President Biden to make ‘unity agenda’ appeal to Congress in State of the Union

WASHINGTON (AP) — Much of President Joe Biden’s State of the Union on Thursday night will focus on comparing his vision for America with that of the Republican Party, setting up an election-year contrast that Biden hopes will pay dividends in November.

But he’ll also focus on areas that he and White House aides believe broadly unify the country — an implicit nod to moderate Republicans and swing voters who the president hopes will find a home in his political coalition.

In his speech, Biden will make an explicit appeal to the divided Congress for his “unity agenda,” which covers broadly popular initiatives such as dealing with the mental health epidemic, curbing opioid abuse, aiding veterans and improving cancer care, according to White House officials who spoke to The Associated Press ahead of the speech. It’ll come under one broad umbrella theme — that Biden is a president for all Americans.

“Stopping fentanyl at the border, passing privacy legislation to protect children online, keeping our sacred obligation to veterans, and ending cancer as we know it are priorities for everyone without regard to party,” White House deputy chief of staff Bruce Reed told the AP.

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