Everything You Need to Know About Obama's SOTU Address

Key proposals in the president's speech and reactions.

Game Plan - In his sixth State of the Union address, President Obama laid out an ambitious agenda that aims primarily to help the middle class and close gaps in both education and income for families that are struggling the most. "The shadow of crisis has passed, and the State of the Union is strong," he said, but the nation must make a choice. "Will we accept an economy where only a few of us do spectacularly well? Or will we commit ourselves to an economy that generates rising incomes and chances for everyone who makes the effort?" Here are some of his proposals and reactions from Black leaders. (Photo: Mandel Ngan-Pool/Getty Images)

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Game Plan - In his sixth State of the Union address, President Obama laid out an ambitious agenda that aims primarily to help the middle class and close gaps in both education and income for families that are struggling the most. "The shadow of crisis has passed, and the State of the Union is strong," he said, but the nation must make a choice. "Will we accept an economy where only a few of us do spectacularly well? Or will we commit ourselves to an economy that generates rising incomes and chances for everyone who makes the effort?" Here are some of his proposals and reactions from Black leaders. (Photo: Mandel Ngan-Pool/Getty Images)

Tax Reform - The president proposed tax breaks to aid the middle class, including a $500 tax credit for households in which both spouses work and a child care credit of up to $3,000 per child under age three. He also called for a tax hike to 28 percent for couples earning more than $500,000. (Photo: Corbis)

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Tax Reform - The president proposed tax breaks to aid the middle class, including a $500 tax credit for households in which both spouses work and a child care credit of up to $3,000 per child under age three. He also called for a tax hike to 28 percent for couples earning more than $500,000. (Photo: Corbis)

Education - Under Obama's plan, the first two years of community or technical college would be free for students who meet certain conditions, such as maintaining a 2.5 grade point average. The estimated cost of this proposal is $60 billion over a decade, but the president believes it would help the U.S. maintain a competitive edge. (Photo: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

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Education - Under Obama's plan, the first two years of community or technical college would be free for students who meet certain conditions, such as maintaining a 2.5 grade point average. The estimated cost of this proposal is $60 billion over a decade, but the president believes it would help the U.S. maintain a competitive edge. (Photo: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

Paid Leave - The president called for federal and local laws that would allow workers to earn up to a week of paid sick leave each year. He also called on Congress to support an additional six weeks of paid parental leave for federal workers. (Photo: Randy Faris/Corbis)

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Paid Leave - The president called for federal and local laws that would allow workers to earn up to a week of paid sick leave each year. He also called on Congress to support an additional six weeks of paid parental leave for federal workers. (Photo: Randy Faris/Corbis)

Homeownership - Obama urged Congress to cut insurance premiums for government-backed mortgages to .85 percent, which the White House estimates would save homeowners and buyers about $900 per year. (Photo: Tim Boyle/Getty Images)

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Homeownership - Obama urged Congress to cut insurance premiums for government-backed mortgages to .85 percent, which the White House estimates would save homeowners and buyers about $900 per year. (Photo: Tim Boyle/Getty Images)

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Retirement - Obama called for Individual Retirement Account plans for workers who do not have access to a workplace retirement plan. He also called for expanded access to employer plans for some part-time workers. (Photo: Tim Pannell/Corbis)

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Retirement - Obama called for Individual Retirement Account plans for workers who do not have access to a workplace retirement plan. He also called for expanded access to employer plans for some part-time workers. (Photo: Tim Pannell/Corbis)

Policing - "We may have different takes on the events of Ferguson and New York. But surely we can understand a father who fears his son can’t walk home without being harassed. And surely we can understand the wife who won’t rest until the police officer she married walks through the front door at the end of his shift," Obama said. "And surely we can agree that it’s a good thing that for the first time in 40 years, the crime rate and the incarceration rate have come down together, and use that as a starting point for Democrats and Republicans, community leaders and law enforcement, to reform America’s criminal justice system so that it protects and serves all of us." (Photos from left: Joe Raedle/Getty Images, Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

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Policing - "We may have different takes on the events of Ferguson and New York. But surely we can understand a father who fears his son can’t walk home without being harassed. And surely we can understand the wife who won’t rest until the police officer she married walks through the front door at the end of his shift," Obama said. "And surely we can agree that it’s a good thing that for the first time in 40 years, the crime rate and the incarceration rate have come down together, and use that as a starting point for Democrats and Republicans, community leaders and law enforcement, to reform America’s criminal justice system so that it protects and serves all of us." (Photos from left: Joe Raedle/Getty Images, Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Voting Rights - "We may go at it in campaign season, but surely we can agree that the right to vote is sacred; that it’s being denied to too many and that on this 50th anniversary of the great march from Selma to Montgomery and the passage of the Voting Rights Act, we can come together, Democrats and Republicans, to make voting easier for every single American," the president said. (Photo: Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images for Smithsonian Magazine)

