| 與偉大的總統川普一起站在神的身邊的美國副總統彭斯。 |
【人民報消息】（人民報翻譯彭斯副總統6月30日在信仰與自由聯盟的愛國者聯盟晚會上的講話全文，供各位觀看和引用。彭斯副總統是一位非常虔誠的神的信仰者，與川普總統配合默契，實在是美國和世界之大幸。）
彭斯副總統在信仰與自由聯盟的愛國者聯盟晚會上講話
演講時間：2019年6月30日
演講地點：華盛頓特區奧姆尼-肖勒姆酒店
副總統：謝謝大家。謝謝大家的熱烈歡迎。（掌聲）謝謝大家。謝謝你們。這是-回來真是太好了。很高興回到信仰與自由聯盟的男人和女人之中。而且我對我之前的話語感到特別榮幸。你知道，亞伯拉罕·林肯說他生命中唯一的抱負就是受到他所尊重的人的尊敬。所以你們願意和我一起感謝拉爾夫·裏德對這個偉大的聯盟以及整個美國的這場運動的傑出領導。（掌聲）
拉爾夫和我認識很久了，從頭髮沒變白的年輕時代就已經相識了。（笑聲）拉爾夫非常了解我，知道我對他的讚美言辭感到謙卑，不過我更喜歡對自己的介紹短一些：我依舊是基督徒，保守派和共和黨人。（掌聲）我很榮幸今晚和你們在一起。
我們是在地方和公共服務領域的講壇以及代表我們價值觀的領導組織中發揮重要作用的成員之一。但我很榮幸今晚能加入到我心目中所有真正英雄，比如俄克拉荷馬州的參議員詹姆斯·蘭克福德，之中來。（掌聲）
和我們在一起的尤金·斯卡利亞（Eugene Scalia），以及來自遠近的數百名信仰的美國人，以及所有那些看着慶祝活動的人。很高興今晚和你們一起參加愛國者隊的慶祝活動。
我也明白，今晚晚些時候，信仰與自由聯盟將會認識到另一位在我成年後一直欽佩的美國人。作爲一名教育者,一名歷史學家，作爲公衆電視臺的聲音，就像很少的美國人一樣,他是一個傳播保守信息的人。他是前教育部長。他一直在教育美國人關於我們價值觀的力量和自由的基礎。請允許我今晚向今年「溫斯頓·丘吉爾終身成就獎」的獲獎者比爾·貝內特（Bill Bennett）表示祝賀。今天能和你在一起很榮幸。（掌聲）祝賀你。當之無愧。祝賀，比爾。
說到我的朋友，讓我今晚開始帶來我的另一位朋友的問候。他在世界的另一邊，但我知道他的心與你們所有人在一起。我知道他爲信仰與自由聯盟舉辦一週的聚會拉開序幕。因此，請允許我帶來美利堅合衆國第45任總統唐納德·川普（特朗普）總統的問候。（掌聲）
你知道，我引用本週開始總統說的，「美國人對上帝的信仰已經塑造了我們國家的性格，使我們的國家成爲了世界的光明。」總統補充說，我們的政府是「爲所有美國人而戰，我們正以前所未有的方式接納信仰團體。」
感謝你們的支持和感謝這位總統的領導，我很高興向你們報告，整個美國的信仰和自由正在上升。（掌聲）
你知道，擔任川普總統的副總統是我生命中最大的榮幸，因爲總統每天起床只是爲了兌現他對美國人民的承諾。而且他每天都沒有爲堅持信仰和自由而道歉。我看到的是，媒體記者們的攝像機關閉之後的真實情景。這是一個-這是一個行動的總統。但唐納德·川普總統是一個信守諾言的人，他一直對全美的信仰團體信守諾言。（掌聲）
你知道，我認爲過去兩年你只能用一種方式描述。這是兩年的行動。這是兩年半的結果。這是兩年半對承諾的保證和承諾的信守。（掌聲）但我們只是剛剛開始。（掌聲）
我想說的是，請想一下。川普總統承諾通過遏制繁文縟節，釋放美國能源，爭取公平貿易協議以及通過美國曆史上最大規模的減稅和稅制改革來振興美國經濟。而這正是我們所做的。結果非常好。（掌聲）
而你們來自美國各地，所以你們不需要我告訴你們，但無論如何，我還是要告訴你們。（笑聲）
自2016年選舉日以來新增就業崗位580萬。失業率處於50年來的最低點。（掌聲）十多年來，工資以最快的速度增長。
