Good evening cbc. Good evening, everybody. To our cbc chair, Steven Horseford our cbcs chair terry, i want to thank you both for your years of service to the cbc and to our nation. I also thank our leader Hakim Jeffreys for your outstanding leadership at this time. And of course, always assistant leader jim clyburn and then, of course, theres the secretary of the housing and urban development and the former cbc chair of the incredible marsha fudge. I also extend congratulations to all of our phoenix Award Winners including ll cool j and mc light representing 50 years of hiphop. And to all of the members of this cbc here tonight, we have worked together on so many issues over the years. From combating Maternal Mortality to eliminating to expanding access to capital. So as a proud, former cbc member, i thank you for your partnership and for your leadership. The cbc has always been a conscience of our country. A truth teller, truth about where we have been, and where we must go. Tonight, let us continue to speak truth. Across america, there is a full on attack on many of the hard fought hard one freedoms that the cbc has achieved. Freedom to vote to teach americas full history to address inequity and diversity to love who you love and access education, health care, and economic opportunity. And the freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body. Let us be clear, just consider the highest court in our land, the court, just took a constitutional right that had been recognized from the people of america, from the women of america. And as a result a state after state across our country extremist socalled leaders passed laws to criminalize doctors and punish women. Many with no exception even for rape or incest and let us be clear, one does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held belief to agree the government should not be telling her what to do with her body. [applause] and so before the midterm to take it to the streets, to energize, to organize and mobilize, and let us remember all of those pundits who predicted red way well that didnt happen. Instead, up and down the ballot, the American People elected leaders who stand for freedom and liberty including several new members of this very caucus. Together, the cbc is helping to lead fight for reproductive freedom. Just as you continue to lead the fight, for civil rights and i do believe the right to be safe is also a civil right. Today, however, gun violence is the number one cause of death for children in america. But instead of protecting our children, extremist obstruct we all know the story of the jetsons. Silence microphones expulsion from the chamber outrageous that the next morning i got on air force 2 and flew down to nashville [applause] where i saw thousands of Young Leaders with the courage, determination, and moral clarity to demand action. Demanding as we all do red flag laws, universal background checks, and a renewal of the assault weapons ban. And cbc please let us just take moment to call out the hypocrisy that while we try to ban assault weapons, they tried to ban books. We want to keep guns out of schools. They want to keep books out of schools and it does not stop there. In florida, they intend to tell our children that enslaved people benefited from slavery. And then proposed a debate on this point, well i said when i went down to florida, there is no round table, no lecture and no invitation we will accept to debate and undeniable fact, there were no redealing qualities to slavery. [applause] on the importance of defending our hard fought freedoms and with great joy, i can report back these Young Leaders are in the fight because they know it does not have to be this way. They know when Congress Passes a bill to put back in place the protections of roe v. Wade that our president , joe biden, will sign it when congress renews the assault weapons ban, President Joe Biden will sign it. And when you pass the john lewis voting right advancement act and freedom to vote act, joe biden will sign them. So i conclude with this, i believe, i believe that it is a sign of the strength of a leader to have some level of curiosity, concern and care for the struggles of the people. That a real leader has empathy. Well, our president , joe biden, is such a leader. He has the courage and compassion, the skill and purpose that meet this very moment in our country and hes ready to fight so please join me in welcoming the president of the United States, joe biden. Hello, hello, hello. It is good to be home. [cheering] hello cbc. Let cook, i came for one really important reason. To say thank you. Thank you for all you have done for the country, but selfishly thank you for what you have done for me. I started off in the Civil Rights Movement and delaware when i was in high school. We won by a staggering 31 or through 3200 votes when iran the first time. I won virtually 90 the Africanamerican Community by oh, you, iou, i owe you, thank you. Thank you for that introduction for your partnership it always fighting for freedom. She is doing an incredible job she really is. I told you have a smart Vice President and africanamerican woman and we got one and i am honored to be a velvet tonight. Steven cbc chair, thank you very much for your foundations cochair. And senator warnock congressman if cbc members serve across my administration. Joined by several other cabinet members. Hakeem jeffries a leader to encourage. He does whatever she says shes going to do it. My press secretary no wonder i am doing okay. Dustin jones new voice that gives us hope for justice. Ground breaking legacy of hiphop in america lol j cool j. By the way, that boys got biceps bigger than my thigh. And both of you, thank