Dear Friends,

I can’t begin to tell you how difficult it was to sit and listen to Donald Trump’s State of the Union addresses. I remember watching as he vilified immigrants, doubled down on disastrous climate policies, and attacked the Affordable Care Act.

When his speeches (finally) ended, I used my voice to speak out against Trump’s agenda. Every day, I worked to block extreme MAGA legislation and fought to hold Trump accountable.

Last year, I was shocked when Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert heckled President Biden during his State of the Union address. Believe me, I know it can be challenging to listen respectfully when someone you disagree with is holding the microphone.

But Members of Congress should set an example for the nation about how to disagree agreeably rather than disrupt when the cameras are on.

I’m looking forward to hearing President Biden tout his administration’s accomplishments and lay out his vision for our nation next month. Inevitably, some of my colleagues will dispute those accomplishments or disagree with that vision. That’s life in a democracy.

I’m hopeful that we can at least maintain the decorum the American people rightly expect from its leaders. We’ll see.

– Jim