Live: President Obama's State of the Union 01/20/2015
President Barack Obama delivers the sixth State of the Union address of his tenure Tuesday night from the Capitol in Washington, beginning at 9 p.m. EST. Follow U.S. News' live blog for what to expect from the speech, plus up-to-the-minute updates, analysis, reaction and more.
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Obama gets big applause for bringing up the Voting Rights Act, which saw a key provision struck down by the Supreme Court in 2013. Meanwhile, challenges to voter ID laws and other voting restrictions are ricocheting up the legal system. -
"I have no more campaigns to run" [Applause from Republicans] "I know, because I won both of them." [Loud cheers from Dems]by PDShinkman via twitter 1/21/2015 3:09:22 AM -
President Obama's speech does not mention open enrollment, which is still running until Feb. 15. The Department of Health and Human Services projects that at least 9.1 million Americans will enroll. So far, 6.8 million Americans have signed up through the federal marketplace or have been auto-enrolled into the same plan they signed up for previously. -
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President Obama on Iran sanctions in last year's State of the Union:
"The sanctions that we put in place helped make this opportunity possible. But let me be clear: if this Congress sends me a new sanctions bill now that threatens to derail these talks, I will veto it. For the sake of our national security, we must give diplomacy a chance to succeed. If Iran’s leaders do not seize this opportunity, then I will be the first to call for more sanctions, and stand ready to exercise all options to make sure Iran does not build a nuclear weapon. But if Iran’s leaders do seize the chance, then Iran could take an important step to rejoin the community of nations, and we will have resolved one of the leading security challenges of our time without the risks of war." -
"We still may not agree on a woman’s right to choose," Obama says.
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Abortion foes hope that legislation to limit the procedure will have broader implications as GOP lawmakers fast-track legislation to ban abortions after 20 weeks. -
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"I’ve seen the hopeful faces of young graduates from New York to California; and our newest officers at West Point, Annapolis, Colorado Springs, and New London." That last one is the U.S. Coast Guard Academy at New London, Connecticut -
"I’ve seen something like gay marriage go from a wedge issue... to a story of freedom across our country" (Well, only half the crowd stood)by Gabrielle Levy via twitter 1/21/2015 3:02:16 AM -
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Republicans are sitting on their hands a lot tonight while Democrats cheer.
The call to close Guantanamo Bay prison for terrorists gets no applause on the GOP side. -
President Obama mentions "precision medicine" in his speech, promising today to launch a new initiative toward curing diseases like cancer and diabetes. Known more commonly as "personalized medicine," the approach requires targeting treatments to a particular patient's specific needs. One of our stories took a look at a way this is being done at NorthShore University Health System.
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Obama brings up the treatment of LGBT people, which stands to become a major part of his legacy, especially if the Supreme Court rules in favor of same-sex marriage this year.
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A landmark ruling could come from the court by this summer in favor of same-sex marriage this spring. -
We've written about the gruesome numbers from the CIA Torture Report. Obama just said he has banned torture.
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In last year's State of the Union address, President Obama dedicated three paragraphs to Iran. This year, ongoing nuclear negotiations made just one graph.
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FACT CHECK: "I’ve prohibited torture, and worked to make sure our use of new technology like drones is properly constrained."
The use of and reliance on drones by the U.S. military is at an all-time high. -
President Obama brings up his administration's prohibition of torture not long after the release of the CIA torture report detailing alleged human rights abuses of the agency under his predecessor. Most congressional Republicans opposed its release, some citing national security concerns.
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Republicans in the chamber don't look too excited about Obama's call for action on climate change.
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"The Pentagon says that climate change poses immediate risks to our national security. We should act like it."
Here's the Pentagon's plan. -
"Well, I'm not a scientist either. But I know a lot of really good scientists." #climatechange #sotu @usnewsby Gabrielle Levy via twitter 1/21/2015 2:54:55 AM
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Cybersecurity gets bipartisan applause when Obama denounces hackers and the risks to US networks. His call for a data sharing bill may face the same challenges that divided the parties on the issue in recent years.
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"In the Asia Pacific, we are modernizing alliances while making sure that other nations play by the rules – in how they trade, how they resolve maritime disputes, and how they participate in meeting common international challenges like nonproliferation and disaster relief. "
Check out these details on some of the particularly dangerous regional disputes. -
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Obama takes on Ebola in his speech. Aid workers hope to see more from global public health efforts.
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The number of new Ebola cases has decreased, showing the world is gaining control of the epidemic.
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(Rob Carr/Getty Images)Alan Gross, center, speaks with NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, right, before the start of the State of the Union address Tuesday. Also pictured is Gross' wife, Judy, at left. More photos.
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Obama reminds Congress he'll veto any further sanctions against Iran.
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There's that veto threat again.
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"New sanctions against Iran would guarantee diplomacy fails..." Many in Congress want new sanctions. A veto threat gets halfhearted ovation.by Gabrielle Levy via twitter 1/21/2015 2:51:01 AM
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Alan Gross rises from his seat in Michelle Obama's box, acknowledged by the president. Gross was imprisoned in Cuba for five years and was released on humanitarian grounds as the U.S. opens relations with the island following more than 50 years of animosity between the two governments.
