Remarks by President Biden and Vice President Harris at a Campaign Event | Pittsburgh, PA

Remarks by President Biden and Vice President Harris at a Campaign Event | Pittsburgh, PA | The White HouseSkip to contentThe White HouseThe White House The White House Home AdministrationPrioritiesThe RecordBriefing RoomEspañol InstagramOpens in a new windowFacebookOpens in a new windowXOpens in a new windowYouTubeOpens in a new window Contact UsPrivacy PolicyCopyright PolicyAccessibility Statement MenuCloseTo search this site, enter a search termSearchMobile Menu OverlayAdministrationShow submenu for “Administration””President Joe BidenVice President Kamala HarrisFirst Lady Dr. Jill BidenSecond Gentleman Douglas EmhoffThe CabinetExecutive OfficesShow submenu for “Executive Offices””Council of Economic AdvisersCouncil on Environmental QualityDomestic Policy CouncilGender Policy CouncilNational Economic CouncilNational Security CouncilNational Space CouncilOffice of Intergovernmental AffairsOffice of Management and BudgetOffice of the National Cyber DirectorOffice of National Drug Control PolicyOffice of Public EngagementOffice of Science and Technology PolicyOffice of the United States Trade RepresentativeClimate Policy OfficePresidential Personnel OfficePrioritiesBriefing RoomThe White HouseShow submenu for “The White House””PresidentsFirst FamiliesThe GroundsOur GovernmentGet InvolvedShow submenu for “Get Involved””Write or Call The White HouseJoin UsWhite House FellowsWhite House Internship ProgramThe RecordDisclosuresEspañol Contact UsPrivacy PolicyCopyright PolicyAccessibility Statement InstagramOpens in a new windowFacebookOpens in a new windowXOpens in a new windowYouTubeOpens in a new window The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500 To search this site, enter a search termSearchSeptember 02, 2024 Remarks by President Biden and Vice President Harris at a Campaign Event | Pittsburgh, PA Home Briefing Room Speeches and Remarks IBEW Local 5Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania5:26 P.M. EDT    THE PRESIDENT:  Hello!  (Applause.)  Hello, hello, hello!  (Applause.)  Hello, Pittsburgh!  (Applause.)AUDIENCE:  Thank you, Joe!  Thank you, Joe!  Thank you, Joe!THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.AUDIENCE:  Thank you, Joe!  Thank you, Joe!  Thank you, Joe!THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, thank you, thank you.AUDIENCE:  Thank you, Joe!  Thank you, Joe!  Thank you, Joe!THE PRESIDENT:  Folks, I’ve celebrated many Labor Days in Pittsburgh.  (Applause.)  And it’s always good to be back with so many great friends, many of whom flew with me on Air Force One today — represent the unions that have been with me since the beginning of my career — they’re not that old, but they — they’re — (laughter) — since I was a 29-year-old kid. I want to thank Liz Shuler of the AFL-CIO — (applause) — and Kenny of the IBEW — (applause) — for that strong endorsement.By the way, we have an expression in Delaware.  The IBEW, when I ran for president, they’re the ones that “brung me to the dance” starting off.  Not a joke.  (Applause.)And Dave McCall and the Steelworkers.  (Applause.)  Dave, in 1972 — Steelworkers were the first union to endorse a 29-year-old kid named Joe Biden who wasn’t old enough to be senator when he got elected.  It mattered.  (Applause.)A guy named Hughie Carcella was the district president, because we used to have one of the largest labor forces in Claymont, Delaware, and north — over 4,000 workers.  And it was — anyway, it all went lo- — it went south.But Hughie — Hughie went to the national president, I. — I.W. Abel, and he said he wanted me — he wanted me to get ele- — endorsed.  Everybody thought it was crazy.  I literally wasn’t old enough to be sworn in the day I got elected.  (Laughter.)But guess what?  President Abel stuck with me.  (Applause.)  And they got stuck with me for the rest of their — my career.  (Laughter.)Eric Dean and the Iron Workers.  (Applause.)  Tim Driscoll of Bricklayers.  (Applause.)  April Verrett and SEIU.  (Applause.) Lee Saunders of AFSCME and a great friend.  Where are you, Lee?  (Applause.)And Jimmy Williams and the Painters and Allied Trades.  And his dad.  His dad is a really good man.  (Applause.)And Mike Coleman and the Sheet Metal Workers.  (Applause.)We’ve also got some of the best elected officials in America.  Governor Josh Shapiro is doing an incredible job.  (Applause.)  And the great Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis.  (Applause.)  And one of America’s best — where is Ed Gainey?  Ed, you’re doing a hell of a job.  (Applause.)And Sara Innamorato.  County executive, I think, is the hardest job in American politics.  