(Washington, DC)  – The African American Mayors Association (AAMA) continues to applaud the historic progress and profound gains of the Biden Administration. His partnership and dedication to working with our mayors has strengthened our cities. We share President Biden’s optimism about the future of our country and wholeheartedly believe that the state of our union is made stronger by his leadership.

As President Biden outlined tonight, his administration is focused on freedom, fairness, and the future of our democracy. The President’s economic plan is a win-win for this country. It’s a plan that invests in America, delivers tax cuts for families with children and working Americans, and reduces deficits by trillions of dollars. The administration is fighting to lower prescription drug costs and improve access to healthcare, especially mental health coverage. Millions of Americans are now saving on premiums and protected from surprise medical bills. And as President Biden underscored, the administration continues the fight to insure reproductive rights, one of the most consequential issues of our time.

“We commend President Biden for the work he has done to create a more inclusive and equitable America. We look forward to working with his administration in the coming months to build upon his investment in America and strengthen the state of our union,” said AAMA President and Mount Vernon, NY Mayor Shawyn-Patterson Howard. “I am also incredibly proud to see one of our very own member mayors, Augusta, GA Mayor Garnett L. Johnson standing with the First Lady. The city of Augusta is a shining example of President Biden’s Workforce Hub Cities, using historic investment and workforce programs to create opportunities and change outcomes.”

“I’m honored and excited to represent Augusta and the region at the historic State of the Union Address,” said August, GA Mayor  Garnett L. Johnson. “This is an unbelievable opportunity to share with the world the work that Augusta-Richmond County is doing as a Workforce Hub City. Our goal continues to be building momentum for actions and partnerships that will connect a broad range of people to good quality careers.”

We remain proud of the Biden administration’s accomplishments, however we know that there is still much work to be done, particularly as it impacts our Black and Brown communities. We join the administration in fighting for programs and policies that will enact real substantive change for our cities including building out our infrastructure, creating jobs and opportunity, and developing effective solutions for safe, affordable housing.