Congresswoman Katie Porter (D-CA) will today be joined by Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, head of the California Labor Federation, as her guest for President Biden’s 2023 State of the Union address. 

“Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher has been a champion for workers across our state for more than a decade. I’m honored to bring her as my guest to the State of the Union and hope her presence will serve as an urgent reminder of the need to stand firm against corporate giveaways,” said Rep. Porter. “House Republicans have wasted no time in passing legislation that empowers tax cheats and hands our public lands to Big Oil. Lorena and I stand together in pushing our government to represent workers and consumers, not big corporations.”

House Republicans have already used their majority to prioritize big companies over workers, voting to strip the IRS of funding it needs to crack down on ultra-wealthy tax cheats and giant corporations. They also passed legislation allowing Big Oil to reap even more profits from our public lands. 

As a former California state legislator, Gonzalez Fletcher spearheaded legislation implementing key protections for workers and establishing a model of paid sick leave for the nation. She has devoted her career to empowering workers and fighting back against corporate abuse. 

Congresswoman Porter continues to stand with workers and consumers. Her bill to recover tax dollars from Big Pharma companies that hike prices faster than the rate of inflation was signed into law and is in effect as of January 1, 2023. Last Congress, she proudly voted to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which expands labor protections and collective bargaining rights. Porter has repeatedly stressed that consumer and worker protections are imperative to a healthy capitalist economy. 

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