| 与伟大的总统川普一起站在神的身边的美国副总统彭斯。 |
【人民报消息】（人民报翻译彭斯副总统6月30日在信仰与自由联盟的爱国者联盟晚会上的讲话全文，供各位观看和引用。彭斯副总统是一位非常虔诚的神的信仰者，与川普总统配合默契，实在是美国和世界之大幸。）
彭斯副总统在信仰与自由联盟的爱国者联盟晚会上讲话
演讲时间：2019年6月30日
演讲地点：华盛顿特区奥姆尼-肖勒姆酒店
副总统：谢谢大家。谢谢大家的热烈欢迎。（掌声）谢谢大家。谢谢你们。这是-回来真是太好了。很高兴回到信仰与自由联盟的男人和女人之中。而且我对我之前的话语感到特别荣幸。你知道，亚伯拉罕·林肯说他生命中唯一的抱负就是受到他所尊重的人的尊敬。所以你们愿意和我一起感谢拉尔夫·里德对这个伟大的联盟以及整个美国的这场运动的杰出领导。（掌声）
拉尔夫和我认识很久了，从头发没变白的年轻时代就已经相识了。（笑声）拉尔夫非常了解我，知道我对他的赞美言辞感到谦卑，不过我更喜欢对自己的介绍短一些：我依旧是基督徒，保守派和共和党人。（掌声）我很荣幸今晚和你们在一起。
我们是在地方和公共服务领域的讲坛以及代表我们价值观的领导组织中发挥重要作用的成员之一。但我很荣幸今晚能加入到我心目中所有真正英雄，比如俄克拉荷马州的参议员詹姆斯·兰克福德，之中来。（掌声）
和我们在一起的尤金·斯卡利亚（Eugene Scalia），以及来自远近的数百名信仰的美国人，以及所有那些看着庆祝活动的人。很高兴今晚和你们一起参加爱国者队的庆祝活动。
我也明白，今晚晚些时候，信仰与自由联盟将会认识到另一位在我成年后一直钦佩的美国人。作为一名教育者,一名历史学家，作为公众电视台的声音，就像很少的美国人一样,他是一个传播保守信息的人。他是前教育部长。他一直在教育美国人关于我们价值观的力量和自由的基础。请允许我今晚向今年「温斯顿·丘吉尔终身成就奖」的获奖者比尔·贝内特（Bill Bennett）表示祝贺。今天能和你在一起很荣幸。（掌声）祝贺你。当之无愧。祝贺，比尔。
说到我的朋友，让我今晚开始带来我的另一位朋友的问候。他在世界的另一边，但我知道他的心与你们所有人在一起。我知道他为信仰与自由联盟举办一周的聚会拉开序幕。因此，请允许我带来美利坚合众国第45任总统唐纳德·川普（特朗普）总统的问候。（掌声）
你知道，我引用本周开始总统说的，「美国人对上帝的信仰已经塑造了我们国家的性格，使我们的国家成为了世界的光明。」总统补充说，我们的政府是「为所有美国人而战，我们正以前所未有的方式接纳信仰团体。」
感谢你们的支持和感谢这位总统的领导，我很高兴向你们报告，整个美国的信仰和自由正在上升。（掌声）
你知道，担任川普总统的副总统是我生命中最大的荣幸，因为总统每天起床只是为了兑现他对美国人民的承诺。而且他每天都没有为坚持信仰和自由而道歉。我看到的是，媒体记者们的摄像机关闭之后的真实情景。这是一个-这是一个行动的总统。但唐纳德·川普总统是一个信守诺言的人，他一直对全美的信仰团体信守诺言。（掌声）
你知道，我认为过去两年你只能用一种方式描述。这是两年的行动。这是两年半的结果。这是两年半对承诺的保证和承诺的信守。（掌声）但我们只是刚刚开始。（掌声）
我想说的是，请想一下。川普总统承诺通过遏制繁文缛节，释放美国能源，争取公平贸易协议以及通过美国历史上最大规模的减税和税制改革来振兴美国经济。而这正是我们所做的。结果非常好。（掌声）
而你们来自美国各地，所以你们不需要我告诉你们，但无论如何，我还是要告诉你们。（笑声）
自2016年选举日以来新增就业岗位580万。失业率处于50年来的最低点。（掌声）十多年来，工资以最快的速度增长。
可能对总统和我最有意义的是：工作的和蓝领的美国人的工资增长速度最快。被遗忘的美国男人和女人不再被遗忘。（掌声）每个美国人再次有机会美梦成真。（掌声）
女性失业率处于60年来的最低点，这是非洲裔美国人和西班牙裔美国人有史以来最低的失业率。（掌声）
我可以在这个房间告诉你第一手资料，信心又回来了，工作又回来了。总之一句话，美国又回来了。（掌声）
听众：美国！美国！美国！
副总统：但众所周知，我们繁荣的基础是安全。在这方面，总统也一直很忙。多年来，我们看到不计后果的削减军费，在我们上任的时候，实际上美国的军用飞机已经停飞，它们的作用只是用来作为其它用途飞机的备件，以便民用飞机可以在空中正常飞行。
感谢这位总统的领导和我们在美国国会的强大盟友，川普总统签署了自罗纳德·里根时代以来最大的一次国防增幅。（掌声）我们正在重建我们的军队。我们正在恢复民主的力量。我们再次为我们的士兵，水手，飞行员，海军陆战队和海岸警卫队提供他们应得的资源和训练。（掌声）
我们的这位总统重振这种美国的力量，他希望得到人民的支持，再一次成为自由世界领袖的角色。
我们底气十足的与盟友站在一起，我们让我们的盟友做得比以往任何时候都多。
正如我今天站在你们面前一样，我们的北约盟国为我们的共同防御做出了比他们四十年来更多的贡献。
这位总统已经站了起来。他站在我们的盟友身边，特别是我们最珍惜的盟友，川普总统兑现了前四届政府搁置一旁的承诺，把美国大使馆搬到以色列首都耶路撒冷。（掌声）
这就是我们所说的承诺的保证和承诺的信守。凭借这种更新的美国力量，我们也能够面对那些在全世界挑战美国的对手。
这位总统已经通知伊朗，我们将不再容忍他们的恶毒行为及其在世界上的恐怖主义蔓延。我们把朝鲜带到了谈判桌上。在我们发言时，总统在朝鲜半岛。并且可能会在这晚餐结束前去停战军事分界线。
