State of the Union 2011: Obama urges co-operation

Following elections in November, both parties now shared the responsibility of governing and the people wanted them to work together, the president said – to win the future, the US had to take on “challenges that have been decades in the making”.

Mr Obama said technical advances, the rise of nations like India and China and the export of jobs overseas, meant that for many Americans, “the rules have changed” and it was now essential to encourage “American innovation” to secure jobs.

“This is our generation’s Sputnik moment,” he said, referring to the Soviets’ achievement in putting the first satellite into orbit ahead of the US in 1957.

“Two years ago, I said that we needed to reach a level of research and development we haven’t seen since the height of the Space Race,” he said, pledging to invest in education and create a budget which would meet that goal.

“We’ll invest in biomedical research, information technology, and especially clean energy technology – an investment that will strengthen our security, protect our planet, and create countless new jobs for our people.”