可能對總統和我最有意義的是：工作的和藍領的美國人的工資增長速度最快。被遺忘的美國男人和女人不再被遺忘。（掌聲）每個美國人再次有機會美夢成真。（掌聲）
女性失業率處於60年來的最低點，這是非洲裔美國人和西班牙裔美國人有史以來最低的失業率。（掌聲）
我可以在這個房間告訴你第一手資料，信心又回來了，工作又回來了。總之一句話，美國又回來了。（掌聲）
聽衆：美國！美國！美國！
副總統：但衆所周知，我們繁榮的基礎是安全。在這方面，總統也一直很忙。多年來，我們看到不計後果的削減軍費，在我們上任的時候，實際上美國的軍用飛機已經停飛，它們的作用只是用來作爲其它用途飛機的備件，以便民用飛機可以在空中正常飛行。
感謝這位總統的領導和我們在美國國會的強大盟友，川普總統簽署了自羅納德·里根時代以來最大的一次國防增幅。（掌聲）我們正在重建我們的軍隊。我們正在恢復民主的力量。我們再次爲我們的士兵，水手，飛行員，海軍陸戰隊和海岸警衛隊提供他們應得的資源和訓練。（掌聲）
我們的這位總統重振這種美國的力量，他希望得到人民的支持，再一次成爲自由世界領袖的角色。
我們底氣十足的與盟友站在一起，我們讓我們的盟友做得比以往任何時候都多。
正如我今天站在你們面前一樣，我們的北約盟國爲我們的共同防禦做出了比他們四十年來更多的貢獻。
這位總統已經站了起來。他站在我們的盟友身邊，特別是我們最珍惜的盟友，川普總統兌現了前四屆政府擱置一旁的承諾，把美國大使館搬到以色列首都耶路撒冷。（掌聲）
這就是我們所說的承諾的保證和承諾的信守。憑藉這種更新的美國力量，我們也能夠面對那些在全世界挑戰美國的對手。
這位總統已經通知伊朗，我們將不再容忍他們的惡毒行爲及其在世界上的恐怖主義蔓延。我們把朝鮮帶到了談判桌上。在我們發言時，總統在朝鮮半島。並且可能會在這晚餐結束前去停戰軍事分界線。
我們已根據我們的條件，在他們的土地上與激進的伊斯蘭恐怖份子作鬥爭。感謝美國武裝部隊男女們和這個總司令的勇氣，伊斯蘭國控制的最後一英寸領土被捕獲。哈里發的黑旗不再在他們曾經控制過的土地上飄。（掌聲）
我很自豪的報告，在軍事勝利之後，美國也在這位總統的領導下，幫助重建尼尼微平原上遭受伊斯蘭國殘暴破壞的社區。我很自豪的報告，在國會合作夥伴的大力支持下，美國已經承諾提供超過3億美元的援助，用於重建被戰爭破壞的基督教和亞齊迪社區。（掌聲）
事實上，無論是在尼加拉瓜，還是在俄羅斯，伊朗，或者在中華人民共和國，無論在哪裏發生宗教迫害，美國都表現出強大的立場和呼喚。我想向你保證，這屆政府將繼續大聲疾呼，爲世界各地的人民爭取良心和宗教自由。我們將堅持這一理想。（掌聲）
而且，世界各地受迫害的基督徒的男人和女人都應該得到我們的祈禱。我向你保證，他們將永遠得到美利堅合衆國的支持。我很自豪地說，這屆政府已經孜孜不倦地努力確保釋放面臨迫害和被囚禁的美國人，從埃及到委內瑞拉，到朝鮮到土耳其。感謝這位總統的頑強要求，經過兩年的囚禁，牧師安德魯·布倫森回家了。（掌聲。）
因此，我們在世界舞臺上爲有信仰的人和我們最珍惜的價值觀做好準備。正如你們所知道的那樣，在這個政府開始工作的第一天，我們就一直在美國支持這些價值觀。這位總統重申了我們對法治的承諾，重申了我們國家建立的憲法原則的基礎。
在過去的兩年裏，實際上，這位總統已經比美國曆史上任何總統任命了更多的我們聯邦上訴法院的法官。（掌聲）他們都是有原則的保守派，他們將維護載入我們憲法中的上帝賜予的自由，如宗教自由，言論自由和第二修正案保留和攜帶武器的權利。（掌聲）
