the value of a good education. We know the impact that a teacher can have on a student. We know that learning has the power to lift people out of poverty and help many realize their full godgiven potential. As we move forward as a state, we must reaffirm our commitment to georgias schools, trust parents to make decisions in the best interest of their children, support our superintendents, teachers, counselors, and specialists as they work to educate and inspire the next generation. I want to applaud governor deal and first lady sandra deal who are in the gallery today for fully funding Quality Basic Education and for investing in Early Learning for georgias students. Thank you both. [ applause ] i also want to thank this legislature for working together to Champion Education during the 2019 session. Together we fully funded qbe for the second year in a row. We provided over 69 million in School Security grants for all 2,314 schools. We increased funding for Mental Health services in our high schools and we gave teachers a long overdue and historic pay raise. [ applause ] i am so proud of our teachers and School Leaders for what they do on a daily basis. And while we spend a lot of time honoring athletes and elected officials, these are the Public Servants who really deserve the credit. Joining us in the gallery today are two hardworking georgians who deserve the accolades and applause we can muster. Miss samantha fury is georgias superintendent of the year for 2020. [ applause ] we also have miss Tracey Pendley of atlanta Public Schools who was our 2020 georgia teacher of the year. Let us thank her, as well. [ applause ] to truly honor their service we have some work to do in the days ahead. Lets fully Fund Public School education for a third year in a row accounting for growth in resources needed to properly educate. Lets dismantle the remnants of common core, reduce the number of tests, and give teachers the opportunity to do what they do best. Teach. [ applause ] finally, lets give our educators another well deserved pay raise. [ applause ] in my budget i have included a 2,000 pay raise for all Public School educators. This raise will continue to enhance retention rates, boost recruitment numbers, and improve educational outcomes in schools throughout georgia. By investing in education we can build a strong house, a place where everyone learns and all georgians have the opportunity to thrive. [ applause ] as a father of three, i know that a healthy home is a happy one. The same is true in our state, and while we are the hub for job creation and business growth, we also live in a state where many hard working georgians cant access Quality Health care. Premiums are too high and many families have to compromise coverage because of the cost. Empowered by the patients first act, we crafted a georgia Centric Health care solution to Lower Health Care costs, reduce insurance premiums, enhance access to topnotch care, and ultimately improve Health Outcomes for georgia families. For nine months, we developed two unique and Innovative Health care programs that meet the needs of hardworking georgians. Keep our budget balanced and reflect on our values and vision as a state. These proposals georgia access and georgia pathways shake up the status quo and put patients first ahead of the special interests. While these reforms will provide a new pathway for 408,000 georgians to access affordable care, lower insurance premiums for millions more, this is only the beginning. We have friends and neighbors who need our help. So, we must keep chopping. Right now, there are countless families who just received a surprise medical bill in the mail. A specialist who was out of network, a procedure that wasnt approved or covered, nights in the hospital that didnt meet the requirements. We have hardworking georgians who, by no fault of their own, are on the brink of bankruptcy because there is no transparency in health care billing. Families are living on a prayer because the system is rigged against them. This year we will implement long overdue reforms that put our Families First working with patients, providers, and the private sector, well craft legislative remedies to reduce surprise medical billing. We will demand [ applause ] we will demand transparency, embrace empathy, and insist on fairness. We will take care of each other in sickness and in health. Now, i know that reform, especially in health care, is daunting. And while the road ahead is long, there are plenty of men and women who have gone before us. Bold leaders and Public Servants who blazed a trail and set a starred for countless georgians to follow. One of these people is senator Johnny Isakson. [ applause ] a pioneer of the Georgia Republican party, johnny isaac son is a man of character and incredible determination. He served under this gold dome and the georgia General Assembly, chaired the state board of education, and went on to represent georgias sixth Congressional District in the u. S. Capitol. And for 15 years, Johnny Isakson was our u. S. Senator. He is a gentleman, a