The Congressional Black Caucus joins President Joe Biden in calling for unity and bipartisanship, Texas Rep. Colin Allred (D) said in Tuesday evening remarks.
Allred spoke on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus following the president’s State of the Union address.
“Tonight we witnessed the president working to build a better America,” the Democratic congressman said before praising Biden’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Tonight, @POTUS laid out a plan for our country and called for unity. @TheBlackCaucus joins the President in calling on all Americans to come together to face our shared challenges in support of our shared values.
That is our power, fueled by our message. #CBCxSOTU
— Rep. Colin Allred (@RepColinAllred) March 2, 2022
The president had promised that the United States is “right now enforcing powerful economic sanctions,” warning that the DOJ is “assembling a dedicated task force to go after the crimes of Russian oligarchs.”
“We are cutting off Russia’s largest banks from the international financial system,” said Biden. “Preventing Russia’s central bank from defending the Russian Ruble making Putin’s $630 Billion ‘war fund’ worthless.”
“We are choking off Russia’s access to technology that will sap its economic strength and weaken its military for years to come,” he added. “ Tonight I say to the Russian oligarchs and corrupt leaders who have bilked billions of dollars off this violent regime: no more.”
Allred, who is a member of the foreign affairs committee, promised the people of Ukraine that “the members of the congressional black caucus” stand with them.
“As African Americans, we know implicitly that you cannot take freedoms for granted,” he said.
The Texas congressman credited Biden and the American Rescue Plan with resurrecting the U.S. economy, but noted that “structural forces of inequality are not going to be erased overnight.”
“I got to live my version of the American dream,” he said, describing his journey through law school to the NFL, and adding that “our work with President Biden is to ensure that every American, no matter who you are or where you live, can have the opportunity to live their American dream, just like I did.”
Allred praised Biden for nominating the first black woman, Ketanji Brown Jackson, to the Supreme Court, saying, “This is not just about more equitable laws, it’s also about more equitable representation.”
Biden had described Jackson as “one of our nation’s top legal minds,” promising that she will “continue Justice [Stephen] Breyer’s legacy of excellence.”
“A former top litigator in private practice. A former federal public defender. And from a family of public school educators and police officers. A consensus builder. Since she’s been nominated, she’s received a broad range of support—from the Fraternal Order of Police to former judges appointed by Democrats and Republicans,” Biden said.
“Judge Jackson’s confirmation to the Supreme Court will be historic and her success is an inspiration to young black women and girls everywhere,” Allred said. “Like Vice President [Kamala] Harris, Judge Jackson may be the first, but we know she won’t be the last.”
Allred promised that the Black Caucus is committed to building a better America, insisting, “We cannot let the efforts go to waste of the giants who came before us.”
“I know that President Biden and Vice President Harris have our back,” he said.