If there is any issue on which we can reach across party lines it is in our common commitment to reward work and strengthen families.  Thanks to overwhelming bipartisan support from this Congress, we have improved foster care, supported those who leave it when they turn eighteen, and dramatically increased the number of foster children going to adoptive homes.  I thank you for that.  Of course, I am especially grateful to the person who has led our efforts from the beginning, and who has worked tirelessly for children and families for thirty years now:  my wife, Hillary.

If we take all these steps, we will move a long way toward empowering parents to succeed at home and at work and ensuring that no child is raised in poverty.  We can make these vital investments in health care, education and support for working families—­and still offer tax cuts to help pay for college, for retirement, to care for aging parents and reduce the marriage penalty—­without forsaking the path of fiscal discipline that got us here.  Indeed, we must make these investments and tax cuts in the context of a balanced budget that strengthens and extends the life of Social Security and Medicare and pays down the national debt.

Responsibility and Crime

Crime in America has dropped for the past seven years—­the longest decline on record, thanks to a national consensus we helped to forge on community police, sensible gun safety laws, and effective prevention.  But nobody believes America is safe enough.  So let’s set a higher goal:  let’s make America the safest big country in the world.

Last fall, Congress supported my plan to hire—­in addition to the 100,000 community police we have already funded—­50,000 more, concentrated in high-crime neighborhoods.  I ask your continued support.

Soon after the Columbine tragedy, Congress considered common-sense gun safety legislation to require Brady background checks at gun shows, child safety locks for all new handguns, and a ban on the importation of large-capacity ammunition clips.  With courage—­and a tie-breaking vote by the Vice President—­the Senate faced down the gun lobby, stood up for the American people, and passed this legislation.  But the House failed to follow suit.

We’ve all seen what happens when guns fall into the wrong hands.  Daniel Mauser was only 15 years old when he was gunned down at Columbine.  He was an amazing kid, a straight-A student, a good skier.  Like all parents who lose their children, his father Tom has borne unimaginable grief.  Somehow Tom has found the strength to honor his son by transforming his grief into action.  Earlier this month, he took a leave of absence from his job to fight for tougher gun safety laws.  I pray that his courage and wisdom will move this Congress to make common-sense gun safety legislation the very next order of business.  Tom, thank you for being here tonight.

We must strengthen gun laws and better enforce laws already on the books.  Federal gun crime prosecutions are up 16 percent since I took office.  But again, we must do more.  I propose to hire more federal and local gun prosecutors, and more ATF agents to crack down on illegal gun traffickers and bad-apple dealers.  And we must give law enforcement the tools to trace every gun—­and every bullet—­used in a crime in America.