President Biden on Tuesday night laid down a challenge to the House Republicans urging them to work with him and his Democrats to help rebuild the economy.
In his State of the Union remarks, Mr. Biden ticked off a litany of proposals that both sides reached across the aisle to pass, including his bipartisan infrastructure law and helping veterans exposed to toxic burn pits.
“To my Republican friends, if we could work together in the last Congress, there is no reason we can’t work together in this Congress,” Mr. Biden said. “The people sent us a clear message. Fighting for the sake of fighting, power for the sake of power, conflict for the sake of conflict, gets us nowhere.”
Despite the calls for unity, Mr. Biden also took a swipe at GOP lawmakers who voted against the infrastructure law. Several Republicans who objected to the bill later applied for funds for repair projects under the law.
“I’ll fund your project and see you at the ground-breaking,” Mr. Biden said.
For the next two years, Mr. Biden faces a Republican-controlled House. GOP lawmakers want to undo his legislative wins and will launch investigations ranging from his family’s business dealings to the discovery of classified documents from his time as vice president at his home and an office he used in Washington.
The appeal for unity is likely targeted more at the American people watching the speech on television than the lawmakers filling the House chamber. There is a multitude of issues Mr. Biden and Republicans disagree upon including the debt ceiling.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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