Following President Biden’s first State of the Union, The Executive Leadership Council issued the following statement:

“We applaud President Biden on his first State of the Union and for committing to historic investment in American infrastructure, Black students and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The president has been steadfast in uniting Americans and working with both parties during an extremely difficult time in the history of our nation.

The bipartisan Biden Infrastructure Law is a great example of what can happen when we work together to solve critical problems for the American people. We are looking forward to the opportunities this law will create for minority businesses and corporations looking to diversify their supply chains and to continue the trend of creating jobs for our nation’s diverse communities.

We were pleased to hear the administration commit to increasing Pell Grants, which benefit more than 50% of Black students seeking a higher education and continuing to make record investments in Historically Black Colleges and Universities and community colleges. The future of the American corporate talent pipeline is diverse, and we appreciate the Biden administration for making deliberate investments into Black students and Black institutions.

We thank the president for calling on the Senate the pass the Freedom to Vote: John Lewis Voting Rights Act, to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, who, if confirmed, will be the first Black woman to sit on the Supreme Court bench, and to confirm Lisa Cook and Philip Jefferson to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.

We look forward to continuing to work with the Biden-Harris Administration and Congress as they strive to create a more diverse, inclusive and equitable environment for Black Americans and, for American business.”