Excerpts of Remarks by the First Lady at Intel's Ocotillo Campus in Chandler, Arizona

[As prepared for delivery.]

***

On a cold winter morning a little over a year ago, I held our family bible and watched my husband take the oath of office.

In that moment, he was the man I fell in love with so many years ago—a father of two boys standing in the wreckage of unthinkable loss, who stitched a broken family back together with grit and grace.

He was the man who took the train home to Delaware every night, because he knew that showing up for the smallest moments can sometimes mean the most.

He was the Senator who learned to get up when he got knocked down and fight even harder for what's right—the Vice President whose steadfast counsel helped guide our country through many storms.

That day, he was Joe—and then, suddenly, he became something else, too: The President of the United States.

It felt like Americans across the country were holding their breath in the aftermath of four years of chaos.

But as Joe stood there—shoulders back, eyes shining with fierce optimism—I could see his determination to bring us together to lead us forward and build a better America. And every day since, he has worked to do just that.

Millions of families have been able to send their children back to school and find jobs…

and catch up on bills. They've been able to finally take a breath.

We still have a long way to go. Our world faces incredible challenges. But we've come so far. And we're just getting started.

So what does "building a better America" mean? What does it look like for families like yours?

It means investing in industries of the future, like we see here today—the kind of jobs that make our supply chain stronger, lowering prices and keeping our country safe.

It means working families have the opportunity to train for great jobs, no matter who they are or where they live, so that they can build a good career.

It means getting rid of the barriers that have kept women out of careers in engineering and manufacturing and other STEM fields—so that they can have the same earning opportunities as their peers.

That's what the American Rescue Plan has made possible here in Arizona.

Today, we heard about an incredible semiconductor manufacturing bootcamp at Mesa Community College, funded in part by the ARP.

It's going to allow students to start a career in a growing sector that's critical to our economy—and the first class is going to be all women. Isn't that amazing?

These investments are changing lives. And every person who benefits from this program and others like it—who is better off today than they were a year ago—passes that benefit along.

When we invest in you, you invest in your family, in your neighborhoods, in local businesses, in your cities and states.

It's what Joe said last week: The state of our Union is strong because the American people are strong. And building a better America starts with you.

That's why we're going to keep investing in community college partnerships and workforce development. We're going to make sure you can afford child care so you can pursue your education and career. We're going to create jobs—even more than we already have.

You were right to put your faith in Joe Biden a year ago.

Because in the face of uncertainty, he is unshakeable. Despite deep divides—at home and abroad—he knows how to bring people together and get things done. He never loses sight of what this is all about: the people he serves.

When he goes to bed at night and when he wakes up in the morning, he thinks about how to make life better for you and your family.

It's just who he is. It's who he's always been.

He's going to lead us forward to a better America—and it starts here. It starts now. And most of all, it starts with you.

Thank you.