statesman, and a true patriot. [ applause ] like you, i was incredibly saddened when johnny announced that he had parkinsons disease. And again when he called to announce his retirement from the u. S. Senate. While im confident that Kelly Leffler will do an incredible job representing our state and our best interests, we are truly losing a giant in washington. I have heard it said that words matter, but actions mean more. Thats why today i want to take another step in honoring Johnny Isaksons service. Right now over 20,000 georgians are living with parkinsons disease, with new patients diagnosed every single day. And while treatable, parkinsons disease has no cure. I dont know about you all, but i want to change that. Thanks to the leadership of president jerry morehead, we are creating a Johnny Isakson professorship for Parkinsons Research at the university of georgia. [ applause ] once recruited, this ph. D. Researcher will develop better treatments for patients like johnny, better medication and a better quality of life. Through this partnership we will use technology and innovation to break new ground with the grit and the resolve of Johnny Isakson we will move one step closer to a cure. Our house here in georgia will be a healthy one with a big framed photo of johnny right there on the wall. Our children and our grandchildren will walk past and ask about the statesmans picture. His story is georgias story. His legacy will live on for generations to come. Ladies and gentlemen, please help me again welcome and thank this great man for his Great Service to our state. Senator Johnny Isakson. [ applause ] [ applause ] [ applause ] while georgias experiencing historic growth, we have a statewide threat that undermines our safety and our future. Criminal street gangs continue to grow in size and scope, impacting every county in every part of our state. These organized crime units are flooding our streets with weapons, violence, and fear. They are ripping apart the fabric of our communities. They are eroding the foundations of our families. This year with your help we launched the Antigang Task Force at the Georgia Bureau of investigation. Under the bold leadership of director vick reynolds, we are partnering with local lawmaker and prosecutors to stop and dismantle gangs throughout georgia. We are providing the resources and training needed to put these dangerous criminals behind bars. We are working around the clock to keep our neighborhoods safe. While georgia already has tough gang statutes on the books, there is more that we can do to stop violence from taking over our state. There is more that we can do to prevent another innocent person from being shot, another Law Enforcement officer being killed. And while some in the media refuse to acknowledge the gang crisis, i dont have to convince deborah ryder. A decade ago deborahs son nicholas was sleeping in his room when gunshots rang out and ripped through the walls. A driveby shooting organized by a local gang left nicholas dead at the age of 10. Deborah, we are sorry for your loss, and while we cant bring nicholas back, we Will Champion tough antigang legislation in his honor. Thank you for being with us. [ applause ] this session we will empower Law Enforcement and prosecutors so these people will get the justice that they deserve. We will work around the clock to prevent this tragedy from happening to another family, another nicholas in our state. We will do our part to make this right. Ladies and gentlemen, please help me thank deborah again for our service and her relentless commitment to honoring her sons life. Thank you for being with us today. [ applause ] gangs and drug cartels are fueling another Public Safety crisis. Every day hundreds of people are bought and sold for sex in our state. Traffickers use atlanta as a hub, trading human life like its a commodity. Shortly after taking office, we created the Grace Commission to help coordinate efforts and to end modernday slavery in our state. Under the leadership of our first lady, marty kemp, the Grace Commission has worked to raise awareness. They have partnered with elected officials, Law Enforcement, nonprofit organizations, and those that had been in the trenches for years fighting human trafficking. They had traveled the state to sound the alarm and urge action. During this time, marty has met some incredible inspirational georgians who have devoted their lives to help another, others. Today in the gallery, were honored to have katie, schmika, and nicki. Sadly, these women have something in common. They were trafficked as kids, robbed of their innocence and childhood. Forced to see and experience things that we cannot imagine. But these women are survivors. They are fighters and they are powerful advocates who are working to turn georgia into a safe haven for those who have no voice. Who exist in the shadows, and who need an ally to shine a light into the darkness. Members of the house and senate, we are asking once again for your help to win this fight against human trafficking. We must advance legislation this