我在法庭的長凳上認識了很多這樣的法官。他們是不可思議的。到目前爲止，聯邦法官確認的參議員共有114名，其中包括參議員蘭克福德和領導人麥康奈爾以及美國參議院的所有共和黨參議員。讓我們給予確認這些參議員的偉大共和黨籍法官，包括法官尼爾·戈薩奇和法官佈雷特·卡瓦諾一陣掌聲怎麼樣？（掌聲）
我們的政府也採取行動保護和促進我們的第一自由：每個美國人的宗教自由。
你知道，我可能不需要告訴你們所有人，我們生活在一個實際上嘲笑宗教信仰成爲時尚的時代。我們在媒體精英，電視評論員和自由派政治家中都看到了這個現象。
你們還記得在2016年他們稱我們可悲嗎？最近，我們的前副總統（拜登）實際上說，代表傳統道德價值觀的美國人，用他的話來說，是「不容忍的力量」，包括我引用的「社會渣滓」。
事實上，一位也有民族抱負的參議員說，我們政府的預算主管-恰好是一位信仰《聖經》的基督徒–並不像前副總統所說的那樣，因爲是基督徒就是社會渣滓，就是「這個國家應該關注的人」。
現在，我必須告訴你們，美國人民珍惜每一個公民的宗教自由和良心自由，這些對基督教信仰的攻擊必須停止。（掌聲。）
這不是我們作爲美國人的行爲。美國人珍惜每個人的信仰，每個人根據他們良心和傳統的要求，信仰或不信仰的良心自由。我讚揚你堅持這一原則。
我會向你許諾：在這位總統和本屆政府的領導下，我們將永遠與信仰的人站在一起。我們將始終捍衛每一個美國人，每一個信仰的宗教自由，願上帝幫助我們。（掌聲）
早在2016年，這位總統(川普)承諾，用他的話說，他將「捍衛你作爲個人、企業主和學術機構的宗教自由以及充分和自由的實踐你的宗教的權利。」而這正是他所做的。
在本屆政府中，我們已採取行動保護醫生和護士的良心權利。經過多年的疏忽，我們恢復了對我國良心法律的聯邦執法，結束了上屆政府對「安貧小姊妹會」（天主教的女修道會）的攻擊。（掌聲）
正如總統幾天前所說的那樣，在這個白宮，我們相信言論自由不應該停留在我們教堂和禮拜場所的前門。這就是我們結束執行約翰遜修正案的原因。（掌聲）我們將繼續努力一勞永逸地廢除約翰遜修正案。（掌聲）
你知道，你想像一下這個國家的言論自由和講壇-也許當比爾-貝內特今晚登上這個講臺，寫下建立這個國家的一些最重要的歷史時，他可以告訴你，當我們在1776年首次宣稱我們的自由時，這些講壇有多重要。
我們還上法院保護在公共廣場上的宗教言論表達的權力。令人驚訝的是，幾十年前，在馬里蘭州的克拉登斯堡建造了一個40英尺長的十字架，以紀念爲第一次世界大戰中爲我們自由而戰的人們。多年來，這個十字架高高聳立，是我們國家對那些英雄的感激之情的象徵。但最近，左翼活動人士威脅要將其拆除。
但在本屆政府中，我們支持馬里蘭州的和平十字架。（掌聲）上週，美國最高法院以7比2的投票結果表示，馬里蘭州和平十字勳章可以留下來。（掌聲）
因此，我們主張自由，法治和憲法自由的基礎。但是，讓我從內心深處告訴你：讓我感到無比自豪的是，爲一位堅持代表着人類生命神聖性的總統擔任副總統。唐納德-川普總統是美國曆史上最關心生命的總統。（掌聲）
我的意思是，在總統剛上任的行動之一，他恢復了墨西哥城政策，以確保納稅人的錢不會用於促進海外墮胎或促進和提供海外或世界各地的墮胎。
我很榮幸能夠進行打破平衡的投票，並觀看總統簽署立法，允許全國各州解除計劃生育。（掌聲）
談到這個國家最大的墮胎提供者，你知道，我們都記得在2015年那些令人毛骨悚然的祕密視頻出現在全國的電視頻道上，這些視頻顯示出有關出售和轉移流產嬰兒部份的可怕談話。所以我想確定，你知道，就在幾周前，唐納德·川普總統制止了美國國立衛生研究院胎兒組織研究。（掌聲）
