Rep. Susie Lee Responds to the 2022 State of the Union Address
WASHINGTON– Rep. Susie Lee released the following statement in response to President Biden's State of the Union Address:
"Tonight, President Biden opened his speech by reiterating the United States' and our allies' unwavering support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people as they defend themselves against Russia's unprovoked attack on their country. We must continue to stand with the Ukrainian people as they bravely fight for their country, and we must swiftly and severely punish Putin and the Kremlin.
"Back at home, I was glad to hear that President Biden is focused on cutting costs for hardworking families. Despite the remarkable gains we have made in ending the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing prices on groceries and gas continue to affect families who are still struggling. We must address this strain on families, and the President laid out his plan for cutting costs for everyday expenses, most importantly for prescription drugs, strengthening our supply chains and growing American manufacturing, promoting fair competition by cracking down on corruption and price gouging, and eliminating barriers to good-paying jobs.
"I was happy that President Biden discussed how we are getting back to normal and putting this pandemic behind us, in no small part because of the American Rescue Plan. Southern Nevada has made great strides in our recovery, thanks to Nevadans' resiliency and smart investments to help keep families and businesses afloat. There's no doubt that we're in a much sounder place than we were at the start of this pandemic. Unemployment in southern Nevada has fallen to 6%, down from a pandemic high of 34%, thousands of businesses have kept their doors open, local governments were able to maintain basic services, like fire and police, and gaming revenues were at a record level in 2021. Those results speak for themselves.
"As a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus, and a bipartisan leader in Congress, I was happy to hear President Biden speak to the areas where we can find common ground between Democrats and Republicans. He laid out a plan for addressing issues we can all get behind: ending the opioid epidemic, tackling our mental health crisis, supporting our veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our country, and ending cancer as we know it. I was particularly heartened to hear more about the President's plan to address children's and teens' mental health. Nevada is facing a mental health crisis, especially among our youth, and as a lifelong education advocate, I know that success in the classroom and in life depends on youth having the support and resources they need so they can focus on learning."
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