LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – President Joe Biden is set to give his State of the Union address on Thursday, where he is expected to address the job market, aid to Ukraine, lower drug prices, and much more.
He is also expected to promote his vision for a second term as the 2024 Election looms.
Nevada lawmakers are also using the State of the Union address to highlight issues facing their constituents, such as labor, education, and public safety.
Congresswoman Dina Titus announced on Wednesday that she would be inviting UNLV President Keith E. Whitfield as her special guest. This comes after last year’s UNLV campus shooting, during which a gunman fatally shot three professors and injured a fourth.
“We’re not doing bad, and I honestly believe it’s because we’ve come together as a community,” Whitfield said during his recent State of the University address. “That is our strength, you have to remember that. And that strength is going to propel us to continue to recover.”
“It is an honor to host President Keith Whitfield as my special guest for this year’s State of the Union Address in Washington, D.C.,” said Rep. Titus. “Three months ago, the UNLV community faced a horrific tragedy when three professors were killed, and one individual was seriously injured in a campus shooting. President Whitfield’s steady and reliable leadership to guide students, faculty, and staff through the recovery from this incident has helped the community find strength and begin to heal. As professor emeritus at the University, I would like to recognize President Whitfield as a champion of public education and a leader in Las Vegas.”
“I am honored and humbled to be invited to the State of Union by President Biden and Congresswoman Titus. I am proud to represent UNLV at the address,” President Keith E. Whitfield said.
Senator Catherine Cortez Masto announced Melenie Zavala, member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Las Vegas Local 357 and the 2022 Apprentice of the Year, as her guest to the address.
In a press release, Sen. Cortez Masto said she selected Zavala to highlight the achievements of Biden-Harris administration in “creating good-paying, union jobs and supporting Nevadans like Melanie.”
“I come from a strong union family, and I’ll always stand up for organized labor. Over the past four years, we’ve delivered historic investments for clean energy and infrastructure in Nevada and this is just the beginning,” said Sen. Cortez Masto. “I’m proud to have Melenie Zavala as my guest for this week’s speech to celebrate the thousands of good-paying, union jobs coming to Nevada and highlight the lifechanging opportunities our unions, and their apprenticeships, provide. I’ll keep doing all I can in the Senate to support the hardworking Nevadans who are driving our economy.”
“A union job made all the difference in my life, and I’m glad to bring my story to Washington,” said Melenie Zavala. “Senator Cortez Masto and this administration are champions for organized labor and their policies are supporting thousands of good-paying jobs across the state. Investing in union workers is good for our state, our economy, and our future.”
Senator Jacky Rosen also announced on Wednesday that she would be inviting University of Nevada, Reno President and former Governor Brian Sandoval as her State of the Union guest.
“President Brian Sandoval has spearheaded efforts to make the University of Nevada, Reno a global leader in innovation, bolstering critical industries in our state and creating good-paying jobs,” said Sen. Rosen. “I was proud to work with him to help establish the University’s Lithium Loop Tech Hub and ensure northern Nevada becomes a world-class destination for lithium battery and electric vehicle technology. It is my honor to have President Sandoval as my guest at this year’s State of the Union address and highlight the work the University is doing to transform Nevada’s economy and support American clean energy.”
“I would like to thank Senator Rosen for inviting me to represent our University at the State of the Union and for her leadership and support in transforming the trajectory of Nevada’s economic future,” said President Sandoval. “With bipartisan consensus, our region is evolving into a globally competitive hub for advanced energy technology. Our recent Tech Hub designation empowers our University, and in turn our state, to support a broad range of workforce development, business creation, attraction, retention and expansion strategies.”
Copyright 2024 KVVU. All rights reserved.
