WASHINGTON, D.C. – Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-5) issued the following statement:

“I will not be attending the State of the Union tonight.

“Rather than listen to Donald Trump lie to the American people, I will be hearing from the people of my district about their personal experiences with skyrocketing costs, new barriers to health care, dismantled Social Security services, and brutal cuts to medical research.

“Donald Trump vowed to cut prices on day one and make life more affordable. Instead, at every turn, he has rigged the system against working people. He cut trillions from health care, closed rural hospitals, and hiked insurance premium costs — all to lower taxes for the billionaire class. He implemented illegal tariffs that have devastated small businesses and driven up the cost of groceries, housing, insurance, and utilities. 

“Trump promised to make our country safer and go after the ‘worst of the worst.’ But instead, he has allowed ICE to terrorize communities and even endorsed the killing of American citizens in broad daylight. He told us he would hand justice to the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s horrendous abuse. Yet now, he is standing in the way of truth and transparency.

“Donald Trump’s presidency has been one broken promise after another, and the people of this country and the Commonwealth deserve so much better.”