オバマ米大統領が24日、米議会上下両院合同本会議で初の施政方針演説を行いました。
米国の抱える深刻な経済危機に対し、長期的に経済を成長させるエネルギー、医療、教育への投資の必要性を指摘。また、国防予算など政府歳出の抜本的改革を進め、向こう10年間で少なくとも２兆ドルの歳出節減の余地があると言明。地球温暖化対策、イラク・アフガニスタン政策など幅広い分野の課題にも言及。
「クリーンで再生可能なエネルギーを制した国が２１世紀をリードする」とし、太陽光発電技術開発でドイツや日本に奪われた主導権を必ず取り戻す、プラッグインハイブリッド車のバッテリーも（今は韓国製のものを使っているが）いずれ米国製のものにする、こうした分野の技術開発(イノヴェーション）のために毎年１５０億ドルを投資すると述べています。
◆オバマ大統領の議会演説
Remarks of President Barack Obama ? As Prepared for Delivery
Address to Joint Session of Congress
The White House, February 24, 2009
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-of-President-Barack-Obama-Address-to-Joint-Session-of-Congress/
◆オバマ大統領の議会演説抜粋と招待客リスト
Preliminary Excerpt of the President's Address to Congress and the List of
Americans Seated with the First Lady
Office of the Press Secretary, The White House, February 24, 2009
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Preliminary-Excerpt-of-the-Presidents-Address-to-Congress-and-the-List-of-Americans-Seated-with-the-First-Lady/
◆演説中のエネルギーに関する部分(抜粋）
It begins with energy.
We know the country that harnesses the power of clean, renewable energy will
lead the 21st century. And yet, it is China that has launched the largest
effort in history to make their economy energy efficient. We invented solar
technology, but we’ve fallen behind countries like Germany and Japan in
producing it. New plug-in hybrids roll off our assembly lines, but they
will run on batteries made in Korea.
Well I do not accept a future where the jobs and industries of tomorrow take
root beyond our borders ? and I know you don’t either. It is time for
America to lead again.
Thanks to our recovery plan, we will double this nation’s supply of
renewable energy in the next three years. We have also made the largest
investment in basic research funding in American history ? an investment
that will spur not only new discoveries in energy, but breakthroughs in
medicine, science, and technology.
We will soon lay down thousands of miles of power lines that can carry new
energy to cities and towns across this country. And we will put Americans
to work making our homes and buildings more efficient so that we can save
billions of dollars on our energy bills.
But to truly transform our economy, protect our security, and save our
planet from the ravages of climate change, we need to ultimately make clean,
renewable energy the profitable kind of energy. So I ask this Congress to
send me legislation that places a market-based cap on carbon pollution and
drives the production of more renewable energy in America. And to support
that innovation, we will invest fifteen billion dollars a year to develop
technologies like wind power and solar power; advanced biofuels, clean coal,
and more fuel-efficient cars and trucks built right here in America.
As for our auto industry, everyone recognizes that years of bad
decision-making and a global recession have pushed our automakers to the
brink. We should not, and will not, protect them from their own bad
practices. But we are committed to the goal of a re-tooled, re-imagined
auto industry that can compete and win. Millions of jobs depend on it.
Scores of communities depend on it. And I believe the nation that invented
the automobile cannot walk away from it.
None of this will come without cost, nor will it be easy. But this is
America. We don’t do what’s easy. We do what is necessary to move this
country forward.