你知道，去思考一個值得關注的事，當越來越多的美國人，特別是年輕的美國人正在接受生命的神聖性時，（民主）黨曾經說墮胎是安全的，合法的，罕見的，現在支持按需墮胎，甚至是晚期墮胎。
在全國各州立法機構中，民主黨人支持晚期墮胎。我們都看到了弗吉尼亞州民主黨州長公開捍衛殺嬰。
觀衆：噓聲
副總統：你還應該知道，參議院的民主黨人，包括每一位競選美國總統的民主黨人，投票反對一項法案，該法案將防止在失敗的墮胎中倖存的新生嬰兒被殺害。它被稱爲「墮胎活下的嬰兒保護法」（Born-Alive In fants Protection Act）。
現在看來，在民主黨競選總統中，甚至還有一個試金石，爲整個懷孕期間的墮胎（是否）必須提供納稅人資金。
你知道，就在不久之前，我們在國會和全國各地達成了兩黨共識，我們不應該接受用數百萬支持生命的美國人的納稅錢，來資助他們認爲道德上令人討厭的（墮胎）程序。這是幾十年前在海德修正案中所蘊含的天才，以伊利諾伊州傳奇的支持生命的國會議員亨利海德的名字命名。
但今天，情況不一樣了。甚至幾十年來支持海德修正案的一些主要民主黨人現在正在擁護在懷孕的任何階段爲墮胎提供納稅人資金，沒有例外。
你知道，我一直認爲可以通過如何處理最脆弱的人，老年人、體弱者、殘疾人和胎兒，來判斷一個社會。所以我要說，有這麼多民主黨人支持晚期墮胎和死亡文化，我向你們保證，這位總統（川普），這個政黨，這個運動，將始終支持着不可剝奪的生命權。（掌聲）我們會（做到）的。
所以，我們在發展經濟。我們在提供國防。我們在國內外支持着我們的價值觀。但是，信仰和自由的男女們，我們知道，作爲一個國家，我們仍然面臨着挑戰。
今天最令美國人的心靈和思想中痛苦的是，現在國家已經廣泛認識到總統和我一年多來所說的話：我們的南部邊界發生了危機，這是我們之前從來沒有見過的狀況。
今年我們實際上已經走上正軌，有近百萬人來到我們的南部邊境，以利用我們的法律漏洞。有史以來第一次，大多數家庭被人販子誘惑，他們每人被收費5000美元。他們被誘騙支付現金，以便在我們邊境北部進行漫長而危險的（非法移民）旅途。這是一場充滿無法形容的暴力的危險旅程。
百分之七十的非法移民一旦出現在邊境，就報告說他們是沿途暴力的受害者。根據無國界醫生組織的統計，在中美洲南部邊境旅行的年輕女性中有將近三分之一的人在旅途中受到性侵犯。
本週，當我們看到奧斯卡·阿爾貝託·馬丁內斯和他23個月大的女兒安吉·瓦萊里亞在里奧格蘭德淹死的悲慘照片時，我們國家的心碎了。它震驚了國家的良知。但事實是，我們在美國每家報紙的頭版上看到的是幾個月來發生的事情。人民面臨暴力，性虐待和更糟糕的。被這些不顧人生命的人帶來的，爲了他們的利潤誘使人們進行危險的向北旅程。
我在訪問邊境時親眼看到了這個糟糕的情況。我去了拘留所。看到這些家庭，確實數字之大已經壓倒我們的安置系統。想想這些貧困和脆弱家庭被這些販毒集團和人口販子利用的方式令人心碎。
但美國人民正在意識到我們的南部邊界發生了危機。這就是爲什麼這位總統在1月宣佈國家緊急狀態。我很自豪地報告說我們已經開始建造那堵牆了。我們將在明年年底前建造400英里長的牆。（掌聲）
這就是爲什麼川普總統採取強硬立場，並要求墨西哥採取更多措施來確保我們的邊界和他們的邊界。感謝總統的領導，現在國土安全局預計，僅在上個月，由於墨西哥的行動，我們南部邊境的非法越境已經減少了25％。（掌聲。）
這就是爲什麼民主黨人否認我們邊境出現危機之後，他們拒絕爲我們邊境的流動弱勢家庭提供額外的資金資助，他們拒絕爲床位或設施提供額外資源。經過六個月，川普總統再次堅持（衆議院必須批准額外的資金資助）。本週，我們的總統（與民主黨）談判達成一項兩黨法案，當他週一簽署該法案時，將加快46億美元的人道主義援助，以支持健康與人類服務部以及我們的海關和邊境保護局的富有同情心的工作。（掌聲）