我们已根据我们的条件，在他们的土地上与激进的伊斯兰恐怖份子作斗争。感谢美国武装部队男女们和这个总司令的勇气，伊斯兰国控制的最后一英寸领土被捕获。哈里发的黑旗不再在他们曾经控制过的土地上飘。（掌声）
我很自豪的报告，在军事胜利之后，美国也在这位总统的领导下，帮助重建尼尼微平原上遭受伊斯兰国残暴破坏的社区。我很自豪的报告，在国会合作伙伴的大力支持下，美国已经承诺提供超过3亿美元的援助，用于重建被战争破坏的基督教和亚齐迪社区。（掌声）
事实上，无论是在尼加拉瓜，还是在俄罗斯，伊朗，或者在中华人民共和国，无论在哪里发生宗教迫害，美国都表现出强大的立场和呼唤。我想向你保证，这届政府将继续大声疾呼，为世界各地的人民争取良心和宗教自由。我们将坚持这一理想。（掌声）
而且，世界各地受迫害的基督徒的男人和女人都应该得到我们的祈祷。我向你保证，他们将永远得到美利坚合众国的支持。我很自豪地说，这届政府已经孜孜不倦地努力确保释放面临迫害和被囚禁的美国人，从埃及到委内瑞拉，到朝鲜到土耳其。感谢这位总统的顽强要求，经过两年的囚禁，牧师安德鲁·布伦森回家了。（掌声。）
因此，我们在世界舞台上为有信仰的人和我们最珍惜的价值观做好准备。正如你们所知道的那样，在这个政府开始工作的第一天，我们就一直在美国支持这些价值观。这位总统重申了我们对法治的承诺，重申了我们国家建立的宪法原则的基础。
在过去的两年里，实际上，这位总统已经比美国历史上任何总统任命了更多的我们联邦上诉法院的法官。（掌声）他们都是有原则的保守派，他们将维护载入我们宪法中的上帝赐予的自由，如宗教自由，言论自由和第二修正案保留和携带武器的权利。（掌声）
我在法庭的长凳上认识了很多这样的法官。他们是不可思议的。到目前为止，联邦法官确认的参议员共有114名，其中包括参议员兰克福德和领导人麦康奈尔以及美国参议院的所有共和党参议员。让我们给予确认这些参议员的伟大共和党籍法官，包括法官尼尔·戈萨奇和法官布雷特·卡瓦诺一阵掌声怎么样？（掌声）
我们的政府也采取行动保护和促进我们的第一自由：每个美国人的宗教自由。
你知道，我可能不需要告诉你们所有人，我们生活在一个实际上嘲笑宗教信仰成为时尚的时代。我们在媒体精英，电视评论员和自由派政治家中都看到了这个现象。
你们还记得在2016年他们称我们可悲吗？最近，我们的前副总统（拜登）实际上说，代表传统道德价值观的美国人，用他的话来说，是「不容忍的力量」，包括我引用的「社会渣滓」。
事实上，一位也有民族抱负的参议员说，我们政府的预算主管-恰好是一位信仰《圣经》的基督徒–并不像前副总统所说的那样，因为是基督徒就是社会渣滓，就是「这个国家应该关注的人」。
现在，我必须告诉你们，美国人民珍惜每一个公民的宗教自由和良心自由，这些对基督教信仰的攻击必须停止。（掌声。）
这不是我们作为美国人的行为。美国人珍惜每个人的信仰，每个人根据他们良心和传统的要求，信仰或不信仰的良心自由。我赞扬你坚持这一原则。
我会向你许诺：在这位总统和本届政府的领导下，我们将永远与信仰的人站在一起。我们将始终捍卫每一个美国人，每一个信仰的宗教自由，愿上帝帮助我们。（掌声）
早在2016年，这位总统(川普)承诺，用他的话说，他将「捍卫你作为个人、企业主和学术机构的宗教自由以及充分和自由的实践你的宗教的权利。」而这正是他所做的。
在本届政府中，我们已采取行动保护医生和护士的良心权利。经过多年的疏忽，我们恢复了对我国良心法律的联邦执法，结束了上届政府对「安贫小姊妹会」（天主教的女修道会）的攻击。（掌声）
正如总统几天前所说的那样，在这个白宫，我们相信言论自由不应该停留在我们教堂和礼拜场所的前门。这就是我们结束执行约翰逊修正案的原因。（掌声）我们将继续努力一劳永逸地废除约翰逊修正案。（掌声）
你知道，你想像一下这个国家的言论自由和讲坛-也许当比尔-贝内特今晚登上这个讲台，写下建立这个国家的一些最重要的历史时，他可以告诉你，当我们在1776年首次宣称我们的自由时，这些讲坛有多重要。
我们还上法院保护在公共广场上的宗教言论表达的权力。令人惊讶的是，几十年前，在马里兰州的克拉登斯堡建造了一个40英尺长的十字架，以纪念为第一次世界大战中为我们自由而战的人们。多年来，这个十字架高高耸立，是我们国家对那些英雄的感激之情的象征。但最近，左翼活动人士威胁要将其拆除。
但在本届政府中，我们支持马里兰州的和平十字架。（掌声）上周，美国最高法院以7比2的投票结果表示，马里兰州和平十字勋章可以留下来。（掌声）
因此，我们主张自由，法治和宪法自由的基础。但是，让我从内心深处告诉你：让我感到无比自豪的是，为一位坚持代表着人类生命神圣性的总统担任副总统。唐纳德-川普总统是美国历史上最关心生命的总统。（掌声）
我的意思是，在总统刚上任的行动之一，他恢复了墨西哥城政策，以确保纳税人的钱不会用于促进海外堕胎或促进和提供海外或世界各地的堕胎。
我很荣幸能够进行打破平衡的投票，并观看总统签署立法，允许全国各州解除计划生育。（掌声）
谈到这个国家最大的堕胎提供者，你知道，我们都记得在2015年那些令人毛骨悚然的秘密视频出现在全国的电视频道上，这些视频显示出有关出售和转移流产婴儿部份的可怕谈话。所以我想确定，你知道，就在几周前，唐纳德·川普总统制止了美国国立卫生研究院胎儿组织研究。（掌声）
