1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:02,980 Ladies and gentlemen . The 49th vice 2 00:00:02,980 --> 00:00:05,470 president of the United States . The 3 00:00:05,470 --> 00:00:07,260 honourable Kamala Harris . 4 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:15,250 Okay . Mhm . 5 00:00:17,940 --> 00:00:21,450 Yeah . Good morning morning . 6 00:00:24,140 --> 00:00:26,280 Acting Secretary thomas Harker . 7 00:00:26,940 --> 00:00:29,710 General David Berger . Admiral Mike 8 00:00:29,710 --> 00:00:32,780 Gilding . Looking out at these 9 00:00:32,780 --> 00:00:36,710 midshipman . I know we are all filled 10 00:00:36,890 --> 00:00:40,650 with pride . Vice Admiral Sean buck , 11 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:45,360 Captain Tr Buchanan Faculty and Staff . 12 00:00:46,140 --> 00:00:49,430 Thank you for educating such a fine 13 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:52,950 crew alumni . Thank 14 00:00:52,950 --> 00:00:55,760 you for the support you have shown over 15 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:59,160 these years to this great institution 16 00:00:59,940 --> 00:01:03,020 and to my military aid . Lieutenant 17 00:01:03,020 --> 00:01:06,780 Colonel Frank Mac Niac , who graduated 18 00:01:06,780 --> 00:01:10,620 in 2004 . I'm very proud to have you 19 00:01:10,620 --> 00:01:13,950 with me here today . Family 20 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:17,540 and friends of these graduates . Thank 21 00:01:17,540 --> 00:01:21,310 you for the sacrifices you have already 22 00:01:21,310 --> 00:01:25,300 made and will make . And 23 00:01:25,300 --> 00:01:28,090 I also want to acknowledge kim and john 24 00:01:28,090 --> 00:01:31,420 johnson , your son was taken far too 25 00:01:31,420 --> 00:01:35,020 soon . And I promise you that he will 26 00:01:35,020 --> 00:01:36,850 not be forgotten . 27 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:41,710 And finally To the class of 28 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:45,310 2021 . Congratulations . 29 00:01:45,510 --> 00:01:48,860 Congratulations . Uh huh . 30 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:50,840 Yeah . 31 00:01:56,340 --> 00:01:59,300 And look how far you've come . So you 32 00:01:59,300 --> 00:02:02,760 endured 05:30 p . t . and pronounced 33 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:06,540 exams . You excelled on athletic 34 00:02:06,540 --> 00:02:10,360 fields and in academic exercises . 35 00:02:10,940 --> 00:02:14,150 You enjoyed the fair at billows . 36 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:18,150 Mhm . I know 37 00:02:19,640 --> 00:02:21,560 karaoke at harvest . 38 00:02:25,540 --> 00:02:27,762 You guys rolled up your sleeves and you 39 00:02:27,762 --> 00:02:31,390 got vaccinated and you made it to this 40 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:34,560 day . You made it to this day . 41 00:02:39,340 --> 00:02:41,640 Okay . Yeah 42 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:47,560 and this day this day that is not only 43 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:51,500 a commencement this day that is 44 00:02:51,500 --> 00:02:55,360 a commissioning and in a few minutes 45 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,710 you will take an oath and it's 46 00:02:59,710 --> 00:03:02,940 actually the same oath I took as Vice 47 00:03:02,940 --> 00:03:06,150 President . An oath 48 00:03:06,940 --> 00:03:10,870 to support our constitution and 49 00:03:10,870 --> 00:03:14,460 defend it against all enemies . 50 00:03:15,940 --> 00:03:19,580 An oath that has its roots in the 51 00:03:19,580 --> 00:03:21,960 founding of our nation . 52 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:28,050 And no matter what changes in our world , 53 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:32,790 the charge in this oath is 54 00:03:32,790 --> 00:03:35,860 constant . Remember that 55 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:38,950 as you walk out into the world 56 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:42,710 because the world you all are walking 57 00:03:42,710 --> 00:03:45,660 into is rapidly changing . 58 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:50,580 In fact , we are at a significant 59 00:03:50,590 --> 00:03:53,860 turning point . Just look at the last 60 00:03:53,860 --> 00:03:56,440 several months and you know what I'm 61 00:03:56,440 --> 00:03:59,820 talking about and look at several 62 00:03:59,820 --> 00:04:02,410 moments in our nation's history for 63 00:04:02,410 --> 00:04:05,750 perspective , think about it . There 64 00:04:05,750 --> 00:04:09,400 was the world before The stock market 65 00:04:09,410 --> 00:04:13,140 crashed in 1929 . And the 66 00:04:13,140 --> 00:04:16,950 world after the world before 67 00:04:17,820 --> 00:04:21,450 the attack on Pearl Harbor 1941 68 00:04:22,740 --> 00:04:26,050 and the world after the world 69 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:29,400 before The Civil Rights Act in 70 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:33,250 1964 and the world after 71 00:04:34,630 --> 00:04:38,540 the world before the Berlin Wall 72 00:04:38,540 --> 00:04:41,160 fell In 1989 73 00:04:42,540 --> 00:04:46,320 and the world after at some of these 74 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:49,550 critical moments , our nation was 75 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:53,530 compelled to take a hard look at both 76 00:04:53,540 --> 00:04:57,120 our priorities and our 77 00:04:57,120 --> 00:05:00,550 preparedness . and another turning 78 00:05:00,550 --> 00:05:04,230 point with September 11 , 20 79 00:05:04,230 --> 00:05:08,160 years ago this year when airplanes 80 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:11,850 hit the twin towers and our pentagon 81 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:17,160 When Flight 93 crashed in pennsylvania 82 00:05:18,340 --> 00:05:21,880 that day shaped your entire 83 00:05:21,890 --> 00:05:25,730 life and it shaped our 84 00:05:25,730 --> 00:05:29,460 entire nation . It tested , 85 00:05:30,140 --> 00:05:33,170 our systems are structures are very 86 00:05:33,170 --> 00:05:35,060 standing in the world . 87 00:05:36,540 --> 00:05:40,360 Well , midshipman , we are now entering 88 00:05:41,340 --> 00:05:44,860 the next era , a new 89 00:05:44,860 --> 00:05:47,960 age , a new epoch 90 00:05:48,840 --> 00:05:52,380 with its own tests , with its own 91 00:05:52,380 --> 00:05:55,850 challenges and with its own 92 00:05:55,860 --> 00:05:59,500 opportunities . The global 93 00:05:59,510 --> 00:06:01,800 pandemic you see of course has 94 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:05,150 accelerated what was happening before 95 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:09,380 and it has accelerated our world into a 96 00:06:09,380 --> 00:06:13,100 new era . It has forever 97 00:06:13,110 --> 00:06:16,860 impacted our world . It has forever 98 00:06:17,150 --> 00:06:19,560 influenced our perspective 99 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:24,500 and if we weren't clear before , we 100 00:06:24,500 --> 00:06:28,250 know now our world is 101 00:06:28,260 --> 00:06:31,560 interconnected . Our world 102 00:06:32,540 --> 00:06:36,180 is interdependent and 103 00:06:36,190 --> 00:06:38,850 our world it's fragile , 104 00:06:40,540 --> 00:06:44,400 just think a deadly pandemic can spread 105 00:06:44,410 --> 00:06:46,960 throughout the globe in just a matter 106 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:50,750 of months , a gang of hackers 107 00:06:51,140 --> 00:06:54,560 can disrupt the fuel supply of a whole 108 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:58,300 seaboard . one country's 109 00:06:58,300 --> 00:07:01,900 carbon emissions can threaten the 110 00:07:01,900 --> 00:07:04,860 sustainability of the whole earth . 111 00:07:06,840 --> 00:07:10,620 This midshipman is the era we 112 00:07:10,630 --> 00:07:13,960 are in and it is unlike 113 00:07:14,540 --> 00:07:17,260 any era that came before . 114 00:07:18,740 --> 00:07:21,640 So the challenge . Now , the challenge 115 00:07:21,650 --> 00:07:25,160 before us now is how to mount 116 00:07:25,540 --> 00:07:28,790 a modern defense to these modern 117 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:31,880 threats . So let me share with you , 118 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:34,047 for example , of personal experience . 