The Final State of the Union
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Summary:
Amber Morris, one of the thousands of Americans who told Congress that losing $40 a paycheck was unacceptable, was a guest of the First Lady
Back in December, thousands of Americans shared their stories about the impact that losing $40 per paycheck would have on them, and on their families, if Congress did not pass the payroll tax cut.
Responses poured in from across the country, and these stories made a difference: Congress passed and President Obama signed a two-month extension of the payroll tax cut for middle class families before it expired at the end of 2011.
Amber Morris from Virginia Beach, Virginia was one of the people who wrote in to say what losing $40 per paycheck would mean to her, and on Tuesday night she joined First Lady Michelle Obama for the President’s State of the Union Address. Amber was selected to represent the tens of thousands of Americans who made their voices heard during the debate.
Here’s what Amber had to say back in December:
Forty dollars a paycheck means that I'll be able to pay my bills, but most months it'll be a tight squeeze. It means that I'll have no spending money which means I can't do my part in encouraging my local economy. Forty dollars a paycheck may not seem a lot, but it could mean a steady job for me and my coworkers or unemployment.
We put together a video highlighting Amber and some of the Americans who joined First Lady Michelle Obama. Check it out:
Learn more
- Take a deep dive into the data behind the President’s plan
- Find out how you can talk to Obama Administration officials about the President’s plan
- Watch the enhanced version of the 2012 State of the Union Address
- Video: Go behind the scenes as the President prepared his speech
- Photo Gallery: Scenes from the State of the Union