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Voting Rights - "We may go at it in campaign season, but surely we can agree that the right to vote is sacred; that it’s being denied to too many and that on this 50th anniversary of the great march from Selma to Montgomery and the passage of the Voting Rights Act, we can come together, Democrats and Republicans, to make voting easier for every single American," the president said. (Photo: Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images for Smithsonian Magazine)

Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Texas) - "I really liked the fact that he talked about jobs and how important it is go give a tax cut to the middle class, infrastructure and the education plan he has where states can provide free tuition to kids who want to go to community college. I thought he hit on a lot of very important things that the American public probably would have liked to have heard more of during the last campaign and I'm glad that he talked about it." (Photo: Ron T. Ennis/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/ MCT /LANDOV)

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Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Texas) - "I really liked the fact that he talked about jobs and how important it is go give a tax cut to the middle class, infrastructure and the education plan he has where states can provide free tuition to kids who want to go to community college. I thought he hit on a lot of very important things that the American public probably would have liked to have heard more of during the last campaign and I'm glad that he talked about it." (Photo: Ron T. Ennis/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/ MCT /LANDOV)

Rep. Keith Ellison - "In his State of the Union address last night, President Obama laid out a robust agenda that puts working families first. He highlighted the need for paid leave for all American workers and the importance of making college more affordable. He made it clear that employers shouldn’t be able to discriminate against workers because of their sex, gender or sexual orientation." (Photo: Brian Ach/Getty Images for People for the American Way Foundation)

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Rep. Keith Ellison - "In his State of the Union address last night, President Obama laid out a robust agenda that puts working families first. He highlighted the need for paid leave for all American workers and the importance of making college more affordable. He made it clear that employers shouldn’t be able to discriminate against workers because of their sex, gender or sexual orientation." (Photo: Brian Ach/Getty Images for People for the American Way Foundation)

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Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Missouri) - "I thought it was the best of the six speeches that he's done. I also believe it was a speech with a great deal of intentionality as it relates to almost pleading for civility, and for members of Congress disagreeing without dissing each other. I found that to be the most attractive part of the speech." (Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for TV One)

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Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Missouri) - "I thought it was the best of the six speeches that he's done. I also believe it was a speech with a great deal of intentionality as it relates to almost pleading for civility, and for members of Congress disagreeing without dissing each other. I found that to be the most attractive part of the speech." (Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for TV One)

Rep. Mia Love (R-Utah) - "After all is said in done, there was much more said than actually done."(Photo: Pete Marovich/Getty Images)

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Rep. Mia Love (R-Utah) - "After all is said in done, there was much more said than actually done."(Photo: Pete Marovich/Getty Images)

Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Alabama) - "I was very happy that he talked about Selma to Montgomery march and the significance of the 50th commemoration. I thought he really spoke to my constituents when he spoke in terms of access to Internet and broadband, access to higher education, which is very important to folks in my district. And I think he was spot-on: trickle-down economics hasn't worked for average Americans and I really appreciated his middle-class economics."  (Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)

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Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Alabama) - "I was very happy that he talked about Selma to Montgomery march and the significance of the 50th commemoration. I thought he really spoke to my constituents when he spoke in terms of access to Internet and broadband, access to higher education, which is very important to folks in my district. And I think he was spot-on: trickle-down economics hasn't worked for average Americans and I really appreciated his middle-class economics."  (Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)

Rep. Alma Adams (D-North Carolina) - "I was very impressed. It was very exciting to be inside, not looking at it on TV," Adams said of her first State of the Union experience. "The president did a very good job of outlining what we need to do, certainly middle class families was very critical that we level this playing field. Everything that he brought up, not only about improving jobs but the emphasis on education and making sure that college is affordable, doing that from the community college perspective. Making sure that people who work hard every day earn a living wage and that they're able to have some paid sick leave. I just hope that my colleagues will see this as an opportunity for us to get something done for the American people." (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

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Rep. Alma Adams (D-North Carolina) - "I was very impressed. It was very exciting to be inside, not looking at it on TV," Adams said of her first State of the Union experience. "The president did a very good job of outlining what we need to do, certainly middle class families was very critical that we level this playing field. Everything that he brought up, not only about improving jobs but the emphasis on education and making sure that college is affordable, doing that from the community college perspective. Making sure that people who work hard every day earn a living wage and that they're able to have some paid sick leave. I just hope that my colleagues will see this as an opportunity for us to get something done for the American people." (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Rep. David Scott (D-Georgia) - "I thought it was a good speech. I think what we really need to emphasize more is the plight of young black men and really making sure we get jobs directed that way, training directed that way, and guidance. Black lives matter, but black lives with jobs is what we have to emphasize and have to lift up more. He glazed around it a bit." (Photo: EPA/ERIK S. LESSER /LANDOV)

