Inaugural Address - January 1, 2018

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON AND HAPPY NEW YEAR. PLEASE, BE SEATED. MY FELLOW RHODE ISLANDERS, THE SPEAKER, THE SENATE PRESIDENT, ELECTED LEADERS, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, AND MOST SPECIAL TO ME, MY LOVING AND SUPPORTIVE FAMILY. I AM HUMBLED THAT YOU ONCE AGAIN PLACED YOUR TRUST IN ME, AND TOGETHER, WILL CONTINUE BRINGING THE CHANGE TO RHODE ISLAND THAT WILL SET US ON A PATH OF ENDURING SUCCESS. FOUR YEARS AGO, I STOOD HERE BEFORE YOU, AND AT THAT TIME, WE FACED A VERY DIFFERENT RHODE ISLAND AND WE DO TODAY. AS I RECALL, IT WAS CONSIDERABLY COLDER. THE FOUNDATION OF OUR ECONOMY HAD ERODED. OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AT THAT TIME WAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN AMERICA. OUR ROADS, BRIDGES AND SCHOOLS WERE CRUMBLING ALL AROUND US, AND WE DID NOT EVEN HAVE A PLAN TO FIX THEM. WE FELL VURNERABLE AS WE SAW THE PEOPLE WE LOVE LOSE THEIR JOBS, LOSE THEIR HOMES, AND LOSE THEIR CONFIDENCE. I OFTEN THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT MY DAD SAID TO ME. HE SAID OUR LEADERS DID NOT ACT, AND RHODE ISLANDERS GOT LEFT BEHIND. IN THOSE FIRST FEW MONTHS THAT I WAS GOVERNOR, I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES SOMEBODY ASKED ME, DO YOU REALLY THINK WE CAN TURN THIS ECONOMY AROUND? AND SO TODAY, I BEGIN WITH A THANK YOU. BECAUSE AT THAT TIME, I STOOD HERE AND I ASKED ALL OF YOU TO JOIN ME IN COMMITTING YOURSELVES TO TURNING AROUND RHODE ISLAND'S ECONOMY. AND RHODE ISLANDERS FROM ALL ACROSS THIS STATE ANSWERED THAT CALL, AND YOU’VE DUG IN, AND WE HAVE MADE GREAT PROGRESS. SO I BEGIN BY SAYING THANK YOU TO ALL THE PEOPLE OF RHODE ISLAND WHO ROLLED UP YOUR SLEEVES AND HELPED US TO FACE OUR CHALLENGES. BECAUSE TOGETHER, WE BELIEVED WE COULD IGNITE AN ECONOMIC COMEBACK. TOGETHER, WE BELIEVED IT WAS POSSIBLE TO CHANGE THE WAY WE DID THINGS. AND TOGETHER, WE BELIEVED THAT WITH DEDICATION AND PERSEVERANCE, RHODE ISLAND COULD ONCE AGAIN STAND TALL, STAND PROUD, AND STAND WITH CONFIDENCE. AND OVER FOUR SHORT YEARS, WE’VE MADE THE CHOICES THAT SPURRED THE ECONOMY TO GROW BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS. IT TOOK CHANGE. WE’VE CHANGED THE WAY WE DO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. WE’VE CHANGED THE WAY WE INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND WE’VE CHANGED THE WAY WE DO JOB TRAINING. AS A RESULT, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PUT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE BACK TO WORK, AND ENSURE THEY CAN PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND HAVE PRIDE IN THE WORK THEY DO. WE HAVE CREATED JOB-TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE YOUNG ADULTS AT THE START OF HER CAREER, AND THE MIDDLE-AGED PARENT LOOKING FOR A WAY OUT OF A LOW-PAYING JOB. WE HAVE LAUNCHED A ONCE IN A GENERATION INVESTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR CHILDREN CAN GO TO A SCHOOL THAT IS WARM, SAFE, AND DRY, AND THAT ANY PARENT WOULD BE PROUD TO SEND THEM TO. AND WE HAVE MADE A PROMISE TO ALL OF OUR YOUNG ADULTS THAT THEY CAN ATTEND COMMUNITY COLLEGE TUITION FREE. THERE CAN BE NO QUESTION THAT WE HAVE STOPPED OUR DECLINE AND THIS NEW APPROACH IS WORKING. SO TODAY, NOW, LET'S COMMIT OURSELVES TO SUSTAINING THIS COME BACK UNTIL EVERY SINGLE RHODE ISLANDER IS INCLUDED, AND LET'S MAKE THE CHOICES THAT WILL POSITION OUR STATE FOR SUCCESS FOR THE LONG HAUL. YOU SEE, OUR WORK IS NOT DONE. OUR WORK IS NOT DONE UNTIL WE LIFT UP THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING THE MOST. OUR WORK IS NOT DONE UNTIL WE END THE OPIOID CRISIS AND ENSURE THAT THOSE IN RECOVERY ARE INCLUDED IN OUR ECONOMIC COMEBACK. OUR WORK IS NOT DONE UNTIL WE CAN ENSURE THAT EVERY RHODE ISLANDER WILLING TO WORK HARD CAN GET A GOOD JOB. AND OUR WORK IS CERTAINLY NOT DONE UNTIL WOMEN AND MEN HAVE THE SAME ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND CAN THRIVE IN WORKPLACES FREE OF HARASSMENT. AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TAKE A MINUTE TO RECOGNIZE THE RECORD NUMBERS OF WOMEN WHO RUN FOR OFFICE AND ARE TAKING ON POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE, HERE IN RHODE ISLAND AND THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTRY. WE ARE COUNTING ON YOU TO STAY AT THE TABLE LONG ENOUGH TO MAKE LASTING CHANGE. FOR FOUR YEARS, WE HAVE FOUGHT HARD TO MAKE RHODE ISLAND A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT THEY CAN MAKE A GOOD LIFE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. AND AS WE CONTINUE OUR JOURNEY TO ENSURE THAT OUR ECONOMIC COMEBACK TOUCHES EVERY RHODE ISLANDER, WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL AND REALISTIC ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE. I DO NOT HAVE TO TELL YOU, BUT OUR COUNTRY IS MORE DIVIDED THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN. THIS IS TRUE PARTLY BECAUSE ECONOMIC INEQUALITY IS GREATER THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN IN THE LAST CENTURY. AND SADLY, TOO MANY FACE A REALITY THAT NO MATTER HOW HARD THEY WORK, THEY JUST CANNOT GET AHEAD. AND MANY SEEK TO DIVIDE US FURTHER WITH HATEFUL WORDS AND ACTIONS OFTEN BORN OUT OF FEAR AND RESENTMENT. TOO OFTEN, WE DON'T EVEN TAKE TIME TO TALK TO EACH OTHER AND UNDERSTAND POINTS OF VIEWS THAT ARE DIFFERENT FROM OUR OWN. THIS DIVISION LEAVES MANY OF US SCARED FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY AND THE WORLD OUR KIDS WILL GROW UP IN. FOR THE US VERSUS THEM MENTALITY THAT DRIVES IN TODAY'S POLITICAL CLIMATE, SO AT THIS MOMENT, WITH THE STAKES SO HIGH, OUR CHALLENGE IS TO RECALL AND ADHERE TO THE FOUNDING PRINCIPLES AND VALUES OF THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND. INCLUSION. EQUALITY. AND TOLERANCE. WE BELIEVE THAT ALL PEOPLE DESERVE TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY, NO MATTER YOUR RACE, YOUR RELIGION, YOUR GENDER, YOUR ETHNICITY, WHO YOU LOVE OR WHERE YOU ARE FROM. LET'S ALSO FIND THE COURAGE TO BRING TO THE TABLE PERSPECTIVES THAT HAVE OFTEN BEEN MISSING. SOMETIMES THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST MINDS HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED OR IGNORED. WE NEED THEIR VOICES AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL IN THE JUDICIARY, IN BOARDROOMS, AND GOVERNMENT, IN PUBLIC SAFETY. THIS DIVERSITY WILL MAKE ALL OF OUR DECISIONS BETTER. OUR OTHER GREAT CHALLENGES TO ACCELERATE OUR ECONOMIC PROGRESS AT A TIME OF UNPRECEDENTED RAPID CHANGES IN OUR GLOBAL ECONOMY. AND TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT INCLUDES EVERYBODY. EXPANDING OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL IS THE ONLY WAY TO ENSURE THAT OUR ECONOMY IS RESILIENCE IN THE YEARS TO COME. TO EVERY RHODE ISLANDER OUT THERE, AND THERE ARE MANY, WHO ARE STILL STRUGGLING. TO EVERY RHODE ISLANDER OUT THERE WHO STILL DOES NOT FEEL INCLUDED IN OUR RECOVERY, I WANT YOU TO KNOW TODAY THAT WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL WE HAVE REACHED YOU. WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL OUR STUDENTS ARE SET UP TO ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS FROM PRE-K THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AND BEYOND. A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA CAN NO LONGER BE THE ENDPOINT OF OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM, AND KINDERGARTEN CAN NO LONGER BE THE STARTING POINT. WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE INVESTING IN OUR CHILDREN DURING THEIR EARLIEST YEARS, FROM PRE-K TO HIGH SCHOOL, AND WHATEVER COMES NEXT. IT IS OUR OBLIGATION TO SET OUR KIDS ON A PATH FOR SUCCESS. WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL EVERY RHODE ISLANDER HAS A SHOT AT A GOOD PAYING JOB. OUR WORLD IS CHANGING SO FAST, FASTER THAN ANY OF US HAVE EVER SEEN. FASTER THAN AT ANY TIME IN OUR LIFETIME. OUR ECONOMY IS CHANGING FASTER THAN A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN KEEP UP WITH. AND SO THAT MEANS WE ALL HAVE TO BE LIFELONG LEARNERS. NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, WHERE YOU COME FROM, OR WHAT POINT YOU ARE AT IN YOUR CAREER. YOU DESERVE ACCESS TO A GOOD EDUCATION, TO AN APPRENTICESHIP, TO JOB-TRAINING THAT WILL HELP YOU TO GET A JOB AND KEEP A JOB AND GET AHEAD IN WHATEVER FIELD YOU CHOOSE. WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL EDUCATION, HIGHER EDUCATION IS AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO EVERY SINGLE RHODE ISLANDER. IF YOU WANT TO WORK HARD, A COLLEGE EDUCATION SHOULD THE WITHIN REACH. IF YOU ARE A TEENAGER FROM CENTRAL FALLS OR A SINGLE MOM FROM WORWICK WHO IS LOOKING TO GET A DEGREE AND GET A NEW JOB, OR ANYBODY IN BETWEEN, WE ARE GOING TO MAKE RHODE ISLAND A PLACE WHERE YOU HAVE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION. NOW, WORKING TOGETHER, WE HAVE OUR READY MADE GREAT STRIDES IN THIS REGARD AND WE HAVE ALREADY SET OUR STATE ON THE STRONG PATH, BUT NOW, IT IS TIME TO MAKE THIS DREAM A REALITY FOR EVERY SINGLE RHODE ISLANDER. I CANNOT THINK OF ANY PRIORITY MORE URGENT TO ENSURING OUR COLLECTIVE ECONOMIC RESILIENCY IN THE YEARS TO COME THAN THIS. WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL WE DOUBLE DOWN ON LASTING COMMITMENTS TO PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT. LET'S BE PROUD THAT WE ARE FROM THE OCEAN STATE. LET'S REMAIN COMMITTED TO SECURING RENEWABLE ENERGY AND PROTECTING OUR GREEN SPACES TO ENSURE THAT OUR STATE'S NATURAL BEAUTY CAN BE ENJOYED FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL EVERY RHODE ISLANDER HAS THE PEACE OF MIND TO KNOW THAT THEIR HEALTH CARE WILL BE THERE WHEN THEY NEED IT MOST. NO ONE SHOULD EVER HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN PAYING FOR HEALTH CARE AND PAYING THE RENT. HEALTH CARE IS UNDER ATTACK ALL ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, BUT HERE IN RHODE ISLAND, WE KNOW THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT IS SAVING LIVES, AND WE KNOW IT IS THE REASON THOUSANDS OF RHODE ISLANDERS FINALLY HAVE THE PEACE OF MIND THAT THEY DESERVE. SO LET'S RESOLVE TO KEEP IT THAT WAY IN THE FACE OF THESE ATTACKS ALL ACROSS OUR COUNTRY, LET'S RESOLVE TO PROTECT HEALTH CARE IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND. AND WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL WE HAVE COMMON SENSE GUN LAWS. IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO SEND OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS EACH TIME A SENSELESS ACT OF GUN VIOLENCE TAKES AWAY A LIFE FULL OF PROMISE. IT IS NOT ENOUGH. I HAVE BEEN GOVERNOR FOR FOUR YEARS. SINCE I HAVE BEEN GOVERNOR, I HAVE LOWERED THE FLAGS AT THE STATEHOUSE 13 TIMES FOR 200 AND 23 -- FOR 223 LIVES LOST IN MASS SHOOTINGS. 