Everybody knows where you live, and they think you can solve all the problems.  You don’t have enough money.But I tell you one thing, I’m the first president ever — I used to be a county official when I was 26 years old, and it always bothered me that the county — the sta- — the federal government would send money to the state to be distributed to the county.  What the hell is the state going to send to the county for?  All the state reps need the money.  (Laughter.)But guess what?  Under my administration, it goes straight to the county.  (Applause.) And one of my best friends — my name is Joe Biden; I’m from Scranton, Pennsylvania.  (Applause.)  Bobby Casey has been a great friend.  His dad was a great friend as well.  And, by the way, we grew up three blocks from one another.  Three blocks.  And they still worry about us not showing up.  (Laughter.)And guess what?  I was on North Washington Avenue; he was on Adams.  Guess what?  They’ve renamed North Washington Avenue down where I lived “Biden Way.”  (Inaudible.)  (Applause.)  And, Bobby — Bob, we’ll make sure we get — you get reelected again.And while he couldn’t be here, I want to thank his partner in the Senate, John Fetterman.  (Applause.)  If you’re in a foxhole, you want Fetterman in there with you.  (Applause.)  He couldn’t be here today, but guess what?  He sent the best part of the family, Gisele.  She’s here.  (Applause.)Let me just say it means so much to be with a true friend — a true friend: the vice president and the next great president of the United States of America, Kamala Harris.  (Applause.)Look, folks, I come from two neighborhoods where it’s not hard to say the word “union.”  But you know what?  The fact of the matter is an awful lot of politicians have trouble saying “union.”  (Inaudible) working people.Guess what?  I’m not one of them.  Neither is Kamala.  We know the simple truth.  Wall Street did not build America; the middle class built America, and unions built the middle class.  That’s a fact.  (Applause.)  And, by the way, that is a not a slogan.  That’s a fact.  I asked the Treasury Department to do a study, and it shows that when unions do well, all workers in America do better.  That’s a fact.  That’s a fact.  (Applause.)It’s the biggest reason why our economy is the strongest economy in the world today without question — because of unions.  (Applause.)You know, my dad, like many of his generation, going into World War II, wasn’t able to go to — to college.  My dad was a really well-read guy, and he was always engaged.  And he’d come home from work before he’d go back and close up his shop and — for dinner.And the dinner was a place where we had discussions and, incidentally, ate.  You know, my dad taught me — my dad would say this all the time: “Remember, Joey, a job is” — and I give you my word to this — “a job is about a lot more than a paycheck.  It’s about your dignity.  It’s about community.  It’s about your place in the community.  And it’s about being able to look your kid in the eye and say, ‘Honey, it’s going to be okay,’ and mean it.” Well, that’s why — (applause) — that’s why Kamala and I are so proud — so proud of the greatest job creation record of any president in a single term in American history.  (Applause.)Sixteen million new jobs so far.  (Applause.)  Eight hundred thousand manufacturing jobs.  (Applause.)Eight years ago, how many times you hear about we can no longer be the manufacturing capital of the world?  Where the hell is that written?  We are the greatest manufacturing city — or county in the world — state in the world — (inaudible) the world.  (Applause.)  And we’re going to remain that way.And I’ll tell you something.  Kamala and I are damn proud that we protected the pensions of over 1 million workers and retirees.  (Applause.)Remember all those years of promising we were going to do something about it?  Well, damn it, we finally did it with the Butch Lewis Act.  (Applause.)  Over 52,000 workers and retirees across Pennsylvania alone are benefitting from that.Not only did we restore the full amount, we got them their back pay as well.  (Applause.)  We made them whole again.And as I once said to Barack, “That’s a big deal.”  (Laughter.)  Yeah.  Long story.  (Laughter.)You just heard Liz and Kenny describe another big deal.  Union workers are rebuilding American infrastructure and building new factories here in America. They told me we couldn’t get anything done in infrastructure.  A trillion two hundred billion dollars we got done.  (Applause.)Remember Trump, for four years, promised every month “Infrastructure Week.”  For four years, he promised that.  He didn’t build a damn thing.  Nothing.  (Applause.)  I mean it.  