119 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:36,240 A few years ago , when I was in the 120 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:38,590 United States Senate , I visited the 121 00:07:38,590 --> 00:07:41,260 USs Scranton . Uh , it was outside of 122 00:07:41,260 --> 00:07:44,360 san Diego California . And at the time 123 00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:46,300 I was also a member of the Senate 124 00:07:46,310 --> 00:07:48,930 Intelligence Committee . So when I was 125 00:07:48,930 --> 00:07:50,708 aboard the vessel , I asked the 126 00:07:50,708 --> 00:07:53,750 officers , hey , tell me , what does it 127 00:07:53,750 --> 00:07:56,960 take to protect such a valuable 128 00:07:56,970 --> 00:08:00,100 asset against cyber attacks ? 129 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:02,984 And they told me , you know , it's 130 00:08:02,984 --> 00:08:05,660 pretty simple equipment 131 00:08:06,640 --> 00:08:10,520 and experts . Well , the way I 132 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:13,770 see it , midshipman , you , 133 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:17,460 you you are those experts 134 00:08:18,540 --> 00:08:21,260 on the issue of cyber security , 135 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:24,850 foreign advice and adversaries have 136 00:08:24,850 --> 00:08:27,030 their sights set on our military 137 00:08:27,030 --> 00:08:30,060 technology , our intellectual property . 138 00:08:30,740 --> 00:08:32,330 Our elections are critical 139 00:08:32,340 --> 00:08:35,940 infrastructure . The ransomware attack 140 00:08:35,950 --> 00:08:38,760 by criminal hackers earlier this month . 141 00:08:39,540 --> 00:08:42,630 Well that was a warning shot . In fact 142 00:08:42,630 --> 00:08:45,740 there have been many warning shots . So 143 00:08:45,740 --> 00:08:49,530 we must defend our nation against these 144 00:08:49,540 --> 00:08:53,460 threats . And at the same time 145 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:57,890 we must make advances in things 146 00:08:58,100 --> 00:09:00,610 that you've been learning things like 147 00:09:00,610 --> 00:09:03,030 quantum computing and artificial 148 00:09:03,030 --> 00:09:05,810 intelligence and robotics and things 149 00:09:05,810 --> 00:09:09,640 that will put our nation at a 150 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:12,260 strategic advantage . 151 00:09:13,530 --> 00:09:17,350 And you will be the ones to do it . You 152 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:20,360 will be the ones to do it because the 153 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:23,350 United States military is the 154 00:09:23,350 --> 00:09:26,900 best , the bravest and the most 155 00:09:26,910 --> 00:09:30,250 brilliant . Mhm . 156 00:09:32,140 --> 00:09:33,140 Okay . Yeah . 157 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:40,660 And just think from walkie talkies to 158 00:09:40,660 --> 00:09:43,350 the internet to satellite navigation . 159 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:47,380 The United States military has been on 160 00:09:47,380 --> 00:09:50,820 the forefront of research , 161 00:09:50,900 --> 00:09:53,920 development and technological 162 00:09:53,930 --> 00:09:57,590 advancement . That is a point of 163 00:09:57,590 --> 00:10:01,510 american pride . And as I 164 00:10:01,510 --> 00:10:05,240 look out at all of you , I know 165 00:10:05,250 --> 00:10:08,360 you will build on that leadership 166 00:10:10,140 --> 00:10:12,140 and then of course there is climate 167 00:10:12,140 --> 00:10:14,800 change which is a very real threat to 168 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:17,700 our national security . And I look at 169 00:10:17,710 --> 00:10:21,640 you and I know you are among the 170 00:10:21,650 --> 00:10:25,210 experts who will navigate and 171 00:10:25,210 --> 00:10:29,180 mitigate this threat . You are 172 00:10:29,190 --> 00:10:33,080 ocean engineers who will help navigate 173 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:36,860 ships through thinning ice . You are 174 00:10:36,860 --> 00:10:39,860 mechanical engineers who will help 175 00:10:39,870 --> 00:10:43,780 reinforce sinking bases . You are 176 00:10:43,790 --> 00:10:47,270 electrical engineers who will soon help 177 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:51,190 convert solar and wind energy 178 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:54,790 into power , convert solar and 179 00:10:54,790 --> 00:10:58,760 wind energy into combat power . 