WASHINGTON — Tonight, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski released the following statement after President Biden’s State of the Union address. 

“Tonight’s speech from President Biden laid out a number of priorities that lower costs, support good-paying jobs that don’t require a four-year degree and help folks in Central and Southern Illinois keep more of what they earn. While I would have liked to hear the President address the need to pass a bipartisan Farm Bill, I was encouraged to hear about our shared efforts to support American manufacturing and union jobs, protect Social Security and Medicare, restore the full Child Tax Credit, ensure access to mental health care for every veteran and cap insulin prices at $35 a month for every American. Let’s work together and get the job done.”

Congresswoman Budzinski brought Andrea Kelly of Decatur, Illinois as her guest for tonight’s State of the Union Address. Kelly is a pre-apprenticeship graduate currently working as a Construction Wireman. 

Budzinski’s first bill will address the job skills gap by providing tax incentives to small businesses that hire apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship workers. Additional support for these programs will allow more women and people of color involved in the building trades – which support high paying jobs with good benefits.