你知道，去思考一个值得关注的事，当越来越多的美国人，特别是年轻的美国人正在接受生命的神圣性时，（民主）党曾经说堕胎是安全的，合法的，罕见的，现在支持按需堕胎，甚至是晚期堕胎。
在全国各州立法机构中，民主党人支持晚期堕胎。我们都看到了弗吉尼亚州民主党州长公开捍卫杀婴。
观众：嘘声
副总统：你还应该知道，参议院的民主党人，包括每一位竞选美国总统的民主党人，投票反对一项法案，该法案将防止在失败的堕胎中幸存的新生婴儿被杀害。它被称为「堕胎活下的婴儿保护法」（Born-Alive In fants Protection Act）。
现在看来，在民主党竞选总统中，甚至还有一个试金石，为整个怀孕期间的堕胎（是否）必须提供纳税人资金。
你知道，就在不久之前，我们在国会和全国各地达成了两党共识，我们不应该接受用数百万支持生命的美国人的纳税钱，来资助他们认为道德上令人讨厌的（堕胎）程序。这是几十年前在海德修正案中所蕴含的天才，以伊利诺伊州传奇的支持生命的国会议员亨利海德的名字命名。
但今天，情况不一样了。甚至几十年来支持海德修正案的一些主要民主党人现在正在拥护在怀孕的任何阶段为堕胎提供纳税人资金，没有例外。
你知道，我一直认为可以通过如何处理最脆弱的人，老年人、体弱者、残疾人和胎儿，来判断一个社会。所以我要说，有这么多民主党人支持晚期堕胎和死亡文化，我向你们保证，这位总统（川普），这个政党，这个运动，将始终支持着不可剥夺的生命权。（掌声）我们会（做到）的。
所以，我们在发展经济。我们在提供国防。我们在国内外支持着我们的价值观。但是，信仰和自由的男女们，我们知道，作为一个国家，我们仍然面临着挑战。
今天最令美国人的心灵和思想中痛苦的是，现在国家已经广泛认识到总统和我一年多来所说的话：我们的南部边界发生了危机，这是我们之前从来没有见过的状况。
今年我们实际上已经走上正轨，有近百万人来到我们的南部边境，以利用我们的法律漏洞。有史以来第一次，大多数家庭被人贩子诱惑，他们每人被收费5000美元。他们被诱骗支付现金，以便在我们边境北部进行漫长而危险的（非法移民）旅途。这是一场充满无法形容的暴力的危险旅程。
百分之七十的非法移民一旦出现在边境，就报告说他们是沿途暴力的受害者。根据无国界医生组织的统计，在中美洲南部边境旅行的年轻女性中有将近三分之一的人在旅途中受到性侵犯。
本周，当我们看到奥斯卡·阿尔贝托·马丁内斯和他23个月大的女儿安吉·瓦莱里亚在里奥格兰德淹死的悲惨照片时，我们国家的心碎了。它震惊了国家的良知。但事实是，我们在美国每家报纸的头版上看到的是几个月来发生的事情。人民面临暴力，性虐待和更糟糕的。被这些不顾人生命的人带来的，为了他们的利润诱使人们进行危险的向北旅程。
我在访问边境时亲眼看到了这个糟糕的情况。我去了拘留所。看到这些家庭，确实数字之大已经压倒我们的安置系统。想想这些贫困和脆弱家庭被这些贩毒集团和人口贩子利用的方式令人心碎。
但美国人民正在意识到我们的南部边界发生了危机。这就是为什么这位总统在1月宣布国家紧急状态。我很自豪地报告说我们已经开始建造那堵墙了。我们将在明年年底前建造400英里长的墙。（掌声）
这就是为什么川普总统采取强硬立场，并要求墨西哥采取更多措施来确保我们的边界和他们的边界。感谢总统的领导，现在国土安全局预计，仅在上个月，由于墨西哥的行动，我们南部边境的非法越境已经减少了25％。（掌声。）
这就是为什么民主党人否认我们边境出现危机之后，他们拒绝为我们边境的流动弱势家庭提供额外的资金资助，他们拒绝为床位或设施提供额外资源。经过六个月，川普总统再次坚持（众议院必须批准额外的资金资助）。本周，我们的总统（与民主党）谈判达成一项两党法案，当他周一签署该法案时，将加快46亿美元的人道主义援助，以支持健康与人类服务部以及我们的海关和边境保护局的富有同情心的工作。（掌声）
最后，帮助在到来。但是，各位同胞，我们还有更多工作要做。当在我们边境以南的移徙者面临暴力，性侵犯和更糟糕的时候，许多竞选总统的主要民主党人继续倡导开放的边界和政策，使人口贩子更容易诱使脆弱的家庭进行漫长而危险的北向旅程。这真是令人惊讶。这是真的。
例如，尽管10年前，奥巴马总统承诺奥巴马医改将「不适用于非法入境者」。但本周，每位主要的民主党总统候选人都承诺提供纳税人资助的非法移民免费医疗保健服务。
观众：嘘声-
副总统彭斯接着说：许多人甚至承诺将非法移民非刑罪化。也许最值得注意的是，在过去的六个月里，在我们南部边境发生危机并且在我们勇敢和富有同情心的海关和边境保护人员被这场危机淹没的情况下无所作为之后，现在一些民主党人想要教训我们，关于他们对陷入危机的人们的道德关注。
让我在这一点上说清楚：开放边界没有是富有同情心的。对于拒绝改变人口贩子用来利用贫困家庭的法律，没有是富有同情心的。
那些主张开放边界，为非法移民提供免费医疗服务以及使非法移民合法化的人正在使人口贩子更容易虐待贫困和脆弱的家庭。这在道德上是错误的，而且必须停止！（掌声）
道德上要做的事情，我相信在我心中，要做的富有同情心的事情，就是保护我们的边界，向被这些犯罪集团利用的家庭提供人道主义支持，改革我们的庇护法，并向我们边境以南发出震耳欲聋的声音：如果你想来美利坚合众国，你必须合法来或完全不来。（掌声）
而且我会向你许诺：无论民主党人想要做什么来继续否认和阻碍我们巩固边界的努力，结束这场危机，改革法律，我们都会继续努力。我们将继续讲述这个故事。我们将继续在国会和整个国家寻找盟友。我们将一劳永逸地修复这个破碎的移民系统。（掌声）
