Durbin Statement On President Biden's State Of The Union Address
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on President Biden’s first State of the Union Address:
“The American people have endured incredible hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When President Biden took office, he pledged to get shots in arms, people back to work and school, and our economy back on track. Thanks to his leadership with both the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, millions of people are vaccinated and we’re making a once-in-a-generation investment in our infrastructure.
“We’ve come a long way, but we still have work to do. In his speech, the President laid out a strategy to lower costs for American families, put workers and small businesses first, pass commonsense gun legislation, and more.
“I look forward to working with the President to deliver on his Unity Agenda to combat the opioid crisis that has plagued our country, strengthen mental health resources, support our veterans, and end cancer as we know it. These are bipartisan issues we can all agree on.
“Beyond this critical work to be done, the President looked ahead and urged Americans to be optimistic about our future. We love our country. Let’s work together to make it better.”
During his speech, President Biden condemned Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified military invasion into Ukraine and reiterated American support for democracy. Durbin and U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), Co-Chairs of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, met with Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova yesterday.
Durbin, Portman, and Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led 39 Senators in a letter to President Biden urging the Administration to grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Ukrainians in the United States following the Russian military invasion of Ukraine.
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