180 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:03,870 And just ask any marine 181 00:11:03,870 --> 00:11:07,870 today Would she rather carry 182 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:11,780 20 lb of batteries or rolled up 183 00:11:11,790 --> 00:11:15,520 solar panel ? And I am positive . She 184 00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:19,430 will tell you a solar panel and so 185 00:11:19,430 --> 00:11:22,440 would he . Yeah . 186 00:11:25,140 --> 00:11:28,760 Yeah . Yeah . Yeah . Okay . 187 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:32,896 The american people are depending on 188 00:11:32,896 --> 00:11:36,060 you the best . The 189 00:11:36,060 --> 00:11:39,160 bravest , The most brilliant . 190 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:43,600 We saw this during COVID-19 when 191 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:45,980 Americans watched how members of our 192 00:11:45,980 --> 00:11:49,160 military helped vaccinate our nation 193 00:11:50,140 --> 00:11:54,090 because you know , biological threats 194 00:11:54,100 --> 00:11:57,850 like pandemics and infectious diseases 195 00:11:58,540 --> 00:12:01,860 or yet another threat in this era . And 196 00:12:01,860 --> 00:12:05,140 you are confronting this threat . Our 197 00:12:05,140 --> 00:12:08,340 military helped develop the technology 198 00:12:08,590 --> 00:12:11,160 that made the vaccine possible . 199 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:16,000 Naval researchers Also figured out 200 00:12:16,010 --> 00:12:18,880 how to use three D . knitting machines 201 00:12:19,070 --> 00:12:22,650 to make masks . Naval labs 202 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:26,000 monitored the spread of the disease and 203 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:28,390 the Marine Corps and the navy are 204 00:12:28,390 --> 00:12:30,650 leading on making the connection 205 00:12:31,340 --> 00:12:34,530 between the pandemic and medical 206 00:12:34,530 --> 00:12:38,090 readiness of our fighting forces for 207 00:12:38,090 --> 00:12:41,020 the future . Class of 208 00:12:41,030 --> 00:12:44,930 2021 . You are prepared for all 209 00:12:44,930 --> 00:12:48,360 of this . You are prepared 210 00:12:49,140 --> 00:12:52,630 for any threat and you are 211 00:12:52,630 --> 00:12:55,650 prepared for this new era . 212 00:12:56,940 --> 00:12:59,390 And it is not only because of the 213 00:12:59,390 --> 00:13:02,280 knowledge and the skills you gained 214 00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:05,370 here or those you will continue to 215 00:13:05,370 --> 00:13:08,260 learn , but it's because it's something 216 00:13:08,260 --> 00:13:11,740 more , it's because of who each of 217 00:13:11,740 --> 00:13:14,450 you is . It is because of who 218 00:13:14,460 --> 00:13:16,960 collectively you are . 219 00:13:18,740 --> 00:13:21,080 So , as I conclude today , that's what 220 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:23,630 I want to talk about . I want to talk 221 00:13:23,630 --> 00:13:27,570 about you as Vice President . 222 00:13:27,580 --> 00:13:29,580 I've come to know the United States 223 00:13:29,580 --> 00:13:32,230 Navy quite well every day . In fact , 224 00:13:32,230 --> 00:13:34,660 I'm surrounded by sailors and marines 225 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:37,096 and your tradition in your history . 226 00:13:37,300 --> 00:13:40,180 And I mean that literally , so I often 227 00:13:40,180 --> 00:13:42,236 travel on marine to in fact , that's 228 00:13:42,236 --> 00:13:45,290 how I arrived today . My residence is 229 00:13:45,290 --> 00:13:47,550 on the grounds of the United States 230 00:13:47,550 --> 00:13:50,900 Naval Observatory . My west wing 231 00:13:50,900 --> 00:13:54,850 office features a desk built by cbs 232 00:13:55,340 --> 00:13:58,790 from timbers of the USS constitution . 233 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:02,900 My ceremonial office , my ceremonial 234 00:14:02,900 --> 00:14:05,540 office was once occupied by the 235 00:14:05,540 --> 00:14:09,000 Secretary of the Navy and displayed 236 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,830 there . I have placed the shoulder 237 00:14:11,830 --> 00:14:14,860 boards of your brigade commander , 238 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:17,450 Midshipman Sydney Barbara . 