因此，男士女士们，在这位川普总统的领导下，从世界舞台到国内，在短短两年多的时间里，我们的价值观再次获胜，令人惊叹。自由再次获胜。但要继续获胜，我们必须继续战斗。
现场观众：再来四年！（掌声）
听众：再来四年！再来四年！再来四年！
副总统：我们要继续战斗。我们必须继续为使这个国家伟大的价值观和为愿意支持的人民而奋斗。我在这里告诉你，其中最主要的是自由。其中最主要的是自由。
你知道，美国建立在一个非常简单的原则上，这个想法就是自由。自由钟本身上有一些来自《利未记》的古老词语，上面写着「向所有的土地上的所有居民宣布自由。」
然而，令人惊讶的是，在我们有生之年，对自由的支持，对自由的捍卫-自由市场经济学，不可剥夺的权利-似乎主要落在了我们党和我们的运动上。
今天，民主党公开倡导一种使全世界数百万人陷入贫困并剥夺了几代人自由的经济体系。这个制度是社会主义。
本周早些时候，我们听到民主党总统候选人捍卫社会主义。但我想你们所有人都知道是自由，而不是社会主义，使我们成为世界历史上最强大，最繁荣的国家。（掌声）
自由，而不是社会主义，结束了奴隶制，赢得了两场世界大战，并且今天成为全世界希望的灯塔！（掌声）
因此，在今后18个月开始这场辩论时，我们必须在这里解决，正如总统在国情咨文中所说，美国永远不会是一个社会主义国家！（掌声）
听众：美国！美国！美国！
副总统：男士和女士，在即将到来的选举中的选择从未如此清晰，赌注从未如此高涨。我们在过去的两年半里取得了很大的进步，但现在是我们加倍努力的时候了。现在是时候让我们与那些一直坚持我们所珍视的价值观的男士和女士一起，无论是在州议会还是在国会，还是确保唐纳德·川普总统在白宫再有四年。（掌声）
美国有一个选择。但是当我今晚聚集在你们所有人面前，并看到这个令人难以置信的团体时，想想我们在过去几十年里共同完成的工作，以更新和巩固这个伟大国家的基础；当我看到你们提升了一代男女的方式，从这位总统到下面，在所有那些伟大而永恒的美国理想中一直坚强而不道歉，我很有信心。我相信我们将继续巩固我们取得的进步。
所以我鼓励你们所有人都有信心。今晚你们将度过一个美好的夜晚，我就不掺和了。（笑声）因为你会听到一些很棒的人分享一些美好的时刻。
但我只是这样做，我想在接下来的18个月里鼓励你们所有人：有信心。相信美国人民，当我们把这个国家永恒的理想带到我们国家这一事实时我们所取得的进步。当我们说美国再次强大时，美国可以再次繁荣，我们可以在我们的先辈所站立的信仰和自由的基础上建立这一切，美国人民将团结起来为我们的事业服务。
我真的相信历史表明，每当美国人民在更多自由和更多政府之间做出选择时，他们每次都会选择更多的自由。所以要相信美国人民。（掌声）
并且相信他们会选择川普当总统。你知道，我得告诉你，这是我听过的最有趣的一句话，人们会在绳索隔离线（将名人与人群分开的绳索线），在机场或在餐馆里，把我停下来，他们会说，「告诉总统继续前进」（掌声）我告诉他们，「你永远不需要说些什么。」（笑声和掌声）唐纳德·川普总统没有后视镜！一切都在挡风玻璃上！一切都在前进！这位总统将继续为使这个国家变得有伟大的价值观和理想而奋斗。（掌声）我向你保证。我对吗？我是对的。
最后，在我结束的时候，让我最后鼓励你们对美国人民有信心，相信这位总统和所有有正义的有原则的男士女士们团结起来。
最后，拥有其它形式的信心并花时间让自己受益。你知道，总统和我听过的最暖心的话-我们听到了很多-是人们会越过一条隔离线，并抓住你的手，并且…
彭斯说到这里，台下听众一齐高喊出那句最暖心的话：我们在为你祈祷！
听众：我们在为你祈祷！
副总统彭斯接着往下说：…并且说，「我们正在为你祈祷。」（掌声）我可以告诉你们，它让我们深深感动。因此，我想鼓励你让自己受益，只要知道，正如圣经所说的那样：「祷告到达天堂，祂的圣所。」「正直人民的有效和热切的祈祷很有用。」
正如我们在这个国家的分裂时期所思考的那样，我们如何治愈在如此众多的问题中显而易见的分裂，我想我只知道-在这个房间里的你们都知道-我们民族团结的源泉来自于我们的理想中，这是我们的信仰。
如果被祂的名字所召唤的祂的信众，会自我谦卑并祈祷，祂就会像祂在这个国家漫长而传奇的历史中所做的一样。祂会从天堂听到，祂会治愈这片土地-（掌声）-这是一个国家，在上帝之下，不可分割，为所有人提供自由和正义。（掌声）
所以，为美国祈祷。为所有美国人民祷告，因为，为一些事情祈祷，这些事情真的会变的不一样。
主持人：谢谢你今晚致辞的荣幸。感谢您给予我们的鼓励。
彭斯：同时请大家注意一下，我代表我的妻子，她目前正在约三分之一世界的距离之外，我要感谢你们，成为了你们的副总统，这是我一生中最大的荣幸。（掌声）
我只知道-我只知道您的不断支持、努力和祈祷；在各级选举和蝉联的男女，国会大厦到国会山；与唐纳德·川普总统在白宫；在上帝的帮助下，我们将使美国比以往任何时候都更加繁荣。我们将使美国比以往任何时候都更安全。借用一句话-（笑声）-我们将使美国再次伟大。
非常感谢你们。上帝祝福你们。上帝保佑美国。（掌声）
结束
Remarks by Vice President Pence at the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s Patriot’s Gala
Issued on: June 30, 2019
Omni Shoreham Hotel
Washington, D.C.
