With President Obama set to make his final State of the Union Address Tuesday evening, the ai???Warren wingai??? of American politics is calling on him to embrace a bold economic populist agenda for his Ai??final year.

As former Obama communications director Dan Pfeiffer told Mother Jones last year: “There’s never been a time when weai??i??ve taken progressive action and regretted it.”

Below are statements from Congressional Progressive Caucus leaders and the PCCC — which coined the term ai???Warren wing ai???and led the Draft Elizabeth Warren for U.S. Senate campaign and raised her $1.17 million. The PCCC worked with all 2016 Democratic presidential candidates — leading to their embrace of Warren wing ideas like debt-free college, expanding Social Security, and strong Wall Street reform.

Adam Green, PCCC co-founder:

“The Warren wing of American politics Ai??is winning as we enter President Obamaai??i??s final year in office. ai???All three Democratic presidential candidates are campaigning as bold economic populists, and now President Obama has an opportunity to energize voters and impact his legacy by taking bold action too. Just as the president took bold action on guns, numerous executive orders to fight corporate abuse and improve life for working families are just a signature away — from limiting corporate political spending to requiring better wages for federal contractors.ai???

Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chair:

ai???President Obama delivers his final State of the Union address tomorrow, and I urge him to leave no doubt that he will fight with every remaining day of his presidency to achieve progressive policies that the American people are calling for. He has a year to build on the momentum that the Paris climate consensus achieved; a year to bolster good jobs by prioritizing employers who treat their workers well for federal contracts; and a year to ensure fair and transparent economic policies by closing tax loopholes and cracking down on ai???too big to failai??? banks. Tomorrow night is President Obamaai??i??s chance to lay out an ambitious end to an already impressive administration, and I urge him to go big.ai???

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chair:

ai???During his last State of the Union speech tonight, President Obama has an opportunity to outline a progressive agenda that will move our country forward during his last year in office. With Congressional Republicans failing to act, President Obama should use his authority to continue the fight for millions of Americans. From increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour for federal contract workers to closing tax loopholes that allow billion dollar hedge funds to avoid paying their fair share, there are many actions the President should take in 2016. The American people canai??i??t afford a lost year, and with Congressional Republicans sitting on their hands, the President should do all he can to improve the lives of working Americans.ai???

Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Leader of Weekly Progressive Caucus Special Orders on House Floor:

ai???In spite of a Congress that has not only failed to seek compromise, but has intentionally derailed even his most bipartisan efforts, this President has taken amazing steps on policies that support the lives of everyday Americans. In his final State of the Union address, I hope President Obama will reaffirm the commitments heai??i??s made to forward progress for our nation through big ideas like cementing our global leadership on climate change by putting an end to future fossil fuel leases on federal lands; expanding and improving opportunities for Americans to vote wherever possible; and finding ways to push back on the kinds of discrimination and hate that have undermined our criminal justice system, left our nationai??i??s Muslim populations in fear, and threatened so many of the core values the United States was founded upon. In his 2014 address, the President promised a year of action. I hope that with his final year in office heai??i??ll do the same.ai???

Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD), Ai??Candidate For U.S. Senate:

“I urge the President to continue putting big ideas on the table. He should lay out proposals to expand Social Security, eliminate the militarization of local police forces, and end the deportation raids of families seeking safe refuge. Our economy and country have made tremendous strides under President Obama’s leadership, and progressives in Congress and around the country stand ready to continue working with him on the issues most important to the American people.”

For interviews with PCCC staff or members of congress above, please contact Molly Haigh at 907-750-1999 or mollyh@boldprogressives.org.

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