Alabama Sen. Katie Britt, the youngest Republican woman elected to the US Senate, criticized President Joe Biden and his administration over the border, the state of the US economy and crime and safety issues as she delivered the GOP’s rebuttal to Biden’s State of the Union address.
“Right now, the American dream has turned into a nightmare for so many families,” the senator said in her remarks Thursday evening, delivered from her kitchen table in Alabama. “The true, unvarnished state of our union begins and ends with this — our families are hurting, our country can do better.”
GOP leaders have touted Britt, 42, as a leading voice in a new generation of Republican lawmakers in an attempt to draw distinction between the Alabama senator and Biden, the oldest president at 81. Republicans often point to the president’s age to make the case that Biden should not serve a second term, although Trump is only a few years younger at 77.
“Right now, our commander-in-chief is not in command. The free world deserves better than a dithering and diminished leader,” Britt said. “America deserves leaders who recognize that secure borders, stable prices, safe streets and a strong defense are actually the cornerstones of a great nation.”
In her speech, Britt focused heavily on immigration and the border, calling Biden’s border policies “senseless” and “a disgrace.” Referring to Laken Riley, Britt said, “tonight, President Biden finally said her name, but he refused to take responsibility for his own actions.”
Riley was found dead last month after jogging near a lake on the University of Georgia campus. Police say she was killed by a man who illegally crossed the border. The 22-year-old died from blunt force trauma to the head, according to Athens-Clarke County Coroner Sonny Wilson.
On the economy, Britt portrayed Biden as out of touch and insulated from the concerns of the average American over affordability and the cost of living.
“Let’s be honest, it’s been a minute since Joe Biden pumped gas, ran a carpool or even pushed a grocery cart,” Britt said. “Meanwhile, the rest of us see our dollar and we know it doesn’t go as far.”
“President Biden just doesn’t get it – he’s out of touch. Under his administration, families are worse off, our communities are less safe and our country is less secure,” she added.
Britt was first elected in 2022, when she also became the first woman elected to the Senate from Alabama. With Trump’s endorsement, she succeeded retiring Republican Sen. Richard Shelby, whom she previously served as chief of staff.
Biden delivered the annual presidential remarks before a joint session of Congress Thursday evening. It has been an annual tradition for the opposing party to respond to the president’s address since the Reagan era, according to the Senate’s website.
Britt’s state has recently been at the center of national headlines after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled last month that frozen embryos are children and those who destroy them can be held liable for wrongful death — a move that is seen as infringing on IVF and has prompted a number of GOP lawmakers to distance themselves from the decision.
In her remarks, Britt said that Republicans “are the party of hard working parents and families and we want to give you and your children the opportunities to thrive and we want families to grow. It’s…
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