WASHINGTON, DC: Tonight, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) released the following statement in response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address:
 
“Tonight, President Biden delivered a misguided description of the state of our union. He failed to acknowledge that Americans are tired of the status quo and the direction his Administration has taken our country. It is clear the President and I have very different opinions on the state of our union – as do the majority of the American people.

“He claimed that inflation is down and the economy is thriving. It’s one thing to say that to cameras from a podium in Washington, DC, but I’d like to see him repeat that claim to the families in my District who are struggling to buy groceries and pay their bills. Americans are tired of hearing speeches full of empty promises.

“The President’s prepared remarks were roughly 7,000 words long…but so few mentioned the security and humanitarian crisis at the southern border. Americans, and the migrants who wish to come here to pursue the American Dream, cannot afford the Biden Administration’s continued neglect of this crisis. Additionally, families are tired of watching their loved ones die from fentanyl overdoses which could have been prevented by a secure border.

“I’m also extremely concerned by the fact that the President believes we are “in the strongest position in decades” to confront China. This comes days after a Chinese spy balloon was allowed to traverse our entire nation – including several sensitive military installations – in a brazen act of espionage. We cannot counter the threat posed by China from a position of weakness. Make no mistake, our position on the world stage is not stronger than it was two years ago.  More than ever, I worry our allies don’t trust us, and our enemies don’t fear us.
 
“I encourage the President to reach across the aisle in good faith to find solutions to these serious matters – solutions that will help our country and restore American strength. But if the President can’t even acknowledge the challenges facing the American people, how are we supposed to believe he will effectively address them? It is time for our new majority to step up, lead, and get our country back on the right track.”

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