House Dems hit back hours before Biden speech
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – After Republicans spent yesterday blaming President Biden and his party for a litany of issues, Democrats came out swinging with counterpunches of their own.
The border was the singularly unifying issue that Republicans used to try to tamp down any excitement about President Biden’s State of the Union speech that will happen Thursday night. Democrats used today’s opportunity to push back.
“People are sick and tired of the partisanship,” Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.) said when speaking about the Senate border bill that was passed but has not been brought to the House yet. “They’re sick and tired of the dysfunction… since the Republicans took the House.”
“In my state,” Rep. Henry Cueller (D-Texas) said, “border security is key. So, I hope that the president will urge the House to support the border deal that the Senate passed in a bipartisan way.”
Abortion access and reproductive rights were consistent topics among representatives.
“We're lucky that in New Mexico we are a haven for women's health care rights,” Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) said. “But we're seeing the eroding of those rights in places like Alabama, where we've just seen a radical state Supreme Court ban IVF treatment for families.”
In June 2022, the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, a decision that left it up to individual states to decide on abortion rights. The recent Alabama Supreme Court ruling that embryos are considered children created confusion about how far abortion bans extend and if IVF is still legal.
The economy was a similarly popular talking point.
“Job creation is up; gas prices are down. Wages continue to go up. The unemployment rate is way down.” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said. “But we also recognize that there are still cost of living issues that need to be addressed.”
Democrats credited those numbers to the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS Act passed throughout Biden’s term.