you. Because they both you dont you all hearing with the new addition. Forty years producing music that lifts our souls. For eight years he still considered new. I can understand that. [laughter] february 1971 year before he got to the United States senate 200 years ago, 13 black norms the congress decided to create a Better Future leverage their collective strengths to form the Congressional Black Caucus. The conscience of Congress Calling on us to follow our nations northstar. A light for the dreams and the pain for centuries of enslaved people in america. The idea whats the most simple and powerful idea and the history of the world, that we are all created equal and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives. We have never lived up to oppose never walked away from it either. Look, because members of cbc i think about whats broadest together in the past for two and half years and think of incredible resilience and spirit of the American People especially black americans. In 2020 the middle of a deadly pandemic for justice and equality butte showed up historic numbers. Your voices were clear your votes were decisive you elected me and, and more members of the cbc. Fundamentally transform this nation and deliver the promise of americans to all americans. We need to get the word out on promises made and promises kept. We must get the word out. But so much information thats outright lies an immediate 12 on negatives peopled on the progress we have made but theyre going to we are in the process. Folks have the audacity to say i cut hbc of finding a people fune believe that. Let me be clear we have invested more than 7 billion started more than any time in american history. The promise made in a promise kept. Lets be clear kamala and i came into office how it works to change the way it literally functions notes a lot of mainstream economists owing to talk about bidenomics grow the account from the middle out of the bottom up not the top down. Youre going to do that the middle class do well. And the wealthy still do very well except theyve got to start paying their taxes. [applause] we all do well. Record 13. 5 million new jobs since we came to office two years ago. More jobs than president s and pe a single fouryear term. Small businesses are started about a faster rate than any time in the last 25 years. Without a single republican vote we took on big pharma ive been fighting for 30 years. A cap that we won by the way, we won. Cap the cost of insulin for seniors at 35 bucks instead of 400. We kept out of pocket expenses of drugs for seniors at 2000 a year for all medication all expensive drugs including the cancer drugs that are 12, 14000 they never have to pay more than 2000 a year no matter what your bills are. And we did it without a single republican vote. By the way but got to do it for everybody not just seniors. Look, with pack the most significant climate lot everywhere anywhere. Environmental justice and jobs of the frontline with black community suffered legacy of pollution like louisiana and route nine and delaware. Thanks to my Justice Initiative to disadvantage in underserved communities like electrifying school buses so kids dont have tab polluted air with diesel buses. All of this matters pretty made a promise in my campaign for the first black woman on the United States supreme court. [cheering] and i meant to, we did it with the support of the cbc Ketanji Brown jackson is on the bed shes the brightest of anyone on the bench. I want to publicly thank cory booker and dick durbin on the committee for getting it done. Look, with their help ive appointed more black women appellate judges and any other president in the history of United States combined. More than everyone. With the largest increase in pell grants it over a decade helping students and families who nearly make less than 60000 bucks a year to afford college. It matters more than 70 of black undergraduates, borrowers are pell grant recipients it matters. Our new student Debt Repayment plan is when help millions of borrowers including a significant number black students. When a black College Graduates out after 25000 dollars more in student debt than white graduates. Our plan is that black students and families cut their total lifetime payments per dollar and half, and half a. Were going to get it done and keeping my promise no one should be in jail merely for the use of possession of marijuana, god almighty. Those who are in jail are going to be released and their records are going to be expunged. Folks, thanks to advocacy especially on past the most significant gun safety law and nearly 30 years. Well continue to fight to reinstall a band which i was united state senator i got past you can only keep it for 10 years but were going to get it back again. It matters, it matters, it matters. By the way, look at the numbers that. But i was there for 10 years of massive shooting drop precipitously across the nation. It works pretty sent the cbc to reduce disparity and jobs, healthcare and education. Working hand in hand to close the racial wealth gap saint committed to black americans at prosperitys. Im permanent authorization of the Minority Business Development agency for the first time in history helping even more black owned businesses grow. Last month Vice President harris announced the recipient 100 million in federal funding to help underperceive start Small Businesses and Industries Like healthcare infrastructure. Hundreds of billions of dollars in federal contracts from refurbishing aircraft carriers to installing i hand rail on federal buildings. I made a commitment that i would increase the number of those contracts going to africanamerican Small Businesses bite double, 10 that will grant 15 that will grant 25 50 rate that will mean additional 100 billion going to black Small Businesses. 