Wed Mar 05 06:20:00 UTC 2025: ## Congresswoman Simon Delivers Scathing Rebuttal to President’s Address

**Washington, D.C. –** Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (D-CA) delivered a powerful rebuke of President Biden’s recent actions during the Working Families Party’s annual response to the State of the Union address on Tuesday. Speaking from a deeply personal perspective, Rep. Simon, who represents Oakland, Alameda, Berkeley, and Emeryville, painted a stark picture of the struggles faced by working families in America.

Simon, a Working Families Democrat, highlighted her own background – born prematurely and visually impaired to a mother who fled Jim Crow South – to illustrate the systemic challenges many Americans face. Her experiences as a teen mother relying on SNAP benefits, navigating her husband’s terminal illness, and fighting for access to affordable healthcare underscored her message.

The Congresswoman directly criticized the administration’s proposed cuts to vital programs, specifically citing the potential impact of reduced funding for cancer research at UC Berkeley. She condemned these cuts as devastating for families and argued they reflect a larger trend of prioritizing the wealthy over working families. Simon also decried the Republican party’s efforts to cut funding to Medicaid and Medicare.

“This is not hyperbole,” she stated, “This is fact. The Trump administration is moving a tax forward to cut funding for life-saving research…This will have devastating impacts on families and will leave children without mothers and fathers.”

Simon’s speech was a call to action, urging Americans to reject what she characterized as President Biden’s failed agenda and to fight for policies that benefit working families. She advocated for increased minimum wage, affordable housing, accessible healthcare, and stronger protections for workers. She concluded by encouraging viewers to join the Working Families Party and become active in the political process.

The event marked the eighth annual response by the Working Families Party, and Simon’s remarks served as a forceful counterpoint to the President’s message, emphasizing the urgent need for policies that address the economic anxieties of everyday Americans.

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