(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont released the following statement in response to the State of the Union address delivered tonight by President Joe Biden:
“In his first State of the Union since taking office, President Biden marked considerable progress in building a better America. The Biden-Harris administration implemented a vaccine program that has inoculated more than 200 million Americans and, today, is allowing us to safely return to a more normal and regular life. Together with Congress, President Biden enacted the American Rescue Plan Act that reduced child poverty to the lowest rate on record, provided our schools the resources to safely educate our children in-person, and has helped fuel historic economic growth and job creation. The bipartisan infrastructure law the President championed will rebuild our infrastructure, reduce carbon pollution, and make our communities more resilient, redress historical inequities, and lay the foundation for American prosperity for years to come.
“Internationally, President Biden has returned America to its rightful place as the leader of the free world. Instead of coddling dictators, we’ve reengaged with our allies across the globe. We worked to repair international supply chains. We rejoined the Paris Climate Agreement. We recommitted the United States to freedom and democracy. And when Russia chose to wage war on a peaceful neighbor, President Biden rallied our friends and allies to support the sovereign nation of Ukraine and hold Russia accountable.
“I commend President Biden for all that he and Vice President Harris have achieved, and I applaud the President’s vision and goals that he outlined in his speech tonight. He presented a clear and achievable plan to lower everyday costs for all Americans, to strengthen our economy, and to ensure a fair shot at the American dream for all Americans with an economy built from the bottom up and the middle out. In Connecticut, we’re working to achieve the same goals. We’re making historic investments in developing a modern workforce to fill Connecticut jobs, make Connecticut products, and reduce costs for Connecticut families. Likewise, just as President Biden proposed a plan to reduce the costs of everyday expenses, including energy and prescription drugs, in my Connecticut Difference budget we tackle these challenges head-on.
“I look forward to working with President Biden and our amazing congressional delegation to ensure that the progress we’ve made over the past year is sustained and that our Union remains strong.”