Not — nothing.  (Applause.)Well, thanks to our infrastructure law, Pennsylvania, so far, has received $17 billion — $17 billion.  (Applause.)  Over 2,000 projects, from clean water to affordable high-speed Internet for every Pennsylvanian to projects that include $858 million to expand the Montgomery Lock better — to accommodate bigger barges to get millions of tons of goods and shel- — on shelves faster and more reliable and create thousands of union jobs.  (Applause.)I was working on the Great Lakes, and I got a call from Bobby — from Senator Casey.  He’s been — no bigger champion than Casey for this.  You know what I call them?  I call them the “Casey Locks.”  (Laughter and applause.)  Not Goldilocks.  The Casey Locks.Bobby is also a champion of Pennsylvania’s energy communities.  We passed what’s called the Casey Credit, available to 45 Pennsylvania counties where energy jobs such as coal — where coal mining and — had been before it disappeared, before we came to office. The Casey Credit provides major incentives for companies to build new battery factories, wind turbines, and more to create high-paying jobs in those coal and natural gas communities.  (Applause.)And on top of that, there’s over $4 billion that private companies have committed to invest in clean energy and advanced manufacturing here in Pennsylvania — $4 billion.  (Applause.)And guess what?  With your support, I signed an executive order to make sure large federal construction projects all use project labor agreements.  (Applause.)For folks at home who may be watching this on television know what project labor agreement is, it’s when contractors, subcontractors, and unions put in place before construction begins what the rules are — before it begins.These agreements make sure construction is top-notch, on time, on task, and, by the way, on budget.  (Applause.)There’s another big deal.  “Buy American” — that’s been the law since 1930.  I’ve got to admit, I’ve been around — I’m only 40, but I’ve been around a long time.  (Laughter.)  But I, quite frankly, until 10 years ago, wasn’t aware — you know, back in the ‘30s, when they were trying to make sure unions could organize and businesses couldn’t interfere, they put — a law was passed that said every penny the president gets from the Senate, the House, and Congress to spend on a project, he should hire an American worker and use an American product.But past administrations — (applause) — seriously.  Past administrations, including my pres- — predecessor, failed to buy American.  They shipped jobs overseas where labor was cheaper and brought home the product that was more expensive.But not anymore.  Federal projects build American roads, bridges, highways, and they’ll be made with American products by American workers.  That’s why — (applause) — that’s why we’re creating all these — I’m serious.  It’s simple and basic.  That’s why we’re creating so many good-paying jobs.In fact, we’re requiring those kinds of projects to pay Davis-Bacon prevailing wages so they’re jobs you can raise a family on.  (Applause.) Many of those jobs don’t require a college degree.  In fact, we expanded registered apprenticeships.  Remember all the hell I got for doing that — we got for doing that?  Well, guess what?  It resulted in hiring over 1 million apprentices since we came to office.  (Applause.)And lots of folks don’t realize getting an apprenticeship is like getting a college degree.  Why?  You have to train for four or five years to get that.  And some of the best workers in the world are why the — why we are where we are. You know — (applause) — when you’re in Pittsburgh, you’re standing with steelworkers.  Let’s be clear.  I believe in American steel companies — American-owned-and-operated steel companies.  (Applause.)  A simple reason — it’s not hyperbole — American steelworkers are the best steelworkers in the world.And I made it clear last time I was in Pittsburgh: United States Steel, an iconic American company for more than a century, is going to remain an American company.  (Applause.)I remember as a young senator why the N- — National Labor Relations Board was sometimes so anti-labor.  It was set up to help labor, to be pro-labor. Well, guess what?  That’s why one of the most significant things we’ve done, Kamala and I, is appointing a National Labor Reser- — Board — Relations Board that actually believes in unions and believes in recognizing the right to organize.  (Applause.)  It’s a big deal.  It’s a big deal.Remember — we have short memories.  I’m all for forgiveness.  I’m not for this: Trump appointed union busters on that board. AUDIENCE:  Booo —THE PRESIDENT:  No, that’s a fact.  But it’s real.  