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Thank you all for that very warm welcome. (Applause.) Thank you all. Thank you all. It is — it’s wonderful to be back. Wonderful to be back with the men and women of the Faith and Freedom Coalition. And I’m especially honored by the words that just preceded me. You know, Abraham Lincoln said his only ambition in life was to be esteemed by the people he esteemed. So would you join me in thanking Ralph Reed for his extraordinary leadership of this great coalition and this movement across America. (Applause.)
Ralph and I have known each other a long time — all the way back when we both had dark hair. (Laughter.) But Ralph knows me well enough to know that I’m humbled by his words, but the introduction I prefer is a little shorter. I’m a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican in that order. (Applause.) And it’s my great honor to be with you tonight.
And we are among so many people who make such a difference, in pulpits around the land and in public service and leading organizations that represent our values. But I’m also honored to be joined tonight by a sum of my real heroes, like Senator James Lankford from the great state of Oklahoma. (Applause.)
And to Eugene Scalia, who is with us, and the hundreds of Americans of faith who have come from near and far, and all of those looking on. It’s a joy to be with you tonight for this Patriot’s Gala.
And I also understand that, later tonight, the Faith and Freedom Coalition is going to recognize another American who I have admired throughout my adult life. He is someone who has carried forth the conservative message as an educator, as a historian, as a voice on the public airwaves like very few Americans. He was Secretary of Education. And he’s been educating Americans about the strength of our values and our foundation in liberty. Allow me to offer an early congratulations tonight to the recipient of this year’s Winston Churchill Lifetime Achievement Award, Bill Bennett. It’s an honor to be with you today. (Applause.) Congratulations. So well deserved. Congratulations, Bill.
And speaking of friends of mine, let me begin tonight by bringing greetings from a another friend of mine. He’s on the other side of the world, but I know his heart is here with all of you. And I know he kicked off your week of gathering for the Faith and Freedom Coalition. So allow me to bring greetings from the 45th President of the United States of America, President Donald Trump. (Applause.)
You know, starting you off this week, the President said, and I quote, 「Americans’ belief in God has forged the character of our country and made our nation a light unto the world.」 And the President added, our administration is 「fighting for all Americans and we are embracing the faith community」 as never before.
Thanks to your support and thanks to the leadership of this President, I’m pleased to report to you that faith and freedom are on the rise all across America. (Applause.)
You know, it’s the greatest honor of my life to serve as Vice President to a President who gets up every day just to keep the promises that he made to the American people. And he’s been standing without apology for faith and freedom every day. And I have seen it when the cameras are off. This is a — this is a President who is a man of action. But President Donald Trump is a man of his word, and he has kept his word to communities of faith all across America. (Applause.)
You know, I think there’s only one way you could describe the last two years. It’s been two years of action. It’s been two and a half years of results. It’s been two and a half years of promises made and promises kept. (Applause.) But we’re just getting started. (Applause.)
I mean, think about it. President Trump promised to revive the American economy by rolling back red tape, unleashing American energy, fighting for fair trade deals, and passing the largest tax cuts and tax reform in American history. And that’s exactly what we’ve done. The results are remarkable. (Applause.)
And you’re from all across America so you don’t need me to tell you, but I’ll tell you anyway. (Laughter.)
5.8 million new jobs since Election Day 2016. And the unemployment rate is at a 50-year low. (Applause.) Wages are rising at the fastest pace in more than a decade.
Probably most meaningful to the President and me: Wages are rising at their fastest pace for working and blue-collar Americans. The forgotten men and women of America are forgotten no more. (Applause.) And the American Dream is working again for every American. (Applause.)
The unemployment rate for women is at a 60-year low and it’s the lowest unemployment rate ever recorded for African Americans and Hispanic Americans. (Applause.)
I can tell you in this room know firsthand confidence is back, jobs are back. In a word, America is back. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: But as we all know, the foundation of our prosperity is security. And on that count, the President has been busy as well. After years where we saw reckless cutbacks in our military, at a time when we took office, there were literally American military aircraft that were grounded so they could be used as spare parts for other aircraft to keep them in the air.
