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Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., delivered a “progressive” response to President Biden’s first State of the Union address Tuesday.
Tlaib’s response, which was delivered on behalf of the Working Families Party (WFP), touched on several of the key topics Biden addressed during his speech to Congress.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., speaks during a town hall hosted by the NAACP on September 11, 2019, in Washington, D.C.
(Zach Gibson/Getty Images)
Regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which loomed large in Biden’s speech, Tlaib said, “Over the past few days, we have all watched in horror as Russia launched an illegal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine. We stand with the people of Ukraine.
“The United States and our allies must work together towards an immediate cease fire and the diplomatic resolution to help save lives,” she continued. “We must pursue targeted sanctions that put pressure on Russia’s billionaires, not the everyday Russians who have no choice in this conflict and are courageously protesting the war as we speak. We need a humanitarian response to this crisis. We must welcome Ukrainian refugees from all walks of life to the United States.”
President Joe Biden delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Washington. (Saul Loeb, Pool via AP)
(Saul Loeb, Pool via AP)
Tlaib also urged Biden to tackle domestic issues such as the War on Drugs, criminal justice reform and affordable child care.
“No one fought harder for President Biden’s agenda than progressives,” she said. “We rallied together with our supporters, held town halls in our communities, engaged new people, and we even played hardball in Congress.
“But two forces stood in the way: a Republican Party that serves only the rich and the powerful and just enough corporate backed Democratic obstructionists to help them succeed,” Tlaib added.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., attends the House Natural Resources Committee hearing on June 23, 2021.
(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Tlaib has taken flak from her own party for responding to the president’s address. “It’s like keying your own car and slashing your own tires,” Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., reportedly told Axios.
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“It’s massively counterproductive,” Gottheimer further said. “This only highlights the real tension between the socialist far left and the common-sense moderate wing, which is focused on crime, costs, tax cuts and affordability, and turning the page on COVID.”
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“Despite some sensational coverage, it’s simple: I’m giving a speech about supporting President Biden and his Build Back Better agenda for the people. Look past the headlines & hear progressives’ vision for working with the President & Congress to deliver for our residents,” Tlaib tweeted on Feb. 23 regarding the announcement of her planned response.