It affects people’s lives. Are we going to let that son of a gun do that again?AUDIENCE:  No!THE PRESIDENT:  Folks, we’ve made a lot of progress, and Kamala and I are going to build on that progress, and she’s going to build on it.  I’ll be on the sidelines, but I’ll do everything I can to help.  (Applause.)But, look, I’m not joking when I say — this is not a joke.  When I said this when I was running in 2020, a lot of people didn’t believe me.  You did, but a lot didn’t believe me.  It’s all at risk because of Donald Trump, literally.  With a stroke of the pen, he can get rid of a lot of this.And do you think this guy gives a damn about your pensions?AUDIENCE:  No!THE PRESIDENT:  No, I’m serious.  Do you think he lo- — loses even an instant of sleep over it?AUDIENCE:  No!THE PRESIDENT:  Do you think he cares about all the work you do every day and how hard it is?AUDIENCE:  No!THE PRESIDENT:  Do you think he cares about good-paying jobs for hardworking people who built this economy?AUDIENCE:  No!THE PRESIDENT:  Hell — (laughter) — he regards picket lines — he’d rather cross one than walk one.  (Applause.) But I have no problem walking a picket line.  (Applause.)  Never have.  Neither — nor does Kamala.  (Applause.)  We’ll always walk aside — alongside you.Union workers built this country.  And, again, that’s not hyperbole.  That’s a fact.  These are — these are facts.  These are not campaign slogans.Let me close with this.  Five years ago, I began my campaign for president right here in Pittsburgh.  I said one of the reasons I was running was to rebuild the backbone and spine of America — the middle class and working-class folks.  Not a joke.  Think about it.  Think about it. Well, five years later, we’ve done just that.  (Applause.)I’m back in Pittsburgh on Labor Day again with a simple message as we look at this election.  I spelt [spent] my — my whole career believing in unions.  I’m not joking when I say that.  I’m honored to be considered the most pro-union president ever.  (Applause.) By the way, remember all the talk?  “Biden got elected, and he’s going to do a planned economy.  We’re going to collapse, and there’s going to be all this caving in.  Interest rates are going to go through the ceiling.”  Come on, man.  (Laughter.)I’m here to tell you it’s about increasing the strength of your unions, which it’s all about.  If you care about hardworking people, just give them a fair shot.  Everyone in America deserves a fair shot.  No guar- — a fair shot.  (Applause.)If you care about the dignity of work — if you care about the dignity of work — and I mean it; it matters — the dignity of work, the way you’re treated, the decency. I remember when my great-grandfather was one of the — only the second Catholic elected statewide to the state senate here in — in Pennsylvania.  And I remember they talked about when he — when they were running against him in 1906, they said, “Guess what?”  They said, “He’s a Molly Maguire.” You know what a Molly Maguire was?  Well, those of you who don’t, a Molly Maguire, back in the — in the old days, when we Irish and the Catholics came and then the Poles and others that were Catholic — when they came to the United States of America in the beginning, the 1840s and — late 1840s, they made their way down into Pennsylvania, a lot of them.  And there — there’s a tier in this — in the coal mines.  Those guys who got there last ended up being the last people in the coal mines.But a lot of the English owned the coal mines.  And what they did was they’d really beat the hell out of the — the mostly Catholic population who was in the mines.  Not — not a joke.  Not a joke.But there was a group.  They’re called the Molly Maguires.  And the Molly Maguires, if they’d find out the foreman who was taking advantage of an individual — and they’d literally kill him.  Not a joke.  And they’d bring his body up and put him on the doorstep of his family.  Kind of crude.But I’ve got to admit, they accused my great-grandfather of being Molly — he wasn’t.  But we were so damn disappointed.  But, you know — (laughter) — I — that’s a joke.  That’s a joke.  (Applause.)Look, it’s about the dignity of work.  It’s about how you’re treated. And when I met with the IBEW when I started off this last campaign first, I said, “There’s two things that — asking of me.”  You’re — and I said, “Two things I’m asking of you.  One, you got to open up your unions to more women.”  (Applause.)  Not joke.  “And, two, to more minorities.” You’ve done both that.  (Applause.)  And guess what?  Instead of having the support of 30 percent of the American people, it’s now over 65 percent of the American people support the American union movement.  (Applause.) Look, it really is all about the dignity of work.  