Menendez Statement on President Biden’s State of the Union Address

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) issued the following statement in response to President Biden’s first State of the Union Address:

“President Biden took office just two weeks after the Trump-backed Capitol insurrection and at the height of a global pandemic. In his first year in office, President Biden’s leadership has placed our country on the path towards recovery from the unprecedented effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, building a more prosperous and equitable future for Americans.

“With more than 200 million Americans vaccinated in the last year, Democrats have delivered unprecedented financial support for hard-working families, helped small businesses rebound from the brink of collapse, all while creating more than 6.6 million jobs. Under his leadership, Congress also passed a transformative bipartisan law that is delivering long-overdue investments in our nation’s infrastructure while creating jobs and economic opportunity for communities long overlooked.

“Tonight, as the Kremlin dictatorship slaughters its way into Ukraine in the largest ground war in Europe since the Second World War, we are reminded the state of our Union is inextricably linked to the health of democracy across the world. So long as peace endures, our own sons and daughters are less likely to have to be sent abroad to fight to defend our freedom, and the freedom of our allies.

“The Biden administration’s actions to date to hold Vladimir Putin to account for his illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine are a clarion call for the United States to continue reinvigorating our alliances; stand up to our adversaries; repair the State Department and other agencies, and renew American leadership on the global stage. For this, President Biden deserves immense credit for his adept diplomacy that has brought the international community together in a way we have not seen in decades; to stand for human rights, international law, and a principles-based world order. However, the fight for the future of Ukraine is far from over, and we must spare no effort to make this illegitimate war costly for Putin, Russian elites, and the Russian economy.  I look forward to continue advancing the forward-leaning diplomacy animated by our values that President Biden is pursuing.

“Here at home, there is more we can do to rebuild a fairer, more sustainable economic future for working people, not just those at the top. I support President Biden’s call tonight for lowering costs for American families, strengthening our supply chains, and boosting our domestic economy by increasing our productive capacity. I also echo President Biden’s call to make the wealthiest Americans and corporations pay their fair share, which will unleash our ability to invest in universal pre-K, affordable childcare, and permanently expand the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit.

“As we look ahead, Congress must work with President Biden to accelerate our transition to a clean energy economy which will protect American families in New Jersey and across the country from the worst impacts of the climate crisis. And, as we continue our work towards a more perfect Union, we cannot forget the well-being of the millions of undocumented immigrants who remain critical to our nation’s success. We must pursue all options to achieve inclusive and humane immigration reform for the largest number of undocumented immigrants to help decrease workforce shortages and boost our economic recovery. And we must end the xenophobic policies of the previous administration and reform our immigration system once and for all.

“I look forward to working with President Biden to tackle these issues, deliver real results for the American people, and continue making strides towards strengthening the State of our Union.”

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