Governor Jared Polis Statement on President Biden’s State of the Union Address
DENVER — Governor Jared Polis released a statement following President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address:
“I stand with President Biden in defense of democracy and freedom at home and with our allies abroad — Colorado is doing its part to welcome refugees and strongly penalize Putin’s extreme aggression,” said Governor Jared Polis.
Governor Polis applauds the Biden administration’s sanctions on the Russian government and Colorado is prepared to welcome Ukrainian refugees. Gov. Polis has taken a series of bold steps in support of the brave people of free and independent Ukraine and to hold Russia accountable.
“The President has been there for Colorado during our time of need and hardworking Coloradans know they can count on this President to have their back through challenging times,” said Gov. Polis.
Coloradans experienced firsthand President Biden’s empathy, compassion, and resolve when the President personally traveled to our state in the wake of the devastating Marshall Fire. Following the devastating Glenwood Canyon mudslides, the Biden administration was able to quickly distribute and administer funding and resources to get the canyon open and reconnect a critical piece of American infrastructure to move goods and people. Gov. Polis welcomed the President’s prioritization of historic investments in infrastructure, efforts to save people time and money, bring more good-paying jobs to Coloradans and help people thrive. Gov. Polis was one of the first governors in the country to support the President Biden’s landmark infrastructure package, which, combined with Colorado’s historic bipartisan infrastructure package, is delivering real results to Coloradans with improvements to Colorado roads, investments in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and expanded multi-modal and transit options to reduce congestion and improve air quality.
“Coloradans have a partner in the White House who has real plans to save people money by reducing childcare costs and reducing insulin costs for diabetics. And I am thrilled to see President Biden prioritizing these issues in his State of the Union,” said Governor Polis.
President Biden discussed plans to save people money on health care and prescription drugs like insulin, which is a top priority for the Governor. In 2019, Gov. Polis signed a landmark law to cap the price of insulin at $100 per month.
As a state leading the way in early childhood, including implementing universal preschool and free full day kindergarten for Coloradans, Governor Polis applauded President Biden for prioritizing early childhood education and parents in his plans to help save families money.
“We know that education is one of the best investments we can make in our country’s future, and strong early childhood education and child care lead to a stronger workforce and a better economy. Education has been a top priority for our administration since day one, and we are proud that free full day kindergarten has saved Colorado families up to $500 per month, and universal preschool will save Coloradans on average $4,300 per year so we look forward to continuing this work with the Biden administration,” said Governor Polis.
Gov. Polis applauded President Biden’s proposal for a test to treatment pharmacy program to help provide on the spot treatment for people who test positive for COVID at a pharmacy. Last week, Governor Polis unveiled “Colorado’s Next Chapter: Our Roadmap to Moving Forward” outlining the Polis administration’s plan to keep Coloradans safe and healthy and maintain a level of healthcare preparedness and agility in the event of exacerbated or new public health challenges.