And there’s only — if you care about the dignity of work, there’s only one person you have a rational choice with this time, and that’s Kamala Harris.  Not a — (applause).AUDIENCE:  Kamala!  Kamala!  Kamala!THE PRESIDENT:  Let me tell you about this woman.AUDIENCE:  Kamala!  Kamala!  Kamala!THE PRESIDENT:  I know her.  I trust her.  Not a joke.  I trust her. Number two, the first decision I made the nomina- — as nominee in 2020 was selecting her as my vice president.  (Applause.)  And, by the way, it was the single best decision I made as president of the United States of America.  (Applause.)And I was — I was watching something sent to me: When they asked Barack — they said Barack picked me as vice president because he knew I could be president.  Well, I know she’ll be a good president.  (Applause.)  I know it.I’ve watched her when all the experts, foreign and domestic policy, would give us advice, then we’d sit alone in a room, and she has a backbone like a ramrod.  (Applause.)  And she has the moral compass of a saint.  This woman knows what she’s doing.  (Applause.)  Folks, I promise you, if you elect Kamala Harris as president, it will be the best decision you will have ever made.  (Applause.) And Kamala believes, as I do, that unions are the spine of this economy.  She’ll be a historic pro-union president. So, folks, we got one more job to do together. Let me ask you: Are you ready to fight?AUDIENCE:  Yeah!THE PRESIDENT:  Are you ready to win?AUDIENCE:  Yeah!THE PRESIDENT:  Are you ready to elect Kamala Harris our next president of the United States of America?  (Applause.)And, in the process, are you ready to make Donald Trump a loser again? AUDIENCE:  Yeah!  (Applause.)THE PRESIDENT:  I’ve never been more optimistic about America’s future.  We have to remember who we are.  We’re the United States of America.  There’s nothing, nothing — I mean this from the bottom of my heart — there’s nothing beyond our capacity — nothing — when we do it together.  (Applause.) And that means elect my friend, our great vice president, president of the United States.  Kamala Harris.  (Applause.)THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, Pittsburgh!  (Applause.)Thank you, Joe!  (Applause.) AUDIENCE:  Thank you, Joe!  Thank you, Joe!  Thank you, Joe! THE VICE PRESIDENT:  It is good to be in the house of labor.  (Applause.)  It is good to be in the house of labor.  And it is good to be back at IBEW Local 5.  (Applause.)And can we please give it up again for our president, Joe Biden?  (Applause.)Now, I don’t have to tell the brothers and sisters of labor that you really get to know somebody when you’re in the middle of a fight, when times are hard, when the forces are mighty, when people don’t believe something can get done, and they have a thousand excuses for why it can’t get done. And I have spent more time with this extraordinary human being when the cameras were not in the room, when the stakes were high, when the heat was intense.  And Joe Biden has always stood with the workers of America and labor unions of America.  (Applause.)  Always.  Always.I’ve been with him when he’ll bring folks into the Oval Office.  And you know how Joe can get sometimes.  He doesn’t spare words.  It’s good that sometimes the cameras are not in the room when he has those conversations.  (Laughter.) Because the thing about the Joe Biden I know — and I know you know, because he has been a frain- — friend of labor for so long, for his whole life — Joe Biden can be quite impatient, and that’s a good thing for that kind of leader.  (Laughter.)  Quite impatient. And I say to all of the friends here, the press that’s in the room: History will show what we here know.  (Applause.)  Joe Biden has been one of the most transformative presidents in the United States that we have ever witnessed.  (Applause.)  And it comes from his heart.  (Applause.)And, you know, Joe and I talk a lot about the fact that we are so proud to be the most pro-union administration in America’s history, and it’s thanks to your leadership.  (Applause.)And, as we know, Joe has still got a lot of work to do, so let’s — let’s also understand that.So, I want to thank all the incredible leaders who are here today, including the governor, Shapiro; Lieutenant Governor Davis; Senator Casey, who we will reelect this November — (applause); Mayor Gainey; President Shuler; President Cooper; all the leaders of labor who are here; all the union members who are here.So, I’ll just get right to a few points.  I love Labor Day.  (Laughter.)  I love celebrating Labor Day.  And Pittsburgh, of course, is a cradle of the American labor movement.  (Applause.)  