Thanks to this President’s leadership and our strong allies in the Congress of the United States, President Trump signed the largest increase in our national defense since the days of Ronald Reagan. (Applause.) We’re rebuilding our military. We’re restoring the arsenal of democracy. And we are once again giving our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guard the resources and training they deserve. (Applause.)
And with that renewed American strength, we have a President who wants — is once again embracing his role as leader of the free world.
We’re standing strong with our allies, and we’re having our allies do more than they’ve ever done before. As I stand before you today, our NATO Allies are contributing more to our common defense than they have for four decades. And this President has stood. He’s stood with our allies, especially our most cherished ally, like when President Trump kept a promise that had been made by four previous administrations only to be set aside. But this President kept it when he moved the United States embassy to Jerusalem, the capital of the state of Israel. (Applause.)
That’s what we call promises made and promises kept. With that renewed American strength, we’ve also stood up to our adversaries and those who would challenge America’s interests around the world.
This President has put Iran on notice that we’ll no longer tolerate their malign activity and their spread of terrorism in the world. We brought North Korea to the negotiating table. And the President is on the Korean Peninsula as we speak. and will be headed to the DMZ, maybe before this dinner is out.
And we’ve taken the fight to radical Islamic terrorists on our terms, on their soil. And thanks to the courage of our men and women of the United States Armed Forces and this Commander-in-Chief, the last inch of territory controlled by ISIS has been captured. The black flag of the caliphate flies no more over the territory they once controlled. (Applause.)
And I’m proud to report, in the wake of that military victory, the United States is also, under this President’s leadership, helping to rebuild communities across the Nineveh Plain that were devastated by the brutality of ISIS. And I’m proud to report, with the strong support of our partners in Congress, the United States has already committed more than $300 million in aid to rebuild Christian and Yazidi communities torn asunder by war. (Applause.)
In fact, the United States is also standing strong and calling out religious persecution wherever it takes place, whether it be in Nicaragua, and Russia, Iran, or in the People’s Republic of China. And I want to promise you this administration is going to continue to speak out and stand up for the freedom of conscience and the freedom of religion for people all over the world. We will hold up that ideal. (Applause.)
And, men and women, persecuted Christians around the world deserve our prayers. And I promise you that they will always have the support of the United States of America. This administration has worked tirelessly, I’m proud to say, also to secure the release of Americans facing persecution and captivity, from Egypt, to Venezuela, to North Korea, and to Turkey. After two years of captivity, thanks to the tenacious demand of this President, Pastor Andrew Brunson is home. (Applause.)
So we’ve stood up for people of faith and our most cherished values on the world stage. But as you all know and have been such a big part, we’ve also been standing for those values here at home since the very first day of this administration. This President has reaffirmed our commitment to the rule of law, to the foundation of constitutional principles on which our nation was built. This President has actually appointed more judges to our Federal Court of Appeals in the last two years than any President in American history. (Applause.)
And they are all principled conservatives who will uphold the God-given liberties enshrined in our Constitution, like the freedom of religion, the freedom of speech, and the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. (Applause.)
I’ve met many of these judges on the bench. They’re incredible. One hundred and fourteen federal judges confirmed so far, Senator. And how about a round of applause for Senator Lankford and Leader McConnell and all the great Republicans in the United States Senate who have confirmed these great judges, including Justice Neil Gorsuch and Justice Brett Kavanaugh? (Applause.)
And our administration has also taken action to protect and promote our first freedom: the religious liberty of every American.
You know, I probably don’t need to tell all of you that we live in a time when it’s actually become fashionable to mock religious belief. And we see it among media elites, television commentators, and liberal politicians.
You remember back in 2016 when they called us deplorable? Recently, our former Vice President actually said that Americans who stand for traditional moral values are, in his words, 「forces of intolerance,」 including, and I quote, 「dregs of society.」
In fact, one senator who also has national aspirations, said that our administration’s budget director — who happens to be a Bible-believing Christian — is not, as he said, quote, 「someone who this country is supposed to be about,」 simply because was a Christian.
Now, I must tell you, the American people cherish the religious freedom and the freedom of conscience of every one of our citizens, and these attacks on people of Christian faith must stop. (Applause.)
It’s just not what we’re about as Americans. Americans cherish the faith of every person, the freedom of conscience of every person to believe or not to believe, according to the dictates of their conscience and their traditions. And I commend you for upholding that principle.
And I’ll make you a promise: Under this President and this administration, we will always stand with people of faith. We will always defend the freedom of religion of every American, of every faith, so help us God. (Applause.)
Back in 2016, this President promised that he would, in his words, 「defend your religious liberties and the right to fully and freely practice your religion, as individuals, business owners and academic institutions.」 And that’s exactly what he has done.
We’ve taken action to protect the conscience rights of doctors and nurses, in this administration. After years of neglect, we’ve restored federal enforcement of our nation’s conscience laws, and we ended the last administration’s assault on the Little Sisters of the Poor. (Applause.)
And as the President said just a few days ago, here in this White House, we believe the freedom of speech should not end at the front door of our churches and places of worship. That’s why we ended enforcement of the Johnson Amendment. (Applause.) And we will continue to work to repeal the Johnson Amendment once and for all. (Applause.)
You know, you think about the freedom of speech and the pulpits of this nation — maybe when Bill Bennett takes to this podium tonight, having written some of the most important histories of the founding of this country, he can tell you how important those pulpits were when we first claimed our freedom in 1776.
We’ve also gone to court to protect the right to religious expression in the public square. It’s amazing to think, decades ago, a 40-foot cross was built in Bladensburg, Maryland, to commemorate the men who died fighting for our freedom in World War I. And for years, that cross stood tall and true — a symbol of our nation’s gratitude to those heroes. But recently, left-wing activists threatened to tear it down.
But in this administration, we stood for the Peace Cross in Maryland. (Applause.) And last week, by a 7 to 2 vote, the Supreme Court of the United States said the Peace Cross of Maryland can stay. (Applause.)
