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Velazquez on State of the Union

February 5, 2020

Velázquez on State of the Union

Washington, D.C. –Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) released the following statement regarding the President's State of the Union Address:
"The President offered little new tonight. He spent significant time distorting economic figures in an attempt to burnish his record. In particular, the President's lies about rising incomes and manufacturing expansion painted a rosy and wholly nonfactual picture. While Donald Trump inherited a strong economy from President Obama, his Administration has done little to expand on this opportunity and create additional, sustained prosperity.
"Despite disingenuous promises to tackle the soaring cost of prescription drugs, the President and his Republican allies in the Senate have refused to act on H.R. 3, House-passed legislation to lower the cost of prescription drugs. The President's track record on healthcare is clear: he has abandoned his promise to take on Big Pharmaceutical companies. He continues trying to undermine the Affordable Care Act and strip away preexisting conditions for millions of Americans, through relentless litigation, regulation and legislation.
"More recently, the Administration has proposed moving Medicaid to block grants, potentially slashing benefits for the one in five Americans who rely on that system for medical coverage. The American people see through the rhetoric and they know that when it comes to healthcare, Donald Trump is not on their side.
"In the more than 1,500 words in the speech two words did not appear once: Puerto Rico. This President refuses to acknowledge his Administration's shameful record in responding to Hurricane Maria – a response that resulted in the loss of lives of 3,000 of our fellow citizens. We cannot allow this President to repeat these mistakes in light of the recent earthquakes in Puerto Rico. However, his failure to even reference the Island does not inspire confidence that the Administration is learning from previous failures.
"Rather than seeking to unite our nation and meaningfully address core issues working people care about, tonight Donald Trump retreated to his usual tactic of demonizing immigrant communities, castigating the vulnerable and sowing division. I suppose when impeachment hangs over your head and you've little new and substantive to offer the country, hateful rhetoric and cheap showmanship become your last resort. Our nation can do better than this and Democrats are offering a better vision – one that unites us and tackles the real challenges ahead."