title: 'America Is Once Again Ready to Lead': Trump Lays Out Bold, Inspirational Vision
content: WASHINGTON -- With one speech President Donald Trump set out to unify a divided nation , inspire the future and assure Americans he intends to keep his promises .
  What we 're witnessing today , the president says , is a renewal of the American spirit .
  `` Our allies will find that America is once again ready to lead , '' Trump assured the audience .
  He set the tone with a public commemoration of Black History Month while reflecting on the work that remains to be done .
  Click here for President Trump 's speech to Congress , the Democratic response , and ███ News analysis from our Washington studio .
  `` Recent threats targeting Jewish Community Centers and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries as well as last week 's shooting in Kansas City remind us that while we may be a nation divided on policies , we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all of its very ugly forms , '' Trump stated .
  He called education the civil rights issue of our day and suggested that allowing school choice will help revitalize urban regions failing minority youths .
  Despite court delays of his so called travel ban order , the president doubled down on his promise to get tough on illegal immigration .
  `` We are removing gang members , drug dealers and criminals that threaten our communities and prey on our citizens . Bad ones are going out as I speak , '' said Trump .
  House Speaker Paul Ryan , R-Wis. , says the president hit a home run . He succeeded in offering some details congressional Republicans can rally behind as he works to score some badly needed legislative victories .
  `` We should ensure that Americans with pre-existing conditions have access to coverage and that we have a stable transition for Americans currently enrolled in the healthcare exchanges , '' Trump said .
  In one of the night 's most moving moments , the president recognized Carryn Owens , widow of Senior Chief William `` Ryan '' Owens , who was killed last month in a covert raid against al Qaeda in Yemen . He was the first service member to die under Trump 's watch .
  `` For as the Bible teaches us , there is no greater active love than to lay down one 's life for one 's friends . Ryan laid down his life for his friends , for his country and for our freedom , '' Trump said .
  Tears streamed down his widow 's cheeks as members of Congress stood and clapped for several minutes .
  In an effort to appeal to evangelicals and Rust Belt voters who put Trump in the White House , Democrats chose former Kentucky Gov . Steve Beshear to deliver the party 's response .
  Beshear recounted his Baptist heritage , patriotism and family values from a diner in Lexington as he criticized the president for rolling back regulations , waging war on immigrants and calling to repeal Obamacare .
  `` You know , in 2010 , this country made a commitment : that every American deserved health care they could afford and rely on . And we Democrats are going to do everything in our power to keep President Trump and the Republican Congress from reneging on that commitment , '' Beshear warned .
  Meanwhile , the president asked Congress to dream big and dare bold moves for the nation .
  `` This is our vision . This is our mission , '' Trump said . `` But we can only get there together . We are one people with one destiny . We all bleed the same blood . We all salute the same great American flag and we are all made by the same God . ''
  Immediately following the address , congressional members had a lot to say about President Trump 's joint address .
  `` I thought you saw a bold , positive message , a message that I think resonates with the American people , '' said Sen. Ted Cruz , R-Texas .
  Many spoke highly of the president 's unifying speech and statesman-like demeanor .
  `` I give him an A+ , '' said Congressman Jody Hice , R-Ga. `` I think he knocked it out of the park and went straight to the hearts of the American people , and I think he won the hearts of the American people . ''
  `` I think it was one of the best speeches I 've heard him give . It was a very powerful speech , '' he said .
  `` They gave him a teleprompter . He read off the teleprompter . What I 'm curious to see is what is he going to do when he 's speaking extemporaneously because that 's when the presidential character truly comes out , '' warned Congressman Donald McEachin , D-Va .
  Congressman Bobby Scott , D-Va. , told ███ News he wants more specifics from the president .
  `` There were a lot of good parts to it and spots of aspiration , but he was very weak on details , '' Scott noted . `` The budget , for example , provided more money for defense , more money for veterans , a trillion dollars for infrastructure , and tax cuts for corporations and middle class , and no indication of how the numbers would actually add up . ''
  But Republican lawmakers feel encouraged and are ready to work on priorities like immigration reform and repealing and replacing Obamacare .
  `` We 're going to work together , the Congress with the president , and we 're going to provide the American people the market-driven , competitive-driven healthcare , '' pledged Congressman Robert Pittenger , R-N.C .
  `` I think we are poised for this to be the most productive Congress in decades , '' Cruz said .
  Speaker Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky , met with President Trump ahead of his speech and told the media they are on board with the president 's bold agenda .
content_original: WASHINGTON -- With one speech President Donald Trump set out to unify a divided nation, inspire the future and assure Americans he intends to keep his promises.
  
