– Executive authority –
In recent months, Obama has used his executive authority — opponents would argue he has stretched it to the limit — to circumvent Republican opposition, imposing and opposing some policies by decree.
Many of his efforts have focused overseas, including attempts to improve relations with America’s most implacable foes.
On Tuesday, he redoubled calls to end the half-century-old embargo on Cuba and vowed to veto any move to put further sanctions on Iran.
“Our shift in Cuba policy has the potential to end a legacy of mistrust in our hemisphere,” he said.
Polls suggest Americans support the Cuban outreach and Obama hammered home his advantage by inviting Alan Gross, a former US prisoner in Cuba, who whispered “thank you, thank you” during the speech.
On Iran, Obama warned that any move to impose new sanctions could scupper delicate negotiations aimed at reaching a complex nuclear deal.
“New sanctions passed by this Congress, at this moment in time, will all but guarantee that diplomacy fails ,” he said.
“That is why I will veto any new sanctions bill that threatens to undo this progress.”
Obama also used the speech to call on Congress to authorize the use of force against the Islamic State jihadist group.
“In Iraq and Syria, American leadership – including our military power – is stopping ISIL’s advance.”
“This effort will take time. It will require focus. But we will succeed.”
Just days after jihadist attacks in Paris killed 17 people, Obama said “deplorable anti-Semitism… has resurfaced in certain parts of the world.”
He added: “We stand united with people around the world who’ve been targeted by terrorists — from a school in Pakistan to the streets of Paris.”
US lawmakers paid tribute to the victims of the Paris attacks by holding up pencils during the speech.
Turing to trade, Obama called on Congress to give him the powers to fully negotiate huge transpacific and transatlantic free-trade agreements.
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