Wyden, Merkley, Chavez-DeRemer, Bentz react to President Biden’s State of the Union address
(Update: Adding Rep. Cliff Bentz statement)
WASHINGTON (KTVZ) -- Here are Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley's and Reps. Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Cliff Bentz's statements on President Biden's State of the Union address Thursday night:
Washington, D.C. — Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released the following statement today in reaction to President Biden’s State of the Union address:
“Tonight the president once again made a strong argument for why the Congress ought to pass my Billionaires’ Income Tax as the centerpiece of an effort to ensure that the ultra-wealthy and big corporations finally pay their fair share. That’s my next major priority on taxes after Congress passes my bipartisan bill expanding the child tax credit. It’s key to shoring up bedrock American programs like Medicare and Social Security that protect seniors from destitution and uphold the middle class.
“Right now the U.S. has the strongest major economy in the world, inflation is down, we’re in the midst of an historic boom in manufacturing and clean energy production, and the labor market has never been better for workers. Democrats have relentlessly focused on rebuilding our economy in a way that gives everybody a shot to get ahead, but one of the biggest obstacles to that essential goal is the unfairness written into our tax code.
“Workers like firefighters and nurses live by strict tax rules and pay out of every paycheck, but the ultra-wealthy are able to pay what they want, when they want, and sometimes get away with paying nothing at all. Making sure that billionaires pay what they owe -- the fair share that everybody else in this country contributes automatically -- is one of the most popular policies on offer today. I’m going to keep working at it until Congress gets it done.
“The president is also taking on corporate greed in health care by looking at mergers that raise health costs and don’t benefit patients and at tactics used by middlemen -- such as pharmacy benefit managers -- to consolidate their market power and steer patients away from lower cost drugs. I have bipartisan legislation that will rein in the middlemen that rip off patients at the pharmacy counter.
“Americans face a lot of big choices in November. Those choices involve the freedom of women, the protection of our democracy, and the power of corporations and special interests to trample on the rights and wellbeing of typical Americans with the help of a corrupt Supreme Court.
“Another choice Americans face in November is whether to side with Democrats and demand that the ultra-wealthy and big corporations finally pay what they owe, or go along with Trump Republicans and let them off the hook. Donald Trump wants to make sure the tax code is further rigged to benefit himself and people like him, but the American people have the power to make sure that doesn’t happen. The president’s speech tonight was an important reminder that this issue is going to be on the ballot too.”
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Merkley on 2024 State of the Union Address:
America is Strong When Working Families Succeed
Washington, D.C. – Tonight, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following response to President Joe Biden’s annual State of the Union Address to Congress and Americans:
“Tonight, President Biden made clear that the strength of our union is only as strong as the foundations working families need to thrive: housing, healthcare, education, and good-paying jobs.
“By working together for the last three years, we’ve delivered wins for working families on these core priorities. We’ve brought down the cost of prescription drugs and capped the price of insulin for seniors, revitalized manufacturing with good-paying jobs, including two new tech hubs to cement Oregon’s leadership in semiconductor and mass timber production, and made strides toward reducing the growing threats of climate chaos – including dangerous wildfires, smoke, and drought.
“But there’s more we need to do to make sure that working families have the resources they need to thrive.
“We need to fight the corporate greed that is driving up costs. Let's start by putting the American people ahead of the mega rich by making billionaire corporations and the ultra-rich pay their fair share in taxes.
“We should continue to put patients ahead of Big Pharma, so that the U.S. gets the best price on prescription drugs, not the worst, especially given that Americans invest the most of any country in prescription drug development. I have a bill – the End Price Gouging for Medications Act – which will do just that.
“A core promise of the American Dream for many working families is the promise of homeownership. But lately, we’ve seen hedge funds eating up housing supply which is driving up prices for homebuyers and renters. My End Hedge Fund Control of American Homes Act kicks hedge funds to the curb and makes sure houses in our communities are homes for families, not profit centers for Wall Street.
“I’m with the President: education from universal pre-K to relieving the crush of student debt builds a future for progress and possibility. The SAVE Plan and income-driven repayment for student loans is affordable and is helping cancel debt for over 150,000 borrowers. We must protect this plan so future administrations can’t undo it.
“Tonight, we are also reminded that American values are tied to the fortunes of those both at home and abroad. We can and must ramp up direct delivery of aid to Palestinians in Gaza through airdrops and sea-to-shore deliveries, while continuing to work toward a ceasefire, release of hostages, and lasting peace in the region.
“The state of our union is coming around, but it will take all of us working together to take on the powerful and deliver for the people—our great nation deserves no less.”
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Chavez-DeRemer Reacts to President Biden’s 2024 State of the Union Address
WASHINGTON, D.C. – After attending this evening’s State of the Union address, Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05) released the following statement:
“After last year’s State of the Union address, I highlighted several areas where both sides of the aisle needed to come together and find common ground in the year ahead. I urged the Biden administration to develop a concrete, timely, and bipartisan plan to address the fentanyl crisis. Unfortunately, little progress has been made, and it only received a passing mention in his speech tonight.
“Oregon had the highest rate of fentanyl overdose deaths in the nation in 2023. While Measure 110 lit the match to start the fentanyl crisis, open-border policies have thrown fuel on the flames. Now, this crisis has sadly bled into our schools and taken the lives of our children. Every day we fail to act, Oregon families suffer. Since the president has failed to do his job and secure our border, I’m co-leading the only bipartisan solution currently on the table: the Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act.
"I urge my colleagues from across the political spectrum to join us and be a part of the solution – we must act and meet this issue with the urgency it demands to curb the humanitarian crisis and protect our communities from fentanyl,” Chavez-DeRemer said.
Learn more about the Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act HERE.
Chavez-DeRemer backed a separate House-passed bill last year, the HALT Fentanyl Act, which would supply law enforcement with the tools needed to keep dangerous drugs like fentanyl off the streets. Additionally, she introduced the bipartisan Keeping Drugs Out of Schools Act to provide teachers with the resources needed to educate students on the dangers posed by fentanyl.
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Congressman Bentz Responds to President Biden’s State of the Union
For Immediate Release: March 8, 2024
WASHINGTON — Congressman Cliff Bentz (OR-02) issued the following statement in response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address:
“President Biden's State of the Union address painted a tone-deaf picture of the realities facing Americans today. From the President's lack of leadership on the world stage to his handling of immigration and the economy, his policies have led to dire consequences for our nation and the world.
The facts speak for themselves: millions of unvetted illegal border crossings, skyrocketing grocery and rent prices, much higher interest rates, and foreign policy that emboldens our adversaries and endangers our allies. These are not mere statistics; they represent the hardships faced by hardworking Americans every single day.
It is time for accountability and action. We must secure our borders, reinforce innovation and productivity, reduce interest rates, cut our spending, and reassert our strength on the world stage to ensure the safety of our communities and the long-term economic growth of our nation.
I call on President Biden and his administration to address the real concerns of the American people, to prioritize their well-being above his ultra-partisan agenda, and to work tirelessly to address the pressing issues that threaten the fabric of our society. The time for political rhetoric is over; now is the time to aggressively address the challenges facing our nation.”
