Translation of the Spanish SOTU Democratic Response

Thanks to boadicea of Texas Kaos for finding the online video of the Spanish presentation of the Democratic response to the State of the Union address, presented by Rep. Xavier Becerra, CA-31. Following is a translation of Rep. Becerra's speech.

Good evening. I am Congressman Xavier Becerra from Los Angeles, California. Today is a special and important day. By rite of custom, President Bush has given us his report on the State of the Union. It is also a special day for me personally, as it is my parents' 54-year anniversary. Maria Teresa and Manuel Becerra have given the best years of their lives to this country. What they didn't succeed in achieving themselves, they placed within the reach of their children. To all parents, workers, and immigrants in this great nation, thank you. Thank you for your work, your patriotism, and your faith in the United States. It is because of you that the state of this nation is strong.

Nevertheless, our country could be even stronger. Our economy has grown - but what good is that if parents in a family have to work two jobs each just to pay their bills? Today, 37 million people in the United States live in poverty. Here in the United States, we produce the best doctors and have the best medical technology - but what good is that if some 47 million Americans don't have health insurance? People from all over the world come here to study in our universities - but what good is that if many of our own children can't afford them? We've had enough. The Democrats heard your message last November. You gave us the opportunity to direct the country, and take it in a new direction. With your help, that's exactly what we're going to do.

In the first two weeks of 2007, Democrats have voted for measures to raise the minimum wage, reduce the cost of prescription medicines, cut back the cost of attending college, and closed the doors on political corruption. Friends, the era of the status quo has passed. We Democrats will lead - though at times, that may mean challenging the President. Day after day, our troops have fought with bravery in Iraq. We will always stand by their side, wherever they are deployed. But we Democrats are not going to cross our arms while they are trapped in the crossfire of a civil war. It is time that the president listen to the American people, to his generals, and to an increasing number of Democratic and Republican leaders. It is time that we talk about withdrawing our troops from Iraq, not sending more. We Democrats believe that we can withdraw our troops in a responsible manner, that we can keep training the Iraqis, and that we can then refocus on our efforts on the fight against terror. But we have to include Iraq's neighbor states in the process to stabilize the country. In the end, the Iraqis have to take responsibility for their own future. Only the Iraqis can save Iraq.

On immigration, after years of attacks and inaction by Republicans, Democrats are ready to lead. But to have success, we need the support of the president, and we're ready to work with him. Our bipartisan goals for comprehensive immigration reform are simple: to protect our border in a responsible manner, to eliminate delays in and improve the process of acquiring visas, and to establish a path to legal residency for those immigrants who have earned it with their years of hard work. Our immigration system doesn't work. Now is the time to reform the process.

Thanks to you, we have new leaders ready to take the United States in a new direction; thanks to you, Nancy Pelosi became the first woman in the history of the nation to be elected Speaker of the House of Representatives; and thanks to you, more than half the Hispanic members of Congress are in a position of leadership. Never before has there been so much diversity in our Congress.

From Iraq to immigration, from the minimum wage to fair medicine prices, we Democrats are ready to take this country in a new direction. Together, we can do it. God bless you, and God bless the United States. Good night.