It is the birthplace of the AFL, headquarters of the Steelworkers, home to Fire Fighters Local 1, and, of course, the historic IBEW Local 5.  (Applause.)For more than 150 years, the brothers and sisters of labor have helped lead the fight for fair pay, better benefits, and safe working conditions, and every person in our nation has benefited from that work.You know, everywhere I go, I tell people, “You may not be a union member, but you better thank unions for that five-day work week.  Thank unions for sick leave.  Thank unions for paid family leave.  Thank unions for your vacation time.”  (Applause.) Because when union wages go up, everybody’s wages go up.  When union workplaces are safer, all workplaces are safer.  When unions are strong, America is strong.  (Applause.)And we are clear: Not only has Pittsburgh shaped the history of America’s labor movement, today you are also shaping its future.  (Applause.)In 2021, with my dear friend, the Secretary, Marty Walsh, who the president appointed to be Secretary of Labor, he and I hosted a meeting right here in this Local, and it was part of the White House Labor Task Force that I lead.That day, we met with a group of computer programmers who were working to form a union.  One month later, they signed their contract and became the first — one of the first technology unions in our nation — (applause) — standing on the shoulder of all those who have been here and fought the good fight.So, Pittsburgh, I r- — I remind us of that to say, together, we are fighting to build an economy that works for all working people.  (Applause.)  And that has always been the vision of the labor movement.  And that is the vision of our campaign.  (Applause.)You know, in this election, there are two very different visions for our nation: one, ours, focused on the future; the other focused on the past.AUDIENCE:  Booo —THE VICE PRESIDENT:  We fight for the future.  (Applause.)  We fight for a future of dignity, respect, and opportunity for all people.  (Applause.)We fight knowing it’s some backward thinking for those folks to have been suggesting for years that the — the measure of the strength of a leader is based on who you beat down.  You know, that’s the stuff they’re pushing — that the measure of the strength of a leader is based on who you beat down — when we know the true measure of the strength of a leader is based on who you lift up — (applause) — who you lift up.Do you fight for workers?  Do you fight for families?  Do you fight for those who must be seen and heard and deserve the dignity that comes with hard work?  (Applause.)That’s what we fight for.  And when you know what you stand for, you know what to fight for.  (Applause.)So, we’re 64 days out from this election.  (Laughter.)  Ballots in Pennsylvania will start dropping in 14 days — (applause) — 14 days.  And this election is, as much as anything else, a fight for the promise of America — (applause) — for the promise of America.We love our country.  (Applause.)  We love our country.  And we know it is one of the highest forms of patriotism to fight for the ideals of our country, and that’s what this election is about, and about the promise of America.And I don’t need to tell unions what the promise looks like.  It’s what you do every day.  (Applause.)But as we fight to move forward, Donald Trump is trying to pull us backward, including back to a time before workers had the freedom to organize.AUDIENCE MEMBER:  He’s going to jail!AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We’re not going back!  We’re not going back!THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, the courts will handle that, and we will handle November.  How about that?  (Laughter and applause.)  We’ll handle November.  Let the courts handle that other thing.  But we’re not going back.AUDIENCE:  We’re not going back!  We’re not going back!  We’re not going back!THE VICE PRESIDENT:  We’re not going back.  And —AUDIENCE:  We’re not going back!  We’re not going back! THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And one of the ways — one of the ways we’re going to guarantee we don’t go back is that we remember.  Right?  It is important to remember what that was and what it is.Remember, as president, Donald Trump blocked overtime benefits for millions of workers.AUDIENCE:  Booo —THE VICE PRESIDENT:  He opposed efforts to raise the minimum wage.  As the president said, he appointed union busters to the National Labor Relations Board.AUDIENCE:  Booo —THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And don’t forget, he supported so-called right-to-work laws.AUDIENCE:  Booo —THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And if Donald Trump were to be reelected, he intends to give more tax cuts to billionaires and big corporations.AUDIENCE:  Booo —THE VICE PRESIDENT:  He intends to cut Social Security and Medicare.AUDIENCE:  Booo —THE VICE PRESIDENT:  He wants to impose what, in effect, would be a national sales tax.  