Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) issued the following statement in response to President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.’s State of the Union address.
“This evening, we heard from President Biden on his vision for America, for our future, and for the possibilities and opportunities the future holds for all Americans. He made a commitment to continue working for America’s working families, putting people over politics, and delivering for the middle-class who built this great nation.
“The cornerstone of President Biden’s agenda for our country is to expand the middle class from ‘the bottom up and the middle out.’ That includes strengthening our nation’s infrastructure – our roads, bridges, and highways – with the promise of using American products, built by American workers, and creating good-paying American jobs.
“It is clear that these are not just words. President Biden’s vision for the future is built on a record of delivering for the people. While the Republican majority in the House has been enthralled in chaos making it one of the least productive Congresses in modern American history, the Biden-Harris administration is wholly responsible for record low unemployment, record investments in infrastructure, record job creation, and record action to address the climate crisis with the urgency this existential issue demands.
“President Biden is securing a strong future for America’s families. He called on this Congress to work with him to lower everyday costs, implement paid leave, expand access to child care, and make higher education available and affordable for every student.
“President Biden is fighting for the core values that define America, and that includes defending our democracy against all threats – foreign and domestic.
“At home, we must protect our fundamental rights: the right to vote, the right to choose, and the right to a future in which everyone is treated equally and has a fair shot at the American dream.
“Together with President Biden, we are going to work to protect everyone’s right to the ballot box – and make our democracy stronger through the democratic process.
“Together, we are going to work to make our communities, our schools, and our houses of worship safe from the epidemic of gun violence. We are going to work to ban assault weapons and pass universal background checks.
“Together, we are going to protect a woman’s right to choose, and we are going to make good on the promise to make Roe v. Wade the law of the land again. And I am proud to have Cara DelVecchio, lead clinician at Planned Parenthood California Central Coast’s health center in Thousand Oaks, in the House chamber this evening as my guest to recognize her invaluable work in delivering reproductive health care in our community.
“In the fight for democracy around the world, we must stand with our allies in the face of authoritarianism and terrorism at home and abroad.
“President Biden made clear that ‘the state of our union is strong,’ and I could not agree more.
“Despite the deep partisan rifts in our country today, America is a story of progress, possibilities, and resilience. And I am committed to working with President Biden to continue making our union even stronger.”
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Issues: 118th Congress