Local congressman, state leaders respond to State of the Union speech
Official photo of President Joe Biden.
Politicians call for unification of ‘fractured country’
– Governor Gavin Newsom issued the below statement following President Joseph Biden’s State of the Union address:
“Tonight, President Biden reminded us of what we have in common, and how much stronger we can be when we work together. The President outlined a vision for our country that represents California values. He spoke to the challenges our country faces and why we can be optimistic for our future.
“The President is focused on the things that matter most to Californians: addressing the affordability crisis by creating good jobs and decreasing everyday costs like child care and prescription drugs, tackling the mental health crisis, enacting comprehensive gun reform to ensure we all feel safe in our communities, and combating the climate crisis.
“As President Zelenskyy said and President Biden repeated tonight, ‘light will win over darkness.’
“Jennifer and I applaud President Biden’s ambition to unite our fractured country — something we can all get behind. We all want to be loved, to be respected, and to feel safe. California continues to have a partner in the White House who shares our vision for a better future for us all.”
Congressman Salud Carbajal released the following statement in reaction to the address:
“Over the past year, President Joe Biden has worked with me and my Congressional colleagues to deliver landmark progress for the United States and the Central Coast of California – and tonight, he appropriately reminded Americans both how far we’ve come over his first year and the work we still have ahead of us.
“Through our American Rescue Plan, we’ve seen a record number of jobs created and – thanks to investments to help our families and small businesses – an economy that is growing at the fastest rate in nearly half a century.
“Through our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re seeing critical investments in our roads and bridges, high-speed internet, clean energy solutions, and strengthening our supply chains.
“And with these important victories for the Central Coast as our foundation, tonight I join the President in reaffirming our commitment to meeting the challenges still before us. We will continue our work for California families by lowering prices, investing in more affordable housing and health care, and ensuring we make more critical goods here in America. We will continue our fight for lasting and meaningful improvements to our immigration system, our gun laws, and the safeguards that protect our voting rights. And we will continue to respond to the threats facing our nation, from the naked aggression of authoritarian governments like Russia to the undeniable impacts of the climate crisis.”
U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) released the following statement in response to the address:
“Tonight, we saw the President’s steady leadership, depth of experience, and compassion on full display. California and the American people heard a message of hope, unity, and resilience as we continue our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and confront a conflict abroad. This moment is also an opportunity to reflect on the significant and tangible progress we’ve made in the last year. Schools have reopened. Vaccines are free and widely available. More than 6 million jobs have been added to the economy and the unemployment rate has been cut in half. And Congress passed historic investments to update our aging infrastructure and create even more quality jobs in the process.
“The work must continue to give everyone a fair shot at the American dream — to build a better America for all. We must lower costs for families, ensure that we have a fair immigration system, reduce the price of health care, combat the existential threat of climate change, and protect democracy at home and abroad. And I’m encouraged by the President’s commitment to meet our nation’s mental health needs. I will continue fighting on behalf of California and working with the Biden-Harris administration to rebuild our country stronger than before.”
Click here to view the full State of the Union Address.
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