I call it the “Trump national sales tax” on everyday products and basic necessities that would cost a typical American family — the economists have said this — almost $4,000 a year.AUDIENCE:  Booo —THE VICE PRESIDENT:  He intends to repeal the Affordable Care ActAUDIENCE:  Booo —THE VICE PRESIDENT:  — and take us back to what we remember — because it wasn’t that long ago — was a time when insurance companies could deny people with preexisting conditions.  You remember what that was?  Children with asthma.  Breast cancer survivors.  Grandparents with diabetes.Well, look, America has tried those failed policies before, and we are not going back.  (Applause.)  We are not going back.AUDIENCE:  We’re not going back!  We’re not going back!  We’re not going back!THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And instead — and instead, we fight for a future where no person has to go broke just because they get sick.  (Applause.) And so, building on the work of President Joe Biden and I and the work we have done in the White House, we will continue to strengthen the Affordable Care Act and make prescription drugs affordable for all Americans.We — (applause) — we — we fight for a future where every worker has the freedom to organize.  And we will pass the PRO Act and end union busting once and for all, and Bob Casey will help us do that.  (Applause.)We — we see and know and fight for a future where every person has the opportunity not just to get by but to get ahead.  (Applause.)And so, we will continue to build what I call an “opportunity economy” so that every American has an opportunity to buy a home or start a business or build intergenerational wealth and have a future that matches their dreams and ambitions and aspirations.  (Applause.) Because, of course, that’s the nature of who we are as Americans.  We have dreams.  We can see what is possible, unburdened by what has been.  We have aspirations.  We have ambitions.  And the system that is a good system is one that supports that and allows people the opportunity to go where they can see and imagine themselves to be.That’s what I’m talking about when I talk about an opportunity economy.We fight for a future where every senior can retire with dignity, and so we will continue to defend Social Security and Medicare and pensions.  (Applause.)  And pensions.  And pensions.  (Applause.)And we will continue to strengthen America’s manufacturing sector.And on that point, the president mentioned it, U.S. Steel is an historic American company, and it is vital for our nation to maintain strong American steel companies.  And I couldn’t agree more with President Biden, U.S. Steel should remain American-owned and American-operated.  (Applause.) And I will always have the back of America’s steelworkers — (applause) — and all of America’s workers.So, friends, 64 days until the most [important] election of our lives, and probably one of the most important in the life of our nation, truly. And we know this is going to be a tight race to the very end.  It’s going to be a tight race to the very end.  So, let’s not pay too much attention to those polls.  Because as unions and labor knows best, we know what it’s like to be the underdog.  And we are the underdog in this race, and we have some hard work, then, ahead of us.But here’s the beauty of us in this room: We like hard work.  Hard work is good work.  Hard work is joyful work.  (Applause.)   And so, in this fight, I will continue to count on the strength, the determination, and the hard work of the leaders in this room to knock on doors, to get folks to the polls, and — bluntly put, because the people in here do it — to help us win Pennsylvania.  (Applause.)So, today, I ask, are you ready to make your voices heard? AUDIENCE:  Yes!  (Applause.) THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Do we believe in freedom?  AUDIENCE:  Yes!  (Applause.) THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Do we believe in opportunity? AUDIENCE:  Yes!  (Applause.) THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Do we believe in the promise of America? AUDIENCE:  Yes!  (Applause.) THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And are we ready to fight for it? AUDIENCE:  Yes!THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And when we fight —AUDIENCE:  We win!THE VICE PRESIDENT:  — we win.God bless you.  God bless America.  (Applause.)     6:27 P.M. 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