SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Feb. 23, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox is among the nation’s governors calling for Congress and President Joe Biden‘s administration to work together to address national challenges.
Cox and governors from more than 40 states and territories met Friday with President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Cabinet members and senior advisers at the White House.
Cox is in Washington, D.C., as part of the National Governors Association‘s winter meetings this week to discuss bipartisan solutions to several national issues, including housing affordability, artificial intelligence risks, workforce development and disaster response.
“Governors agree that overcoming our nation’s challenges requires working together — across party lines and across state lines,” Cox said. “We can’t let political division get in the way of good policy. We welcome the opportunity to work with the White House and with Congress on finding bipartisan solutions to border security, economic stability and other challenges.”
Biden welcomed the governors Friday and made a pitch for his immigration reform legislation.
“There are governors in this room who support [the legislation],” Biden said, calling it the strongest border deal the U.S. has ever seen. “Strong minorities oppose it, but a significant majority in the House and the Senate support it. Doing nothing is not an option. Compromise is part of the process.
“So if this matters to you, it matters to your state, tell your members of Congress … show a little spine.”
The governors also were scheduled to meet Friday with U.S. Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Amy Coney Barrett for a discussion on Cox’s “Disagree Better” initiative, which aims to help Americans overcome toxic polarization.
On Saturday, governors will meet with Cabinet officials and national experts for sessions on artificial intelligence, housing affordability, disaster response, rural revitalization and workforce development.
The National Governors Association is the bipartisan organization representing governors from the 55 states and territories.
