March 8, 2024
WASHINGTON, DC –– Tonight, President Joe Biden addressed the nation during the annual State of the Union address. In response, Judith Browne Dianis, Executive Director of Advancement Project, released this statement below:
“President Biden’s call tonight to pass the newly reintroduced John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act underscores the need to fight rampant voter suppression, directly attacking our ability to choose our leaders. Had the laws been in place, voters would be protected from racially discriminatory voting restrictions like some of those contained in Georgia SB 202. Every voter, regardless of where you live, deserves free, fair, and accessible elections.
On the other hand, instead of discussing investments in communities that can help people thrive, President Biden chose to lean into police and policing – even emphasizing that his administration made the largest investment in police and policing ever through his American Rescue Plan. This is especially jarring in light of yesterday’s news that Governor Hochul has deployed National Guard and local police officers to patrol subways in New York City.
Make no mistake, everyone deserves to feel safe while riding the subway, going to school, or enjoying a day out in their communities no matter where they live. Yet, this administration’s continued efforts to fund policing can only result in the continued targeting, assault, and killings of Black people by the hands of police and fractured families through mass incarceration. Our communities will not be free and safe until we move away from punitive measures that destabilize Black communities and other communities of color and instead invest in solutions that center people, not police. This will be the only way we will thrive.”