President Obama is set to make numerous proposals — some new, some old — in his State of the Union address Tuesday. Here’s a list of 14 things Obama said he wanted during the 2014 State of the Union address but didn’t get.
1. Corporate tax reform
“Let’s work together to close [tax] loopholes, end those incentives to ship jobs overseas, and lower tax rates for businesses that create jobs here at home.”
Former Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich., introduced a corporate tax reform proposal that was revenue-neutral, closed loopholes and cut the top corporate tax rate to 25 percent. But House Speaker John Boehner scoffed at the plan, and it never received a vote.
2. Infrastructure development
“We can take the money we save with this transition to tax reform to create jobs rebuilding our roads, upgrading our ports, unclogging our commutes.”
Transportation was a hot topic as the Highway Trust Fund neared insolvency in August 2014, but Congress only managed to pass a short-term fix. The Highway Trust Fund now faces depletion in May 2015. Increasing the federal gas tax would be one easy fix, but Congressional leadership seems opposed to the idea.
3. Manufacturing hubs
“My administration has launched two hubs for high-tech manufacturing in Raleigh and Youngstown, where we’ve connected businesses to research universities that can help America lead the world in advanced technologies. Tonight, I’m announcing we’ll launch six more this year.”
Instead of six, only two more manufacturing hubs were launched in 2014, in Detroit and Chicago. Another was announced in Knoxville, Tenn., on Jan. 9.
4. Patent reform
“Let’s pass a patent reform bill that allows our businesses to stay focused on innovation, not costly, needless litigation.”
The Innovation Act passed the House with 325 votes in favor, but that was one month prior to Obama’s 2014 State of the Union address. Patent reform went nowhere in the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2014. There is some speculation it might come up again in 2015.
5. Immigration
“Let’s get immigration reform done this year.”
Immigration reform bills did not make any real progress, but Obama did act unilaterally to make up to 5 million illegal immigrants eligible for temporary legal status.
6. Unemployment insurance
“Congress needs to restore the unemployment insurance you just let expire for 1.6 million people.”
Legislation was introduced in the House and the Senate with bipartisan cosponsors, but the bills never made any progress.
7. Universal pre-K
“Last year, I asked this Congress to help states make high-quality pre-K available to every four year-old. … I repeat that request tonight.”
The Pre-K for USA Act garnered just five cosponsors in the House and never gained any traction.
8. Minimum wage
“To reach millions more, Congress needs to get on board. … Tom Harkin and George Miller have a bill to fix that by lifting the minimum wage to $10.10. … Say yes. Give America a raise.”
Obama gave employees of federal contractors a minimum wage hike to $10.10 an hour, but a nationwide minimum wage increase never made any progress in Congress. Still, 29 states have minimum wages higher than the federal minimum wage, with numerous cities raising their minimum wages too.
9. Earned income tax credit
“Let’s work together to strengthen the credit, reward work, and help more Americans get ahead.”
Obama tried to force an extension of the earned income tax credit into tax extenders legislation, but the legislation was dropped before Congress eventually passed the CRomnibus bill to fund the government.
10. Automatic IRA
“Offer every American access to an automatic IRA on the job, so they can save at work.”
Automatic IRAs never went anywhere, but Obama’s myRA proposal did manage to get off the ground.
11. A change on housing crises
“Send me legislation that protects taxpayers from footing the bill for a housing crisis ever again, and keeps the dream of homeownership alive for future generations of Americans.”
Significant housing legislation never made it through Congress.
12. Cybersecurity
“Here at home, we’ll keep strengthening our defenses, and combat new threats like cyberattacks.”
In an embarrassing incident, the United States Central Command Twitter account was hacked Jan. 12 and started tweeting pro-Islamic State material. Sony Pictures Entertainment, based in California, was hacked by North Korea with personal information released in November. The National Security Agency was unable to warn Sony of the coming hack even though it has infiltrated North Korean networks.
13. A change at Guantanamo Bay
“This needs to be the year Congress lifts the remaining restrictions on detainee transfers and we close the prison at Guantanamo Bay.”
The prison remains open, with prospects dim for closure in the near future.
14. Veterans
“We’ll keep slashing that backlog so our veterans receive the benefits they’ve earned, and our wounded warriors receive the health care — including the mental health care — that they need.”
Scandal erupted at the Veterans Health Administration last spring when it was revealed that veterans had been dying while waiting for treatment. Numbers were fudged to make it seem as if wait times were not as long as they really were. The scandal claimed the careers of Eric Shinseki, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and Robert Petzel, the under secretary for health at the VA.