最後，幫助在到來。但是，各位同胞，我們還有更多工作要做。當在我們邊境以南的移徙者面臨暴力，性侵犯和更糟糕的時候，許多競選總統的主要民主黨人繼續倡導開放的邊界和政策，使人口販子更容易誘使脆弱的家庭進行漫長而危險的北向旅程。這真是令人驚訝。這是真的。
例如，儘管10年前，奧巴馬總統承諾奧巴馬醫改將「不適用於非法入境者」。但本週，每位主要的民主黨總統候選人都承諾提供納稅人資助的非法移民免費醫療保健服務。
觀衆：噓聲-
副總統彭斯接着說：許多人甚至承諾將非法移民非刑罪化。也許最值得注意的是，在過去的六個月裏，在我們南部邊境發生危機並且在我們勇敢和富有同情心的海關和邊境保護人員被這場危機淹沒的情況下無所作爲之後，現在一些民主黨人想要教訓我們，關於他們對陷入危機的人們的道德關注。
讓我在這一點上說清楚：開放邊界沒有是富有同情心的。對於拒絕改變人口販子用來利用貧困家庭的法律，沒有是富有同情心的。
那些主張開放邊界，爲非法移民提供免費醫療服務以及使非法移民合法化的人正在使人口販子更容易虐待貧困和脆弱的家庭。這在道德上是錯誤的，而且必須停止！（掌聲）
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，就是保護我們的邊界，向被這些犯罪集團利用的家庭提供人道主義支持，改革我們的庇護法，並向我們邊境以南發出震耳欲聾的聲音：如果你想來美利堅合衆國，你必須合法來或完全不來。（掌聲）
而且我會向你許諾：無論民主黨人想要做什麼來繼續否認和阻礙我們鞏固邊界的努力，結束這場危機，改革法律，我們都會繼續努力。我們將繼續講述這個故事。我們將繼續在國會和整個國家尋找盟友。我們將一勞永逸地修復這個破碎的移民系統。（掌聲）
因此，男士女士們，在這位川普總統的領導下，從世界舞臺到國內，在短短兩年多的時間裏，我們的價值觀再次獲勝，令人驚歎。自由再次獲勝。但要繼續獲勝，我們必須繼續戰鬥。
現場觀衆：再來四年！（掌聲）
聽衆：再來四年！再來四年！再來四年！
副總統：我們要繼續戰鬥。我們必須繼續爲使這個國家偉大的價值觀和爲願意支持的人民而奮鬥。我在這裏告訴你，其中最主要的是自由。其中最主要的是自由。
你知道，美國建立在一個非常簡單的原則上，這個想法就是自由。自由鍾本身上有一些來自《利未記》的古老詞語，上面寫着「向所有的土地上的所有居民宣佈自由。」
然而，令人驚訝的是，在我們有生之年，對自由的支持，對自由的捍衛-自由市場經濟學，不可剝奪的權利-似乎主要落在了我們黨和我們的運動上。
今天，民主黨公開倡導一種使全世界數百萬人陷入貧困並剝奪了幾代人自由的經濟體系。這個制度是社會主義。
本週早些時候，我們聽到民主黨總統候選人捍衛社會主義。但我想你們所有人都知道是自由，而不是社會主義，使我們成爲世界歷史上最強大，最繁榮的國家。（掌聲）
自由，而不是社會主義，結束了奴隸制，贏得了兩場世界大戰，並且今天成爲全世界希望的燈塔！（掌聲）
因此，在今後18個月開始這場辯論時，我們必須在這裏解決，正如總統在國情諮文中所說，美國永遠不會是一個社會主義國家！（掌聲）
聽衆：美國！美國！美國！
副總統：男士和女士，在即將到來的選舉中的選擇從未如此清晰，賭注從未如此高漲。我們在過去的兩年半里取得了很大的進步，但現在是我們加倍努力的時候了。現在是時候讓我們與那些一直堅持我們所珍視的價值觀的男士和女士一起，無論是在州議會還是在國會，還是確保唐納德·川普總統在白宮再有四年。（掌聲）
