A strong economy makes for a strong Nation

A strong economy makes for a strong Nation Just a little more than one year after President Donald J. Trump's Inauguration, the United States has reaped the benefits of what the President calls the "American Model" economy. "So to every citizen at home tonight," President Trump said during his State of the Union address Tuesday night, "this is your time." That optimism and confidence has spread across the country. More than 250 companies have announced bonuses, pay raises, higher retirement plan contributions, or other investments in their business or workforce. The President shared several of these success stories during his speech Tuesday. Less than 24 hours later, he met with seven more American workers in the Oval Office to discuss how tax reform is benefitting their companies. "Millions of Americans will have more take-home pay starting next month," the President told Americans this week. "A lot more." Read more: The good news keeps rolling in for American workers The President's speech in 88 seconds President Trump had a busy first year—signing major tax reform legislation, reasserting America on the global stage, and appointing Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, for starters. With plenty of accomplishments and a detailed vision for 2018 to share, the President spoke for 1 hour and 20 minutes during Tuesday's State of the Union address. It was the third longest address of the past 50 years. If you missed the President's speech or simply want to relive the highlights, this montage video clocks in at 1 minute and 28 seconds. Watch: President Donald J. Trump delivers the 2018 State of the Union address The game plan to rebuild America One of the key themes from President Trump's State of the Union was the need to address the deteriorating condition of American infrastructure. "As we rebuild our industries, it is also time to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure," the President told Americans. He laid out a number of steps to do so, including: Generate at least $1.5 trillion in infrastructure investment over the next decade Eliminate unnecessary redundancies and inefficiencies in the regulatory and permitting process Empower state and local authorities to prioritize infrastructure projects based on their communities' needs Dedicate a quarter of federal funds to address the infrastructure needs of rural areas "I am asking both parties to come together to give us safe, fast, reliable, and modern infrastructure that our economy needs and our people deserve," President Trump told Congress. Read more: Rebuilding American infrastructure and forging a path toward prosperity Photo of the Day First Lady Melania Trump at the State of the Union | January 30, 2018 (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks) POTUS TODAY Today, President Trump will deliver remarks to the 2018 House and Senate Republican Member Conference in Lewisburg, West Virginia. In the afternoon, the Vice President will participate in a swearing-in ceremony for Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback.