State of the Union proposals by President Obama

In addition to urging Congress to finish work on financial reform, health-care legislation, climate-change legislation and a job-creation bill, President Obama also proposed:

-- Taking $30 billion of the money Wall Street banks have repaid to the government and devoting it to helping community banks make loans to small businesses, along with a package of tax incentives to fuel small-business growth and hiring.

-- Construction of "safe" nuclear plants and continued investment in biofuel and "clean coal" technologies. Also suggested that "tough decisions" must be made on opening areas to offshore energy exploration.

-- A $10,000 tax credit for four years of college, an increase in Pell Grants and a cap on student loan payments.

-- A freeze in federal discretionary spending for three years, beginning in 2011.

-- An initiative to increase U.S. exports.

-- Using an executive order to create a federal debt commission.

-- That Congress pass laws to regulate campaign activity after the Supreme Court struck down restrictions on corporate activity.