Arizona lawmakers, guests to attend Trump’s State of the Union address
Jan 30, 2018, 5:01 AM | Updated: 11:18 am
FILE - In this Feb. 28, 2017, photo, President Donald Trump, flanked by Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, for his address to a joint session of Congress. (Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool Image via AP, File)
(Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool Image via AP, File)
PHOENIX — President Donald Trump will deliver his first State of the Union address on Tuesday and several Arizona lawmakers said they will attend, but they are not going alone.
Reps. Andy Biggs, Paul Gosar and Martha McSally will attend the address with some guests.
Biggs will bring Pamela Foster, the mother of 11-year-old Ashlynne Mike, who was abducted and murdered on the Navajo Nation reservation in May 2016.
Gosar will bring Arizona Secretary of State Michele Reagan, while McSally will bring Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels.
In a statement, Biggs said he has worked alongside Foster to help pass the Amber Alert in Indian Country Act, which would expand the Amber Alert system in Native American communities.
“I believe that we are extremely close to passing this lifesaving law,” Biggs said. “No child – regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, or birthplace – should be outside the protection and jurisdiction of the Amber Alert system.”
Foster also said in a statement that she was honored by the invite and will use her presence to “bring attention to the need for Congress to act on passing the Amber Alert in Indian Country Act.
“It is such an honor to attend this historical event, and I hope to use my time in Washington advocating for passage of this legislation in the House so that President Trump can sign it into law,” she added.
Gosar did not release a statement about his decision to bring Reagan to the event, only confirming the news in a Twitter post.
McSally said in a statement that she was bringing Dannels because he is a “national voice for sheriffs throughout America.”
“I have been fortunate to work with Sheriff Dannels on a number of border and law enforcement initiatives, and am very thankful for his years of service and his continued dedication to our southwest border community,” the statement read.
“Arizona, and Cochise County, are fortunate to have such a solid champion on the local, state, and national level.”
Dannels also said in a statement that he was “honored” to be able to witness history.
“As our president and Congress are shaping a plan to secure the border, it is very important that rural border communities are represented and their voice is heard in these decisions,” he said. As Sheriff of Cochise County with 33 years of law enforcement, the border isn’t just a concept—it’s our reality.”
Democratic U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego will bring Antonio Valdovinos, a 27-year-old Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipient.
“I hope that President Trump and his administration will take notice of the Dreamers who attend tonight’s address and it will remind them to get to work to fix the problem they created,” Gallego said.
U.S. Sen Jeff Flake will attend the speech with his wife.
The president will also be inviting several guests of his own, including an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer and family members of victims killed by MS-13 gang members.