100 billion. To help close the racial wealth gap secretary suits spending adverse to their homeownership. That means addressing the facts black families homes often appraised at half the value. 20 less value. Same homes built across the highway in different neighborhoods. The same home the black home value at 20 less built by the same builder of the same outfit. Look folks, we are aggressively combating Racial Discrimination in housing including work to restore the rule that says of ifthe Community Gets federal housing aid, its not enough just to say it wont discriminate. It has to be meaningful to take steps to overcome segregations and give everybody, everybody a fair shot that lives there. Also work with leaders in incentive programs for negative impacts of redline. Right launching a 1 billiondollar private project. A Pilot Project funded by the infrastructure law. To help connect communities at highways that roll through. Any of the cities in wilmington, delaware. Because it goes underground for a long ways. The black community, they are separated. No way to get together. Locked out predominantly black communities. These things matter. They matter in terms of growth. The American Rescue plan past without i might add single republican votes. By half. We tried to renew it with your help will fight to make it permanent and expand the childcare tax credit. It is not just help children and their families it helps everyone. Everything gets better the economy grows, everyone grows. Its good for everybody just a little breathing room as my dad would say. Look, while we are at it were building new roads and bridges to highspeed internet, affordable internet for every american. Placing every lead pipe in america and as many as 10 millions homes, 40000 schools and childcare centers. So everyone can turn on a faucet and be sure to drink clean water and not have damage in the brain. Folks, presumptuous to say but it is true our Economic Vision is working. Creating job, building wealth, providing a sense of dignity but my dad used to have an expression whos a joey and i swear to god this is what he said. Job is about a lot more than a paycheck. Its about dignity. Its about competence as being able to look your kid in the eye and say honey, it is going to be okay. Our administration a promise made is a promise kept. Because of you we are putting in work and we are getting results. But we have got to get the word out. We have to get it out. Just think about it for though those in congress sowing so Much Division theyre willing to shut down the government. You know it better than anybody. Just a few months ago after long negotiations between myself and the new speaker we agreed spending levels of government will fund domestic and National Security projects. While still cutting the deficit by 1 trillion over the next decade. Now a small group of extreme republicans do not want to live up to the deal. So now everyone in america could be forced to pay the price. Lets be clear if the government shuts down that means members of the u. S. Military are going to have to work and not get paid Government Shutdown could impact everything from food safety to cancer research, to head start t program for children. Funding the government with the basic responsibilities of congress. Its time for republicans to start doing the job america elected them to do. Lets get this done. Folks, you know as Vice President the end of the fama Biden Administration had no intention of running for office again. I had just lost my son vote, and major decorated anyway at myn vote. Who i wish some of you had gotten to know. I was going to write a book i was not going to run again. I set up a Foreign Policy through the university of pennsylvania i became a professor in domestic policy through this university of delaware for that is what i did. And then along came Charlottesville August of 2017. Something i never, never thought i would see in america. Im sure you remember what happened along with me. We saw people marching out of fields with lighted torches. Literally caring swastikas. There veins bulging and chanting antisemitic bio, racist bile we heard in the 30s neonazis, the ku klux klan, white supremacists, on the process of this ugly demonstration young woman was murdered. And the president at the time was asked what happened . He said quote we were very fine people on both peoples. Very fine people on both sides. I heard that i knew i could no longer sit on the sideline because the president of the United States had just drawn a moral equivalency he knows who stood for hates and those who stood against it. Folks, 2020 hate was still on march in america. The sitting president was breathing oxygen into that hates it. Everything we stood for, everything we believed in every thing that made america america, even our democracy was at risk. So i chose to run because silence is complicity and i would not be silent. I think the people here tonight some thought at the time when it made that speech in Independence Hall but i was being hyperbolic. Joe, what do you mean our democracy is at risk . What give me we are in the battle for the soul of america . People dont say that anymore because they have seen us. They dont doubt its, democracy is at stake was at stake in 2020. But thank god, because of all of you we one. I might add we won convincingly and clearly with the margin of 7 million votes. Any way to million votes past the most history. That victory withstood not one but 60 legal Court Challenges and insurrection on january 6. So i am running again and you may have noticed a lot of people focus o