美國有一個選擇。但是當我今晚聚集在你們所有人面前，並看到這個令人難以置信的團體時，想想我們在過去幾十年裏共同完成的工作，以更新和鞏固這個偉大國家的基礎；當我看到你們提升了一代男女的方式，從這位總統到下面，在所有那些偉大而永恆的美國理想中一直堅強而不道歉，我很有信心。我相信我們將繼續鞏固我們取得的進步。
所以我鼓勵你們所有人都有信心。今晚你們將度過一個美好的夜晚，我就不摻和了。（笑聲）因爲你會聽到一些很棒的人分享一些美好的時刻。
但我只是這樣做，我想在接下來的18個月裏鼓勵你們所有人：有信心。相信美國人民，當我們把這個國家永恆的理想帶到我們國家這一事實時我們所取得的進步。當我們說美國再次強大時，美國可以再次繁榮，我們可以在我們的先輩所站立的信仰和自由的基礎上建立這一切，美國人民將團結起來爲我們的事業服務。
我真的相信歷史表明，每當美國人民在更多自由和更多政府之間做出選擇時，他們每次都會選擇更多的自由。所以要相信美國人民。（掌聲）
並且相信他們會選擇川普當總統。你知道，我得告訴你，這是我聽過的最有趣的一句話，人們會在繩索隔離線（將名人與人羣分開的繩索線），在機場或在餐館裏，把我停下來，他們會說，「告訴總統繼續前進」（掌聲）我告訴他們，「你永遠不需要說些什麼。」（笑聲和掌聲）唐納德·川普總統沒有後視鏡！一切都在擋風玻璃上！一切都在前進！這位總統將繼續爲使這個國家變得有偉大的價值觀和理想而奮鬥。（掌聲）我向你保證。我對嗎？我是對的。
最後，在我結束的時候，讓我最後鼓勵你們對美國人民有信心，相信這位總統和所有有正義的有原則的男士女士們團結起來。
最後，擁有其它形式的信心並花時間讓自己受益。你知道，總統和我聽過的最暖心的話-我們聽到了很多-是人們會越過一條隔離線，並抓住你的手，並且…
彭斯說到這裏，臺下聽衆一齊高喊出那句最暖心的話：我們在爲你祈禱！
聽衆：我們在爲你祈禱！
副總統彭斯接着往下說：…並且說，「我們正在爲你祈禱。」（掌聲）我可以告訴你們，它讓我們深深感動。因此，我想鼓勵你讓自己受益，只要知道，正如聖經所說的那樣：「禱告到達天堂，祂的聖所。」「正直人民的有效和熱切的祈禱很有用。」
正如我們在這個國家的分裂時期所思考的那樣，我們如何治癒在如此衆多的問題中顯而易見的分裂，我想我只知道-在這個房間裏的你們都知道-我們民族團結的源泉來自於我們的理想中，這是我們的信仰。
如果被祂的名字所召喚的祂的信眾，會自我謙卑並祈禱，祂就會像祂在這個國家漫長而傳奇的歷史中所做的一樣。祂會從天堂聽到，祂會治癒這片土地-（掌聲）-這是一個國家，在上帝之下，不可分割，爲所有人提供自由和正義。（掌聲）
所以，爲美國祈禱。爲所有美國人民禱告，因爲，爲一些事情祈禱，這些事情真的會變的不一樣。
主持人：謝謝你今晚致辭的榮幸。感謝您給予我們的鼓勵。
彭斯：同時請大家注意一下，我代表我的妻子，她目前正在約三分之一世界的距離之外，我要感謝你們，成爲了你們的副總統，這是我一生中最大的榮幸。（掌聲）
我只知道-我只知道您的不斷支持、努力和祈禱；在各級選舉和蟬聯的男女，國會大廈到國會山；與唐納德·川普總統在白宮；在上帝的幫助下，我們將使美國比以往任何時候都更加繁榮。我們將使美國比以往任何時候都更安全。借用一句話-（笑聲）-我們將使美國再次偉大。
非常感謝你們。上帝祝福你們。上帝保佑美國。（掌聲）
結束
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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