So we’ve stood for liberty, for the rule of law, and the foundation of our constitutional liberties. But let me tell you from the bottom of my heart: I couldn’t be more proud to serve as Vice President to a President who stands without apology for the sanctity of human life. President Donald Trump is the most pro-life President in American history. (Applause.)
I mean, in one of the President’s very first acts, he reinstated the Mexico City Policy to make sure that taxpayer dollars wouldn’t be used to promote abortion overseas or to promote and provide abortion overseas or around the world.
And I was honored to cast the tie-breaking vote and to watch the President sign legislation that allowed states across the country to defund Planned Parenthood. (Applause.)
And speaking of the nation’s largest abortion provider, you know, we all remember back in 2015 when those chilling undercover videos were on the airwaves of the nation that showed horrific conversations about the sale and transfer of parts of aborted babies. So I want to be sure you know, just a few weeks ago, President Donald Trump ended fetal tissue research at the National Institutes of Health. (Applause.)
You know, it is remarkable to think, at a time when more and more Americans — especially younger Americans are embracing the sanctity of life — that the party that once said abortion should be safe, and legal, and rare, now supports abortion on demand, even late-term abortion.
In state legislatures across the country, Democrats are endorsing late-term abortion. And we all saw where the Democrat governor of Virginia openly defended infanticide.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: You should also know that Democrats in the Senate — including every Democrat running for President of the United States — voted against a bill that would prevent newborn babies who survived failed abortions from being killed. It’s known as the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act.
It now seems that there’s even a litmus test in the Democrat campaign for President that taxpayer funding must be provided for abortion throughout pregnancy.
You know, it wasn’t that long ago that we had a bipartisan consensus in the Congress and across the country that we shouldn’t take the tax dollars of millions of pro-life Americans and use it to fund a procedure that they find morally objectionable. It was the genius that was enshrined decades ago in the Hyde Amendment, named after the legendary pro-life congressman from Illinois, Henry Hyde.
But today, things are different. Even some leading Democrats who supported the Hyde Amendment for decades are now embracing taxpayer funding of abortion at any stage of pregnancy, no exceptions.
You know, I’ve long believed that a society can be judged by how it deals with its most vulnerable: the aged, the infirmed, the disabled, and the unborn. And so let me say, with so many Democrats standing for late-term abortion and a culture of death, I promise you this President, this party, and this movement will always stand for the unalienable right to life. (Applause.) We will.
So, we’ve been growing our economy. We’ve been providing for our national defense. We’ve been standing up for our values at home and abroad. But men and women of Faith and Freedom, we know there are still challenges that we face as a nation.
And most poignantly in the hearts and minds of Americans today, there is now a broad national realization of what the President and I have been saying for more than a year: We have a crisis on our southern border, and it’s like we’ve never seen before.
We’re actually on track, this year, for nearly a million people to come across our southern border to take advantage of loopholes in our laws. And for the first time in history, the majority of them are families that are being enticed by human traffickers who charge them $5,000 a person, by most estimates. They’re enticed to pay cash to be taken on the long and dangerous journey north to our border. And it’s a dangerous journey fraught with unspeakable violence.
Seventy percent of illegal immigrants, once they present at the border, report being victims of violence along the way. According to Doctors Without Borders, nearly one-third of young women traveling to our southern border from Central America are sexually assaulted on the journey.
And this week, the heart of our nation broke when we saw the tragic photograph of Oscar Alberto Martinez and his 23-month-old daughter Angie Valeria drowned in the Rio Grande. It shocked the conscience of the nation. But the truth is, what we saw then on the front page of every newspaper in America is what’s been happening for months. People facing violence, sexual abuse, and worse. Being brought up by people who have no regard for human life, enticing them for their profit to make the dangerous journey north.
I saw it firsthand when I was visiting the border. I went to the detention facility. And to see these families, literally in numbers that have been overwhelming our system, was heartbreaking to me. To think of the way these poor and vulnerable families have been taken advantage of by these cartels and human traffickers was heartbreaking to see.
But the America people are realizing we have a crisis on our southern border. That’s why this President declared a national emergency in January. And I’m proud to report we’ve already started to build that wall. We’ll have 400 miles of wall built by the end of next year. (Applause.)
That’s why President Trump took a strong stand and demanded that Mexico do more to secure our border and theirs. And thanks to the President’s leadership, now Homeland Security projects that, largely owing to Mexico’s action, illegal crossings at our southern border are already down by 25 percent in the last month alone. (Applause.)
And that’s why after six months where Democrats denied there was a crisis at our border, they denied additional funding for resources to care for the vulnerable families flowing across our border, they denied additional resources for beds or facilities — President Trump, again, stood strong. And this week our President negotiated a bipartisan bill that, when he signs it on Monday, will speed $4.6 billion in humanitarian aid to support the compassionate work of Health and Human Services and our Customs and Border Protection. (Applause.)
Finally, help is on the way. But, men and women, we still got more work to do. At a time when migrants south of our border are facing violence, sexual assault, and worse, it really is astonishing that many of the leading Democrats running for President continue to advocate open borders and policies that would make it easier for human traffickers to entice vulnerable families to take the long and dangerous journey north. It’s true.
For instance, despite the fact that 10 years ago, President Obama promised that Obamacare, in his words, would 「not apply to those who are here illegally,」 this week every major Democrat candidate for President promised to offer free taxpayer-funded health care to illegal immigrants.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And many even promised to decriminalize illegal immigration altogether. And maybe most remarkable of all, after spending the last six months denying there was a crisis at our southern border and doing nothing while our courageous and compassionate Customs and Border Protection personnel were overwhelmed by that crisis, now some Democrats want to lecture us about their moral concern for the people caught up in this crisis.
And let me be clear on this point: There’s nothing compassionate about open borders. There’s nothing compassionate about refusing to change the laws that human traffickers use to take advantage of poor families.
