Pingree Statement on President Biden's Joint Address to Congress Outlining American Families Plan

Statement

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) released the following statement regarding President Joe Biden's first Joint Address to Congress where he outlined his American Families Plan:

"For too long, government has not done enough to strengthen working families. This week's Census results revealed that American population growth has hit historic lows, representing a significant threat to our national future. Reversing these trends demands we finally activate government to fully support the working family. The President's proposal represents the most expansive support for families offered in generations. Its passage will be nothing short of revolutionary in reinvigorating our national fabric and demonstrates beyond all doubt that the Democratic Party is the pro-working family party.

"It is an international embarrassment that the United States is the only industrialized nation without a paid family leave policy. If we want to compete on the world stage, we must at the very least keep pace with other modernized nations. I applaud President Biden for outlining a clear plan to establish 12 weeks of paid family leave and lower the astronomical price of child care. These major policy shifts will be a boon for our long-term economic growth.

"I also appreciate that President Biden used tonight's speech to explain his vision for making community college and universal preschool free. Access to early learning and higher education are huge predictors of a person's lifelong professional success. These opportunities should not belong only to those born into wealth.

"While I had hoped to hear more from President Biden about prescription drug affordability, I appreciate his outspoken support for H.R. 3 which will finally allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices and limit out-of-pocket Rx spending for seniors. No one should have to skip a dosage of life-saving medication while pharmaceutical companies reap enormous profits."

###

Source