Senate Democrats Highlight Accomplishments with Guests at the State of the Union
DPCC Chairwoman Stabenow Leads Effort to Uplift People Whose Lives Have Improved Because of the Work of President Biden and Democrats
WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats will highlight people across America as their guests for President Biden’s State of the Union tomorrow. This year, Senate Democrats will tell the stories of Americans whose lives have improved because of their work to lower health care costs, create new jobs, support veterans, and more.
The country is seeing the most robust economic turnaround in a generation. Wages are up, unemployment is down, and almost 11 million new jobs have been created, most of those by small businesses. This success is because Senate Democrats spent the past two years putting the American people first. This State of the Union, Democrats will be highlighting how the Inflation Reduction Act, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the PACT Act, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and more have transformed the lives of Americans and put our country on the right track. Instead of working with Democrats, Republicans are planning to protect tax cheats, cut Medicare and Social Security, and increase costs for Americans. Democrats will fight back against their grave agenda.
“The State of the Union is an opportunity to tell the stories of Americans whose lives have improved because of what Democrats accomplished these past years—and there’s so much to highlight! From capping the cost of insulin, to bringing jobs home, to helping our veterans get the care they need, so many lives have been transformed because of the work we have done,” said Senator Stabenow.
“In the last year, Democrats have delivered for families, workers, and veterans, confronting head on the challenges that Americans face. This State of the Union, we celebrate Americans from across the country who have seen their lives changed by actions we have taken and fought for. Democrats will continue to work on behalf of the American people to improve their lives and communities and lower costs,” said Leader Chuck Schumer.
Senator Debbie Stabenow will be highlighting the transformative mental health initiative in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act with her guest Robert Sheehan.
Leader Chuck Schumer will be highlighting the CHIPS and Science Act with his guest Savion Pollard, a Navy veteran, Syracuse University student, and the first person hired by Mircon Technology at its $100 billion campus in Central New York, made possible by the provisions in the CHIPS Act which is already working to usher in significant investment into the domestic semiconductor industry and is estimated to create hundreds of thousands of new good-paying manufacturing jobs.
Senator Dick Durbin’s guest is Chris Manson of Peoria, IL from OSF Healthcare. Chris has led incredible work collecting donations, fire engines, and ambulances for the people of Ukraine and even traveling there to help. Chris continues his work to send medical supplies and other tools to the Ukrainian people. Senator Durbin, Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, championed the passage of billions of dollars in aid and military assistance to support the Ukrainian’s against Russia.
Senator Amy Klobuchar will highlight the SFC Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022 with her guest Amanda Barbosa, whose husband Capt. Rafael Barbosa, has Stage 4 colon cancer after being exposed to burn pits.
Senator Patty Murray’s guest is Angélica, a mom from Washington state who’s struggled to find the affordable child care she needs—to highlight the need to make more progress this Congress to tackle the growing child care crisis. Last Congress, Democrats saved the child care sector from collapse as COVID disrupted everyone’s lives and pushed child care providers to the brink. Congressional Democrats and the Biden administration delivered the largest one-time federal investment in child care through the American Rescue Plan, which has now helped more than200,000 child care providers keep their doors open and serve as many as 9.5 million kids nationwide. And at the end of last year, Democrats secured a 30% increase in federal child care funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), which will help reach roughly 130,000 more kids across the country.
Senator Mark Warner’s guest Mrs. Marguerite Bailey Young is a 94-year-old widow and retired school system administrator from Fredericksburg, Virginia who is now paying $35/month for insulin thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act.
Senator Sherrod Brown will highlight the SFC Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022 with his guest Andrea Neutzling, an Army veteran from Appalachia who suffers from multiple lung diseases, including constrictive bronchiolitis, due to toxic burn pit smoke exposure while deployed to Iraq.
Senator Maggie Hassan and her guest, Dr. Marie Ramas, will be highlighting Senator Hassan’s Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act. The law significantly expands access to lifesaving medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder.
Senator Jeff Merkley and his guest Liz Shuler, the President of AFL-CIO, will be highlighting the future of the labor movement and the good paying, high-quality union jobs that businesses created this past year because of Democrats passing the Inflation Reduction Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the CHIPS Act.
Senator Tim Kaine’s guest is James Gibbs, the At-Large International Vice President of the United Mine Workers of America, to highlight that Democrats permanently extended the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund excise tax at a higher rate, providing more certainty for miners, miner retirees, and their families who rely on the fund to access benefits.
Senator Michael Bennet’s guest is Paul Bruchez, a 5th generation rancher from Kremmling, Colorado. Senator Bennet and Paul will be highlighting the $4 billion for Western drought that Democrats passed in the Inflation Reduction Act.
Senator Ben Cardin is bringing newly elected Maryland Governor Wes Moore as his guest. Senator Cardin and Governor Moore will be highlighting renewed prospects for robust federal-state partnerships throughout the state. Team Maryland, which again includes the state’s chief executive in Annapolis, is poised to make major advancements in infrastructure, transportation, public health and safety, the Chesapeake Bay, and so much more thanks to the epic achievements made in the last Congress
Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock’s guest Lacy Mason, a resident of Atlanta, GA, was unable to pay for her insulin due to the burdensomely high costs, even with health insurance. She is joining Senator Reverend Warnock to bring attention to the necessity of expanding the $35 out-of-pocket insulin cost cap, so everyone who needs insulin can afford it.
Senator Tom Carper’s guest is Lolita Lopez. Lolita served for three decades leading one of Delaware’s federally qualified health care centers, Westside Family Health. Senator Carper has championed the funding in Congress for federally qualified health care centers like Westside Family Health, which delivers critical care for those in need in Delaware.
Senator Alex Padilla will be joined by Councilmember Henry Lo, former Mayor of Monterey Park, to help highlight the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and the urgent need for more federal action on common-sense gun safety reforms.
Senator Gary Peters’ guest is Kevin Hensley, an Air Force veteran, BurnPit360 Advocate and Veterans of Foreign Wars National Legislative Committee Member, State of Michigan. Peters and Hensley will highlight the new VA benefits now available to veterans who were exposed to burn pits and other toxic chemicals during their service thanks to the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act.
Senator Kristin Gillibrand’s guest is Mario Cilento, president of NYS AFL-CIO. Cilento has been a member of the Newspaper Guild-CWA since 1990 and was elected president of the New York State AFL-CIO in 2011. Under his leadership, the labor movement has secured a number of historic victories. He has helped pass a $15 minimum wage and an increase in unemployment benefits, as well as legislation to make quarantined workers eligible for paid family leave; reauthorize the World Trade Center Health Program; and expedite death benefits to families of essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Senator Chris Van Hollen’s guest is Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. Senator Van Hollen and County Executive Alsobrooks are highlighting the delivery of significant federal funds to projects around the County through key initiatives like the American Rescue Plan, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, PACT Act, and Inflation Reduction Act.
Senator Edward J. Markey, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, will bring Massachusetts resident and abortion rights advocate Kate Dineen to the State of the Union to highlight the importance of codifying abortion rights into law, as well as the urgent need to go further in ensuring that people can make reproductive decisions with their health care provider throughout their pregnancy, without interference due to legal restrictions, or economic or geographical barriers.
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