Biden touts criminal justice reform in his State of the Union address, Colorado victims of violence attend
President Joe Biden delivered his State of Union address on Tuesday night with a focus on public safety.
In the audience were victims of violent crime from Colorado. Rep. Joe Neguse, a Democrat who represents Colorado's 2nd Congressional District, brought a Boulder woman whose husband was killed in the King Soopers shooting while Rep. Jason Crow, a Democrat who represents Colorado's 6th Congressional District, invited the Colorado Springs man who disarmed the Club Q mass shooter to be his guest. Both Crow and Richard Fierro are combat veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan who took a lifetime oath to serve.
Crow says Fierro's heroic actions illustrate his commitment to that oath.
"It's just a story I wanted to elevate and share with the rest of country," Crow said.
The president called for more gun control, including a ban on assault weapons, more mental health and substance abuse treatment providers, and more resources to stop the flow of fentanyl into the country.
"Let's start a major surge to stop fentanyl production and end the sale and trafficking with more drug detection machines, inspections of cargo at the border, working with couriers like FedEx to inspect more packages."
Republicans suggested his efforts to secure the border come too little too late, but they showed support overall for his public safety message.
The most emotional moment of the night came when Biden recognized the parents of Tyre Nichols -- a Black man beaten to death by Memphis police. Members of congress stood in applause. While Nichols' mother thanked them, Biden insisted she deserved more than a show of respect.
"There's no words to describe the heartache or grief of losing a child, but imagine losing that child at the hands of law. Here's what Tyre's mother shared with me when I spoke with her, when I ask her how she finds the courage to speak out, she said he's a beautiful soul and something good will come of this."
Passing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, Biden says, would be a good start.
"I know most cops are good, decent, honorable people, the vast majority... but what happened Tyre in Memphis happens too often. We have to do better. We have to give law enforcement the training they need and hold them to higher standards."
While Fierro says he didn't attend the address to make a political statement, he says no one should have to worry about their family member being shot at in a nightclub.
"This is my family. And they've experienced probably more rounds and fire in that minute than I've ever gone through. This is not something we as a society need to be doing."
Crow says it's why they served in the first place -- to make the country safer.
"This notion that we fought oversees so children and family won't have to experience things we experience."
Biden says everyone wants the same thing - safer neighborhoods and equal protection under the law.
"Let's commit ourselves to making sure the words of Tyre's mom are true -- something good must come of this."