session that closes loopholes that leave children vulnerable to exploitation. We must help victims tell their story in the courtroom without the fear of retaliation. We must support survivors who want to enter the work force, but still bear the scars of the past. The house we are building will be safe and secure, and we will not stop working until it is. I hope you will join me in applauding the bravery of those that are with us in the gallery today. [ applause ] i also hope youll join me in thanking our first lady marty kemp, our daughters as well as the members of the Grace Commission. If you all will stand, thank you so much for raising awareness. The state and the country are taking notice. [ applause ] we are a blessed people. Americans who proudly live in our nations greatest state. But what makes us great is not just what we produce on the farm or in the factory. We are great because of who we respect and what we value. During the debate on the heartbeat bill, i would always start by saying a simple statement. Georgia is a state that values life. Honestly, its hard to disagree with that. We live in a place where every person matters, young or old, rich or poor, any race from any place. As a prolife governor, i believe we need to protect the unborn and the born. [ applause ] we have to defend those in the womb and then champion those when they leave the delivery room. Its incredibly sad how many children are abandoned in our hospitals. Hundreds every year. Living, breathing babies discarded, forgotten. Innocent and full of potential, now wards of the state. Over the years, the General Assembly and governor deal have made incredible progress in updating our adoption laws in georgia. Its now time to build on those efforts. First, we will triple the adoption tax credit from 2,000 to 6,000 to help offset the incredible costs of adoption. [ applause ] we will lower the adoption age from 25 to 21 so more qualified georgians can adopt and more children can be placed. [ applause ] finally, we will launch the Families First commission so we can begin to change the way our States Foster care system operates and serves the most vulnerable among us. Our goal is simple. Keep our kids safe, to encourage adoption, and ensure that every gunning georgian, no matter where they live, have the opportunity to live in a safe, happy, loving home. [ applause ] in closing, i want to tell you another bible story about a builder. A man from the Old Testament who took on a massive construction project. You see, nehemiah learned his hometown was in ruin. The city gate was destroyed and the people were in turmoil. With the blessing from the king he traveled back and started building. He shook up the status quo. He brought hope to a hopeless place. There were distractions along the way. Those who wanted to slow his progress. Some who wanted nehemiah and his building project to fail. But he had a calling. A clear desire. A goal to build, restore, and revive. When the opposition came calling, he always delivered the same message. There was pressure, but nehemiah responded. I am doing a great work and cant come down. He refused to leave the job site until the project was done. He refused to let division divide his attention from the task at hand. Like nehemiah, we are doing a great work right here in georgia. We have a construction project that demands our attention. We have a people who are counting on us to get the job done. So, lets put the politics aside and build a state where we invest in education. Lets build a state where we Lower Health Care costs and improve access for patients. Lets shake up the status quo and build a state thats safe, where gangs and sex traffickers want to leave and families want to stay. [ applause ] lets live out our values and build a state that gives all georgians the opportunity to live, grow, and prosper. A house where all are free to realize their full godgiven potential. Its 2020, folks. Its a year for building. Pick up a hammer and keep working until the project is complete because, remember, we are doing a great work and we cant stop chopping. Thank you. May god bless you, and god bless this great state that were honored to live in. Thank you. [ applause ] centers for disease and prevention director dr. Robert redfield and other federal officials will testify on the Coronavirus Response before a house subcommittee. Watch that live thursday at 2 00 p. M. Eastern on krcspan3, online at cspan. Org or live with the cspan radio app. Next a panel on human rights and democracy with former state Department OfficialVictoria Nuland and other Foreign Policy analysts. This discussion was part of the annual conference on the state of the world and was hosted by Florida International university and the mccain institute. Its just over an hour. Greetings to those gathered for the state of the world conference at Florida International university. I salute your efforts to address todays Foreign Policy challenges and the role of American Leadership in the world. It is important to remember that what happens abroad and how people