Chairman Scott Statement on President Biden’s State of the Union Address
WASHINGTON – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement in response to President Biden’s State of the Union address to Congress.
“Tonight, President Biden laid out a path for how we continue to build back a better America— one where we can continue to lower costs for all Americans and secure democracy across the world.
“As President Biden noted, the American Rescue Plan, which Congress passed last March, provided historic relief that helped reopen classrooms safely, supported workers who lost their jobs, and ensured struggling Americans could get back on their feet. The return on these investments is clear in our economic recovery. Last year, the U.S. economy had the strongest year of growth since 1984 and created 6.7 million jobs —more than any other year on record. Moreover, we witnessed the largest reduction in childhood poverty ever recorded in a single year. Simply put, over the past year, congressional Democrats and the Biden-Harris Administration have finally put our country on the road to recovery.
“Regrettably, many Americans continue to face rising costs as the world grapples with the economic fallout from the pandemic. President Biden is right: we can overcome these challenges with sustained investments in America’s students, workers, and families. It is imperative that the Senate takes up legislation the House has already passed, including the America COMPETES Act, the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, andlegislation to raise the federal minimum wage. The Senate must also pass the Build Back Better Act, which includes critical investments to end child hunger, expand the Pell Grant, strengthen Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions, increase apprenticeship opportunities, and lower the cost of child care and prescription drugs.
“President Biden also highlighted his work to unify our allies against the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the work being done to weaken Russia economically and diplomatically. This crisis has underscored the importance of rapidly transitioning to clean domestic energy. This transition will not only help us mitigate climate change and create jobs here in the United States, but it will also prevent senseless suffering at the hands of Russian oligarchs and protect Americans from price gouging from corporate polluters.
“To that end, I look forward to continuing to work with the Biden-Harris Administration and my colleagues in both chambers to enact legislation that will lower costs for Americans and secure a brighter future for our communities.”
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