  What we're witnessing today, the president says, is a renewal of the American spirit.
  
  "Our allies will find that America is once again ready to lead," Trump assured the audience.
  
  He set the tone with a public commemoration of Black History Month while reflecting on the work that remains to be done.
  
  Click here for President Trump's speech to Congress, the Democratic response, and CBN News analysis from our Washington studio.
  
  "Recent threats targeting Jewish Community Centers and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries as well as last week's shooting in Kansas City remind us that while we may be a nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all of its very ugly forms," Trump stated.
  
  He called education the civil rights issue of our day and suggested that allowing school choice will help revitalize urban regions failing minority youths.
  
  Immigration
  
  Despite court delays of his so called travel ban order, the president doubled down on his promise to get tough on illegal immigration.
  
  "We are removing gang members, drug dealers and criminals that threaten our communities and prey on our citizens. Bad ones are going out as I speak," said Trump.
  
  House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., says the president hit a home run. He succeeded in offering some details congressional Republicans can rally behind as he works to score some badly needed legislative victories.
  
  "We should ensure that Americans with pre-existing conditions have access to coverage and that we have a stable transition for Americans currently enrolled in the healthcare exchanges," Trump said.
  
  Honoring a Fallen Hero
  
  In one of the night's most moving moments, the president recognized Carryn Owens, widow of Senior Chief William "Ryan" Owens, who was killed last month in a covert raid against al Qaeda in Yemen. He was the first service member to die under Trump's watch.
  
  "For as the Bible teaches us, there is no greater active love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. Ryan laid down his life for his friends, for his country and for our freedom," Trump said.
  
  Tears streamed down his widow's cheeks as members of Congress stood and clapped for several minutes.
  
  The Democratic Response
  
  In an effort to appeal to evangelicals and Rust Belt voters who put Trump in the White House, Democrats chose former Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear to deliver the party's response.
  
  Beshear recounted his Baptist heritage, patriotism and family values from a diner in Lexington as he criticized the president for rolling back regulations, waging war on immigrants and calling to repeal Obamacare.
  
  "You know, in 2010, this country made a commitment: that every American deserved health care they could afford and rely on. And we Democrats are going to do everything in our power to keep President Trump and the Republican Congress from reneging on that commitment," Beshear warned.
  
  
  
  Meanwhile, the president asked Congress to dream big and dare bold moves for the nation.
  
  "This is our vision. This is our mission," Trump said. "But we can only get there together. We are one people with one destiny. We all bleed the same blood. We all salute the same great American flag and we are all made by the same God."
  
  Lawmakers Weigh In
  
  
  
  Immediately following the address, congressional members had a lot to say about President Trump's joint address.
  
  "I thought you saw a bold, positive message, a message that I think resonates with the American people," said Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.
  
  Many spoke highly of the president's unifying speech and statesman-like demeanor.
  
  "I give him an A+," said Congressman Jody Hice, R-Ga. "I think he knocked it out of the park and went straight to the hearts of the American people, and I think he won the hearts of the American people."
  
  Congressman Don Bacon, R-Neb., agreed.
  
  "I think it was one of the best speeches I've heard him give. It was a very powerful speech," he said.
  
  But not all House members were buying it.
  
  "They gave him a teleprompter. He read off the teleprompter. What I'm curious to see is what is he going to do when he's speaking extemporaneously because that's when the presidential character truly comes out," warned Congressman Donald McEachin, D-Va.
  
  Congressman Bobby Scott, D-Va., told CBN News he wants more specifics from the president.
  
  "There were a lot of good parts to it and spots of aspiration, but he was very weak on details," Scott noted. "The budget, for example, provided more money for defense, more money for veterans, a trillion dollars for infrastructure, and tax cuts for corporations and middle class, and no indication of how the numbers would actually add up."
  
  But Republican lawmakers feel encouraged and are ready to work on priorities like immigration reform and repealing and replacing Obamacare.
  
  "We're going to work together, the Congress with the president, and we're going to provide the American people the market-driven, competitive-driven healthcare," pledged Congressman Robert Pittenger, R-N.C.
  
  "I think we are poised for this to be the most productive Congress in decades," Cruz said.
  
  Speaker Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, met with President Trump ahead of his speech and told the media they are on board with the president's bold agenda.