239 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:26,650 Mhm . Yeah . Mhm . 240 00:14:28,140 --> 00:14:29,960 And so here's what I know , 241 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:34,420 Midshipman you are 242 00:14:34,430 --> 00:14:37,950 tireless , you 243 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:41,960 are ambitious , you 244 00:14:41,970 --> 00:14:45,750 are a fierce fighting force , 245 00:14:46,940 --> 00:14:50,450 you are idealists in the 246 00:14:50,450 --> 00:14:54,070 truest sense , you 247 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:57,860 are the embodiment of american 248 00:14:57,870 --> 00:15:01,860 aspiration . So hold on to that 249 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:07,160 because in your career you may witness 250 00:15:07,740 --> 00:15:10,560 some of the worst of humanity , 251 00:15:11,940 --> 00:15:15,750 but promise that you will never forget 252 00:15:16,340 --> 00:15:19,060 the best of who we are , 253 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:24,020 that you will never forget the ideals . 254 00:15:24,030 --> 00:15:27,350 You stand for duty , 255 00:15:28,140 --> 00:15:30,560 honor , loyalty , 256 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:35,610 fight for those ideals and fight for 257 00:15:35,610 --> 00:15:38,560 our democracy . And remember 258 00:15:39,840 --> 00:15:43,120 our constitution is not only something 259 00:15:43,130 --> 00:15:46,650 to defend , it is a guide , 260 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:51,500 it is a guide for your service . It 261 00:15:51,500 --> 00:15:53,850 begins with three simple words . 262 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:58,460 We the people , not I 263 00:15:59,740 --> 00:16:03,560 we our nation was designed to 264 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:07,180 be a team sport and we are in 265 00:16:07,190 --> 00:16:08,260 this together . 266 00:16:10,940 --> 00:16:13,162 So you know , finally , I'll just share 267 00:16:13,162 --> 00:16:15,162 with you on my way to the stadium . 268 00:16:15,162 --> 00:16:17,329 this morning I stopped by the cemetery 269 00:16:17,329 --> 00:16:19,980 to pay my respects to my dear former 270 00:16:19,980 --> 00:16:22,500 colleague , A great and courageous 271 00:16:22,500 --> 00:16:25,150 american senator john McCain 272 00:16:26,310 --> 00:16:29,250 and yes . Mhm . 273 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:33,540 Yeah . Yeah . 274 00:16:38,140 --> 00:16:41,220 So most people don't know he wanted to 275 00:16:41,220 --> 00:16:45,080 be buried next to his best friend who 276 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:48,410 he met on the yard . Admiral chuck 277 00:16:48,410 --> 00:16:52,270 Larson . That is the ultimate 278 00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:54,760 example of what I mean 279 00:16:56,040 --> 00:16:59,570 in it together . So midshipmen 280 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:03,470 throughout our history officers in the 281 00:17:03,470 --> 00:17:07,250 United States Navy officers in the 282 00:17:07,250 --> 00:17:10,230 United States Marine have risked 283 00:17:10,350 --> 00:17:13,820 everything to defend our freedoms 284 00:17:14,740 --> 00:17:18,160 today . You will swear to do the same . 285 00:17:19,140 --> 00:17:22,830 You are the next links in the 286 00:17:22,830 --> 00:17:25,550 chain . And so 287 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:29,820 midshipman when you stand to take the 288 00:17:29,820 --> 00:17:33,800 oath , I want you to know that as 289 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:36,360 we embark on this new era 290 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:40,790 President joe biden and I our 291 00:17:40,790 --> 00:17:44,530 entire nation have great 292 00:17:44,540 --> 00:17:48,480 faith in you and we are proud of 293 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:52,480 you . So very , very 294 00:17:52,490 --> 00:17:56,200 proud . Congratulations again . 295 00:17:56,640 --> 00:17:58,980 May God bless you and may God bless the 296 00:17:58,980 --> 00:18:00,980 United States of America . Thanks . 297 00:18:01,740 --> 00:18:05,670 Yeah . Mhm . 298 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:06,950 Yeah . Mhm .