President Donald Trump pledged to the American people that the U.S. would no longer “allow other countries to break the rules, steal our jobs, and drain our wealth” during a speech delivered Monday, just before he signed a presidential proclamation launching “Made in America Week.”

Trump and Vice President Mike Pence toured American-made products from all 50 states displayed on the South Lawn and inside the White House Monday afternoon to launch the first of three “theme” weeks. Announcing that he would be signing  a proclamation declaring July 17 to be “Made in America Day,” the president praised the economic growth witnessed during the first few months of his administration while previewing why the best was yet to come — when tax reform and health care reform pass through Congress.

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“Every member of my administration shares the same goal, to provide a level playing field for American workers and for American industry,” Trump said. “I want to make a pledge to each and every one of you: No longer are we going to allow other countries to break the rules, steal our jobs, and drain our wealth — and it has been drained.”

“We will lift our citizens from welfare to work. We will turn boarded up communities into new outposts of American commerce. And we will once again rediscover our heritage as a manufacturing nation,” he continued. “Restoring American manufacturing will not only restore our wealth — it will restore our pride and pride in ourselves. It will revitalize our independence, and it will rebuild the bonds of kinship between our communities and our citizens, which has been lagging, wouldn’t you say?”

The White House press pool reported Monday that Trump and Pence viewed products such as a yacht from Hinkley Yachts, based in Maine; a forklift from Taylor Machine Works in Mississippi; an excavator hailing from DitchWitch in Oklahoma; and a fire truck from Pierce Manufacturing, based in Wisconsin. The president climbed into the “beautiful” fire truck, saying, “Where’s the fire? … I’ll put it out.”

Trump and Pence then spent time interacting with American business CEOs and visiting indoor displays featuring more American-made products.

In his proclamation, the president said, “My administration recognizes the critical connection between a strong manufacturing base and a thriving economy. I am committed to promoting American manufacturing, opening markets around the world for our producers, and protecting our businesses from unfair trade practices. And I am reducing job-killing regulations and cutting taxes, making it more attractive than ever to do business in the United States.”

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But in order to complete tax reform and boost economic growth, Trump noted that the Senate must first pass health care reform.

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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) this week delayed a planned vote on the Better Care Reconciliation Act because Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a frequent critic of Trump’s, was absent from Washington, D.C., while recovering from surgery. McCain’s vote was considered crucial to the passage of the partial repeal and replace of Obamacare, since 50 votes are needed and two of the 52 GOP senators had come out against the bill. (The vice president’s vote breaks a tie.) An additional two GOP senators, Mike Lee of Utah and Jerry Moran of Kansas, announced their opposition to the bill late Monday — putting its potential for passing in serious jeopardy.

“But for our nation to really prosper, we need to lower the tax on businesses — one of the highest in the world — and we must repeal job-killing Obamacare. We have to do that,” Trump said. “We hope John McCain gets better very soon because we miss him. He’s a crusty voice in Washington. Plus, we need his vote. And he’ll be back.”

“But we need that vote and we need a number of votes because we do have to repeal Obamacare,” he said, adding that Obamacare will be replaced with something “that is going to be outstanding.” (go to page 2 to continue reading)[lz_pagination]