Greeted by throngs of supporters, President Barack Obama entered the U.S. Steel Plant with energy and exuberance as he discussed the future of labor in the United States and Western Pennsylvania in particular.

“You don’t come to the Steel City without coming to U.S. Steel,” the president said. “I got a chance to see a little bit about you guys build America every single day. I could not be prouder to be here.”

After an introduction from Mario Longhi, President and Chief Executive Officer of U.S. Steel, President Obama discussed his admiration for companies like U.S. Steel and the rebound of American manufacturing.

“Because of your efforts, businesses like U.S. Steel have created 8 million new jobs over the past four years, with 9,000 new jobs in the steel industry alone” the president said. “Manufacturing is adding jobs, not shrinking jobs for the first time since the 1990s.”

The president covered many of the themes that he talked about in his State of the Union address from last night, including raising the minimum wage, equal pay for women in the workplace, and most importantly, adding new jobs. He also brought up the standstills in Congress, but the president proclaimed that he would continue on, with or without Congress.

“But America doesn’t stand still. U.S. Steel hasn’t stood still. I’m not going to stand still,” Obama said. “I’m hoping that Congress goes along with this, but I’m not going to wait for Congress.”

The president discussed many of the themes that have come to characterize the American dream: opportunity, hard work and equality.

The president also signed, in front of the crowd, a memorandum to help those who are struggling to save for retirement.

“I’m going to sign a presidential memorandum that directs the U.S. Treasury Secretary, Jack Lew, to create a new way for working Americans to start their own retirement savings,” the president said. He called his proposal “MyRA,” and accounts can be started with as little as $25 down and payments as low as $5 at a time.

“Workers can contribute through automatic deductions in their paychecks, just like those of you who have an employer-sponsored pension fund can do,” the president explained.

For a president coming off a rough year of congressional battles and criticism over the Affordable Care Act, Obama was excited and determined today in West Mifflin, arousing mass excitement from the crowd.

Sen. Bob Casey, Congressman Mike Doyle, West Mifflin Mayor Chris Kelly, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto and County Executive Rich Fitzgerald were in attendance to take in the spectacle. Sen. Casey spoke before the president took the stage.

GOP Response

But not everyone was enamored with Obama’s State of the Union fervor.

Before the president spoke at U.S. Steel, the PA GOP held a small but impassioned press conference discussing their opposition to the president’s Tuesday night address.

Playing off Obama’s “make this a year of action,” PA GOP Communications Director Megan Sweeney said, “[President Obama] is so out of touch that he doesn’t realize that is a call to action to everyone single one of us who oppose his failed economic policies, his job killing taxes and Obamacare.”

“We will continue to stand up for low taxes, smaller government, and commonsense solutions that grow our economy and create jobs,” Sweeney added.