Those who would advocate open borders, free healthcare for illegal immigrants, and making illegal immigration legal are making it easier for human traffickers to mistreat poor and vulnerable families. That is morally wrong, and that has got to stop! (Applause.)
The moral thing to do — and I believe in my heart of hearts, the compassionate thing to do — is to secure our border, provide humanitarian support to families that are being exploited by these criminal syndicates, reform our asylum laws, and send a deafening message south of our border that if you want to come to the United States of America, you must come legally or not at all. (Applause.)
And I’ll make you a promise: Whatever Democrats want to do to continue to deny and obstruct our efforts to secure our border, end this crisis, and reform laws, we’re going to keep working. We’re going to keep telling the story. We’re going to keep finding allies in Congress and across this country. And we’re going to fix this broken immigration system once and for all. (Applause.)
So, men and women, it’s amazing to think, in just over two years under this President’s leadership, from the world stage to here at home, our values are winning again. Freedom is winning again. But to keep on winning, we’ve got to keep on fighting.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Four more years! (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: We got to keep on fighting. We got to keep on fighting for the values that have made this country great and for the people that are willing to champion them. I’m here to tell you — and chief among them is freedom. Chief among them is freedom
You know, America was founded on a very simple principle, and that idea was liberty. Enshrined on the Liberty Bell itself are some ancient words from Leviticus that read, 「Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all inhabitants thereof.」
It’s amazing to think, though, over our lifetimes the support for liberty, the defense of liberty — of free market economics, of unalienable rights — has principally, it seems, fallen to our Party and our movement.
Today, Democrats openly advocate an economic system that has impoverished millions around the world and robbed the liberties of generations. That system is socialism.
Earlier this week, we heard leading Democratic candidates for President defend socialism. But I think all of you know it was freedom, not socialism, that gave us the strongest and most prosperous nation in the history of the world. (Applause.)
It was freedom, not socialism, that ended slavery, won two world wars, and stands today as a beacon of hope for all the world! (Applause.)
And so as this debate begins in the next 18 months, we must resolve here to say, as the President said in his State of the Union Address, America will never be a socialist country! (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Men and women, the choice in this coming election has never been clearer and the stakes have never been higher. We made great progress in the last two and half years, but now is the time for us to redouble our efforts. Now is the time for us to come alongside the men and women who have been standing up for the values that we cherish, whether that be in statehouses or in the Congress, or making sure that President Donald Trump gets four more years in the White House. (Applause.)
America has got a choice to make. But when I’m gathered in front of all of you tonight and see this incredible group, and think about the work that we’ve done together over the last several decades to renew and strengthen the foundations of this great nation; when I see the way you’ve lifted up a generation of men and women, from this President on down, that have been standing strong and without apology on all those great and timeless American ideals, I’m confident. I’m confident that we are going to continue to build on the progress that we’ve made.
So I encourage all of you to have faith. You’re going to have a great evening tonight and I want to get out of your way — (laughter) — because you’re going to hear from some wonderful people and share some great moments.
But I just do — I want to encourage all of you as we go into this next 18 months: Have faith. Have faith in the American people that the progress that we’ve made as a result of the fact that when we take the timeless ideals of this country to our nation — when we say that America can be strong again, America can be prosperous again, we can build it all on the foundation of faith and freedom upon which our forbearers have stood — that the American people will rally to our cause.
I truly believe that history shows that every time the American people are given a choice between more freedom and more government, they choose more freedom every single time. So have faith in the American people. (Applause.)
And have faith in this President that they elected. You know, I got to tell you, one of the most amusing words I ever hear, when people will stop me on a rope line, at an airport, or at a diner and they’ll say, 「Tell the President to keep going.」 (Applause.) I tell them, 「There’s something you never need to say.」 (Laughter and applause.) There is no rearview mirror for President Donald Trump! It’s all out the windshield! It’s all going forward! This President is going to keep fighting for the values and ideals that are making this country great. (Applause.) I promise you. Am I right? I’m right.
And lastly, as I close, let me encourage you, finally, to have faith in the American people, have faith in this President and all the principled men and women of integrity that have rallied to our cause.
And lastly, have that other kind of faith and take time to avail yourself. You know, the sweetest words the President and I ever hear — and we hear it a lot — are when people will reach across a line and grab your hand and —
AUDIENCE MEMBER: We’re praying for you!
AUDIENCE MEMBER: We’re praying for you!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — and say, 「We’re praying for you.」 (Applause.) And I can tell you, it moves us deeply. So I want to encourage you to avail yourself, to just know that, as the Bible says, 「A prayer reaches heaven, his holy dwelling place.」 That 「the effective and fervent prayer of a righteous [people] availeth much.」
And as we think in these divided times in this country about how we heal the division that seems so evident in so many issues, I think I just know that — you in this room know that — the wellspring of our national unity has been in our ideals, and it’s been in our faith.
And that if His people who are called by His name will humble themselves and pray, He’ll do like He’s always done through the long and storied history of this country. He’ll hear from Heaven and he’ll heal this land — (applause) — this one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. (Applause.)
So pray for America. Pray for all of the American people, because pray matters and it will make a difference.
So thank you for the honor of addressing you tonight. Thank you for the encouragement that you’ve given us.
And while I have your attention, on behalf of my wife, who is about a third of a world away right now, let me just say thank you for the great privilege of being your Vice President. It is the greatest honor of my life. (Applause.)
And I just know — I just know with your continued support and efforts and prayers; with men and women of integrity elected and reelected at every level, statehouse to Capitol Hill; with President Donald Trump in the White House; and with God’s help, we will make America more prosperous than ever before. We will make America safer than ever before. And to borrow a phrase — (laughter) — we will make America great again.
Thank you all very much. God bless you. And God bless America. (Applause.)
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