State of the Union 2015 Address: 5 Things To Expect From President Obama's Speech

By Michael Oleaga First Posted: Jan 20, 2015 12:00 AM EST

President Barack Obama has a busy agenda to address for his upcoming State of the Union address Tuesday with issues affecting all age groups, notably millennials.

The White House has recognized the importance of the millennial age group, identified as Americans born between 1980 and mid-2000s and a demographic representing one-third of the total U.S. population. For Obama's State of the Union speech, several issues will impact millennials will affect their wallets as the Obama administration acknowledged millennials as an "important engine" for the country's economy.

Immigration:

Obama's Nov. 20, 2014, executive actions on immigration is expected to be a highlight for his State of the Union address. Two notable programs from his executive actions are the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) programs, which allow eligible undocumented immigrants to temporarily stay in the U.S. and avoid deportation following a criminal background check, payment of fines and other requirements.

DACA, however, has the greater impact among the same age group as millennials since it has been eligible for undocumented immigrants born since 1980 and living in the U.S. since Jan. 1, 2010. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) agency, responsible for DACA's management, has approved more than 630,000 DACA requests.

Obama is expected to defend his executive actions and highlight the economic benefits it will have for all age groups, including millennials. The U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to increase because of the executive actions and reduce the federal deficit yet have no negative impact toward U.S.-born employment. According to the White House Council of Economic Advisers (CEA), the GDP will increase by 0.4 percent over the next 10 years, which will equate to $90 billion in "real GDP" by 2024 -- based on the current worth of the U.S. dollar.

Education:

A major selling point will be the free community college program, officially known as "America's College Promise." The program will be eligible for approximately 9 million students to receive two years of free community college education. The Obama administration acknowledged the program will save students an average $3,800 in tuition fees, per year.

The Obama administration is expected to encounter scrutiny in regards to funding America's College Promise. The White House disclosed that the federal government will fund three-quarters of the average cost of community college, while the remaining funds will come from the states that choose to participate in the program. White House Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz said the federal government will be allocate $60 billion over the next 10 years for the program. While most students attending college comprise of the millennial age group, America's College Promise is open to all ages.

Eligible students will have to maintain at least a 2.5 GPA and show they have progressed in completing their community college program before their tuition fees is terminated.

Taxes:

Tax season has arrived, and Obama seeks to reform its system. The White House confirmed the president will propose reforms of the current tax code aimed to tax the top 1 percent of income earners, or those earning more than $2 million, while providing more benefits for middle class families. The Obama administration claimed the tax reforms will also help fund programs that could benefit middle class families such as America's College Promise.

Obama will propose a $500 second earner credit for middle class families, which could benefit approximately 24 million couples who both have jobs. Middle class families with a 5-year-old child or younger could also receive a tax cut of up to $3,000 per child. Retirement plans is also on Obama's agenda, specifically for employers with more than 10 employees.

Affordable Care Act/Obamacare:

The Affordable Care Act (ACA), also referred to as Obamacare, has resulted in millions to receive health insurance through state-based or federal-based marketplace exchanges. Millions more Americans still lack health insurance, notably the Latino population, the largest uninsured demographic. According to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Burwell, 2.6 million Latinos between the ages of 18 and 64 years old gained health insurance since October 2013, and 8.8 million Latinos with private insurance now have more access, but "still more needs to be done."

Obama's State of the Union could provide another window of opportunity to promote Obamacare as the second open enrollment period is underway. Since the second open enrollment period began on Nov. 15, 2014, the Federally Facilitated Marketplace received 6.756 million plan selections, which represents the "preliminary total of those who have submitted an application and selected the plan that best fits their needs."

Tech:

Obama has recently made technology an important issue, both domestically and internationally.

Last November, Obama reaffirmed his stance on net neutrality and called for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to enact new rules to secure a "free and open" Internet. Obama said Internet service providers (ISPs) should not be allowed to restrict access for certain individuals or groups. Obama can only recommend his view on net neutrality since the FCC is an independent agency.

Cyber security has also caused ire for the Obama administration. The president proposed legislation in regards to data security and privacy. As Latin Post reported, the two proposed legislations are as follows: "The Personal Data Notification and Protection Act, focused on standards for companies to inform consumers after they've been hacked, and the Student Data Privacy Act, which would prohibit companies from profiting from information collected from America's increasingly tech-driven schools."

Obama's proposals, like America's College Promise, tax reforms and tech security, do require support from Congress, which may be difficult with the Republican majority in Congress.

The president's State of the Union speech is on Jan. 20 at 9 p.m. EST.