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Rep. David Scott (D-Georgia) - "I thought it was a good speech. I think what we really need to emphasize more is the plight of young black men and really making sure we get jobs directed that way, training directed that way, and guidance. Black lives matter, but black lives with jobs is what we have to emphasize and have to lift up more. He glazed around it a bit." (Photo: EPA/ERIK S. LESSER /LANDOV)

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Cornell William Brooks, NAACP President and CEO - “We heard President Obama issue a clear and resounding call for the future of our nation, anchored in economic equality for the middle class and academic excellence for those who want to join the middle class. …We look forward to working with Congress and President Obama to create social, educational and economic opportunities that build a solid and inclusive middle class for all people.” (Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

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Cornell William Brooks, NAACP President and CEO - “We heard President Obama issue a clear and resounding call for the future of our nation, anchored in economic equality for the middle class and academic excellence for those who want to join the middle class. …We look forward to working with Congress and President Obama to create social, educational and economic opportunities that build a solid and inclusive middle class for all people.” (Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Sen. Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) - "I, along with my Republican colleagues in the House and Senate, stand ready to work toward common ground with the president in order to move our country forward. Unfortunately, tonight's speech, like so many of his speeches, showed us the president does not feel the same way we do. He continues to repackage old and failed ideas that will simply create the kind of gridlock the American people are tired of seeing in our nation’s capital. We must work together to do the big things our country needs, like make our tax code flatter and fairer for every American, improve our education systems from the ground up for all our children and move forward with a comprehensive energy strategy." (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images) 

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Sen. Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) - "I, along with my Republican colleagues in the House and Senate, stand ready to work toward common ground with the president in order to move our country forward. Unfortunately, tonight's speech, like so many of his speeches, showed us the president does not feel the same way we do. He continues to repackage old and failed ideas that will simply create the kind of gridlock the American people are tired of seeing in our nation’s capital. We must work together to do the big things our country needs, like make our tax code flatter and fairer for every American, improve our education systems from the ground up for all our children and move forward with a comprehensive energy strategy." (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images) 

Sen. Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) - “Tonight, the president put forth a clear vision for empowering the middle class. The ball is now in Congress’s court to respond with bipartisan legislation that addresses middle class families’ most pressing economic challenges and ensures our global competitiveness.”  (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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Sen. Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) - “Tonight, the president put forth a clear vision for empowering the middle class. The ball is now in Congress’s court to respond with bipartisan legislation that addresses middle class families’ most pressing economic challenges and ensures our global competitiveness.”  (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Rep. William Lacy Clay (D-Missouri) - "I support [Obama's] efforts to reform the tax code and open the doors of higher education to all, while continuing to protect our historic progress in access to affordable health care and a cleaner environment. The president’s proposals provide a real opportunity to move our country forward with common sense ideas that deserve bipartisan support. I’m hopeful that the Republican majority will seize this opportunity to work with us for the common good.” (Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for TV One)

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Rep. William Lacy Clay (D-Missouri) - "I support [Obama's] efforts to reform the tax code and open the doors of higher education to all, while continuing to protect our historic progress in access to affordable health care and a cleaner environment. The president’s proposals provide a real opportunity to move our country forward with common sense ideas that deserve bipartisan support. I’m hopeful that the Republican majority will seize this opportunity to work with us for the common good.” (Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images for TV One)

Rep. Hakim Jeffries (D-New York) - "It was extremely important that President Obama mentioned voting rights as an issue that Congress needed to address. We have a Supreme Court decision that rolled back the 1965 Voting Rights Act in a manner that's inconsistent with the integrity of our democracy. 50 years after the great strides that we made with the signing of the VRA there are some in this country who are attempting to roll back the ability of many people in America to participate in our democracy. That is an unfortunate reality that we have to confront, therefore it was important for Obama to mention voting rights in his address to Congress and show leadership on that hopefully over the next two years." (Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

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Rep. Hakim Jeffries (D-New York) - "It was extremely important that President Obama mentioned voting rights as an issue that Congress needed to address. We have a Supreme Court decision that rolled back the 1965 Voting Rights Act in a manner that's inconsistent with the integrity of our democracy. 50 years after the great strides that we made with the signing of the VRA there are some in this country who are attempting to roll back the ability of many people in America to participate in our democracy. That is an unfortunate reality that we have to confront, therefore it was important for Obama to mention voting rights in his address to Congress and show leadership on that hopefully over the next two years." (Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)