Politics

‘Squad’ Member Rashida Tlaib Will Give Rebuttal To Biden’s SOTU

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) at a press conference on the Capitol on July 15, 2019. (Holly Kellum/NTD)

Michigan Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib will deliver a response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union Tuesday on behalf of the left-wing Working Families’ Party.

News of her speech, first reported by Politico, comes weeks after Democratic moderates have slowed much of Biden’s domestic agenda, much to the chagrin of their colleagues further to the left. According to a summary of the remarks obtained by the outlet, Tlaib is expected to hammer the moderates responsible for the obstruction, which all but killed Biden’s plan to boost domestic spending and fight climate change.

“No one fought harder for Build Back Better and a pro-democracy agenda than progressives,” Tlaib told Politico. “The work is unfinished and we’re not giving up on what our communities deserve. We need to get as much done for the people as we can this year, and elect a majority that can deliver for working families in 2023.”

Tlaib’s assertion is not universally shared among Democrats or political forecasters, many of whom expect the party to face a challenging midterm elections that could result in the loss of both the House and Senate majorities. Thirty Democrats in the House have already opted to forgo reelection, and Biden’s approval rating remains mired in the low to mid-40s.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is also giving a rebuttal to Biden’s speech, though for the Republican Party.

While it is uncommon for a member of the president’s own party to deliver a response to a State of the Union, it is not unheard of; New York Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman gave a speech after Biden’s first joint address to Congress last April.