Highlights from the State of the Union

By Laura Walling, Senior Director of Government Relations, Goodwill Industries International

In his first State of the Union Address, President Biden had to balance discussing major challenges — both foreign and domestic — while noting points of optimism and hope where there can be bipartisan agreement on how to move the nation forward as the pandemic begins to subside.

The President outlined a four-point plan to combat inflation. Point 1 is to strengthen supply chains and seek to make more in America. Specifically, this includes implementing the bipartisan infrastructure bill enacted last year. Local Goodwill organizations stand ready to partner when implementing the law in their communities, from training skilled workers to advancing digital equity.

Point 2 focused on reducing everyday costs, including prescription drugs, childcare and energy costs. While not specifically referencing the Build Back Better legislation, which has already passed the House and stalled in the Senate, the President reframed some of the key provisions. He also called for more affordable housing and long-term care options. In background materials shared by the White House prior to the address, the Administration outlined more than 20 actions to improve nursing home quality, including staffing shortages. The President is directing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to conduct a study on staffing and proposed regulations within a year.

Other fact sheets distributed before the speech focused on supporting veterans experiencing financial hardship and addressing the effects of environmental exposures, and outlining a strategy to address the nation’s mental health crisis. Of interest to social service providers, the strategy includes proposed investments in workforce education and training programs for paraprofessionals and peer specialists.

Other points during the address promoted fair competition and eliminating barriers to good-paying jobs. We were pleased to hear the President state, “We’ll also cut costs and keep the economy going strong by giving workers a fair shot — provide more training and apprenticeships, hire them based on their skills not degrees.” A fact sheet on the economy provided more details referencing a new budget proposal to invest in skills-based hiring research tools and technical assistance. President Biden also called upon Congress to increase the federal minimum wage, extend the Child Tax Credit and increase Pell grants.

Most of the President’s domestic policy agenda requires congressional support. Lawmakers will continue to negotiate provisions to see if a pared down version of the House-passed Build Back Better bill could garner support from all Democrats needed to pass the Senate. Congress will also work on an omnibus spending bill for fiscal year 2022 to avoid a government shutdown, before receiving the President’s FY 2023 budget proposal.