223 LIVES LOST. IT IS TIME TO BAN ASSAULT WEAPONS AND HIGH-CAPACITY MAGAZINES. OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE AND LIVES DEPEND ON IT. NO MATTER THE RHETORIC IN WASHINGTON OR THE DEVISIVENESS WE SEE ON TELEVISION, NO MATTER THE ATTEMPTS TO USE FEAR TO BREED ANGER. RHODE ISLANDERS OF ALL RACES AND FAITHS AND BACKGROUNDS CAN UNITE. WE CAN UNITE AND RISE ABOVE OUR DIFFERENCES SO THAT OUR PROGRESS WILL ENDURE. AFTER ALL, IT IS RHODE ISLAND. LET'S LET OUR SIZE BE OUR STRENGTH. HERE IN RHODE ISLAND, WE ARE CONNECTED. WE ARE CONNECTED TO OUR NEIGHBORS. WE REALLY DO KNOW OUR TEACHER'S KIDS AND THEIR COACHES. SOMETIMES WE FIGURE OUT WE ARE RELATED TO THEM. OUR LIVES ARE LINKED FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION. AND OUR SPECIAL STATE THAT HAS A CONNECTIVITY AND A CONNECTION THAT NO OTHER STATE HAS. AND WE KNOW HOW TO COME TOGETHER TO MAKE RHODE ISLAND A STATE THAT WE CAN BE PROUD TO CALL HOME. AND AS A RESULT, WE ARE DELIVERING RESULTS THAT KEEP THE AMERICAN DREAM ALIVE AND WELL FOR THE PEOPLE OF RHODE ISLAND. WE ARE MAKING THE PROMISE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY A REALITY THROUGH OUR ACTIONS. YES, WE DISAGREE. IT IS TRUE. WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE, BUT IN THE END, WE GET THINGS DONE. AND I BELIEVE THAT THE CURE TO ALL OF THE DIVISIVENESS THAT WE SEE IS ACTION. DELIVERING FOR PEOPLE, HELPING PEOPLE TO SECURE THEIR DREAMS. SO LET'S SHOW EVERYBODY WHAT RHODE ISLAND CAN DO. AND WHILE WE WORK TOGETHER OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS TO CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS AND SECURE OUR FUTURE, LET'S ANCHOR OURSELVES TO HOPE. HOPE WILL MAKE US RESILIENT, AND HOPE CANNOT EASILY BE TAKEN AWAY. AND HOPE WILL GUIDE US TO OUR LASTING PROGRESS. AS I STAND HERE AND LOOK OUT ON OUR CAPITAL CITY, I AM FILLED WITH OPTIMISM, I AM FILLED WITH OPTIMISM BECAUSE I’VE SEEN WHAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER AND HOW MUCH WE CAN ACCOMPLISH WHEN WE COME TOGETHER. AND I KNOW THAT EVEN MORE IS POSSIBLE, AND I LOOK AT YOU TODAY AND I SEE SO MANY RHODE ISLANDERS WHO ARE EAGER TO CONTINUE PUSHING OUR STATE FORWARD. AND YOU ARE EXCITED FOR OUR PROGRESS, BUT YOU KNOW WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE TO DO TOGETHER, SO LET'S COMMIT OURSELVES TO SHOWING OUR FAMILY AND OUR FRIENDS AND OUR NEIGHBORS AND OUR CHILDREN THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO GET THINGS DONE. AND THAT WHEN WE DO WORK TOGETHER, WE ARE AT OUR VERY BEST. I WANT YOU TO ASK YOURSELVES NOW , I WANT YOU TO ASK YOURSELVES, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO ROOT FOR RHODE ISLAND? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO HELP BUILD A BRIGHT AND ENDURING FUTURE FOR ALL OF OUR CHILDREN? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO HELP PUT ASIDE THE THINGS THAT SEPARATE US TO MAKE THE STATE A BETTER PLACE? BECAUSE YOU SEE, WHEN WE RECOGNIZE THAT OUR FUTURES AND OUR LIVES ARE CONNECTED, AND WHEN WE COMMIT TO LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND AND TAKING EVERYONE ALONG IN OUR ECONOMIC RECOVERY, WHEN WE DELIVER ON THE PROMISE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL, THAT’S SUCCESS. AND WHEN WE DO THAT, AND I KNOW WE WILL, WE WILL OVERCOME OUR FEARS, AND WE WILL MAKE RHODE ISLAND A BEACON OF HOPE FOR ALL OF AMERICA TO SEE. THANK YOU. GOD BLESS YOU, AND GOD BLESS RHODE ISLAND.