and small. charter is connecting us. >> charter communications along with these television companies support c-span2 is a public service. this weekend the national governors association's winter meeting in washington d.c., coverage starts at 10:00 a.m. eastern with opening news conference discussions on infrastructure, education, cybersecurity and the the importance of bipartisan leadership. 11:00, first session with this year's nga president, hutchinson on his k-12 computer science education initiative. followed by discussion led by congress secretary gina armando. later transportation secretary pete budde judge speak to governors about recently passed infrastructure bill live 1:45 p.m. eastern. all beginning 10:00 a.m. saturday on c-span, online at c-span.org or watch full

coverage on our new video app, c-span now. >> next, michigan governor delivers the 2022 state of the state address commencing. this is only five minutes. 22 sts from lansing. this is 25 minutes. gov. whitmer: good evening, michigan. today is our state's 185th birthday. to celebrate, we are at detroit diesel.

built in 1938 to help us when world war ii peered a lifetime later, it is on the cutting edge of electric vehicle technology built by the hard-working men and women of uaw 163. places like this are where michigan's future will be forged. i am thrilled to be here to deliver my state of the state address. before we begin, let's take a moment to honor those who are not with us. let's remember the four young michiganders we lost in oxford. madison, kate, hannah, justin. those living with lifelong injuries and carrying the weight from that horrific day. the oxford community is in all of our hearts. michiganders, if you want to michiganders, if you want to help, go to oxford community victims fund.com. let's also remember over 30,000 michiganders we've lost to covid-19. thank the first responders, healthcare professionals, michigan national guard for everything they do to keep us safe. michigan national system is the best in the country, they go above andnd beyond at home and oceans away. recently i have the honor of pinning the hearts to three guard members injured during a ballistic missile attack in

iraq. michiganders, salute their sacrifices. they represent the best of us. i want to acknowledge my partner in government, he's innovative, optimistic, champion for michigan. i'm so glad to have him by my side. glad to have him by my side. finally, i want to thank my husband, my girls, my family and friends. i love you. clearly, this year's speech is different. due to covid, we are not at the capital. right now, health care professionals are working hard to keep us safe as omicron surges. while 2021 was not as miraculous as any of us wanted, we have made progress. we are stronger in large part thanks to science and life-saving vaccines. we have come a long way and i am encouraged about the path ahead.

after a polar vortex, a pandemic, a national recession, multiple flooding events and a kidnapping and murder plot, i have been asked how the heck do i keep doing this. my answer is simple. i show up for every michigan family. i want to keep delivering on the kitchen table issues. on a personal level, i want my girls to see their mom stand her ground, live her values even through unexpected challenges and constant threats. isn't that what we all want? to make a difference for the people we love most? the truth is we want the same things. a good paying job. great schools. clean water. safe communities. thriving small businesses. a chance to get ahead and hope for our future. tonight, i will stay focused on the things that unite us.

i will speak to the progress we have made together, the opportunity we have right now, and why we all believe in michigan. the state of our state is strong and getting stronger every day. first, let's talk about the roads. the pandemic showed us it has slowed us down a bit. since i took office, michigan has repaired, rebuilt or rehabilitated over 13,000 lane miles of road and over 900 bridges in every region of our state while supporting 82,000 jobs. that is enough miles to drive from the michigan-ohio border all the way to the mighty mac over 40 times.

in 2021 alone, we fixed i-496 in lansing, 196, 69, 94 in kalamazoo, u.s.41 in marquette and we are forging ahead on the gordie howe bridge in detroit. it will be taller than the statue of liberty when completed. recently, the army corps of engineers answered our call to invest, securing funding in sault ste. marie or that is a big deal for the state economy. we get the best trained workforce and the best value for our tax dollars. now the task on infrastructure from roads to lead pipes, it is large due to decades of neglect and underfunding. that is why we are fixing our roads and bridges with the right mix of materials so they stay

fixed. we are creating good paying jobs along the way. the kind you can raise a family on with solid benefits and a secure retirement. thanks to many in our congressional delegation and our federal partners, we have billions more headed our way from the bipartisan infrastructure plan that we will use to turbocharge our efforts. so when you see the construction orange, number one, slow down. there are people working. number two, those orange barrels mean we are moving dirt and fixing the damn roads. i know at times our nation's capital feels hopelessly gridlocked. as our state capital, republicans and democrats have showed we can come together to put michiganders first. together, we delivered over four -- $420 million in relief to

small businesses, empowering them to expand operations and retain over 200,000 jobs through covid. we expanded access to high-quality childcare and now, over one in three children in michigan 12 and under are eligible for low or no cost childcare. you can go to michigan.gov/childcare to see if you are eligible. for our michigan state police who protect and serve with the utmost professionalism, we built new posts in walker and grand rapids. for law enforcement, we funded better training, delivered hazard pay and expanded resources to local police departments. as a former prosecutor, public safety is a core issue for me. we will keep making investments to reduce crime and protect

families. our criminal justice system reforms have helped hundreds of thousands of michiganders who served their time secure jobs and housing with a clean slate. together, we cared for those who served our nation by building a new veterans home in mccullen county and another in grand rapids. we eliminated the cost barrier for 170,000 michiganders that are getting skills and better paying jobs through the michigan reconnect and futures for front liners. these programs boost our economy and empower our people. people like caroline, a former in-home care provider and mom of two who got straight a's in her first semester of commuting college. in jodey, a reconnect recipient, the first of eight siblings to go to college. she is on the dean's list at the grand rapids community college.

these programs have given them opportunity and opened new doors for their families. i want them to know we were all rooting for them. together, we made the largest education investment in state history without raising taxes. something we have done three years in a row. last year, we closed the funding gap between schools. something that four governors before me tried to do. we before we try to do we invested $8700 into every student in every district toen improve the class experience. then delivered checks that go above and beyond our kids every day i know how anxious parents are feeling right now.

making investments where they matter most in classrooms. to help her kids get caught up and then childcare professionals icu. thank you for working tirelessly to help her kids thrive. and to keep investing in recruitment and retention. soon i will introduce a budget that marks the biggest a education funding increase of more than 20 years without raising taxes. i want to be crystal clear. students belong in school. but remote learning is not conducive to a child's growth. in person learning is critical to social development and mental health.

and that's why we will do everything we can to keep kids in the classroom. we have all been through a lot. it's rational to feel frustrated or exhausted or cynical. they care for cynicism is competence. the bipartisan accomplishments are a testament to what we can do together. we mustsi believe that better tthings are possible because that's the only way they ever get done. just yesterday we saw proof, last month we work together to sharpen the development tool and with a 7 billion-dollar investment to create and retain 5000 good paying manufacturingec jobs.

and it's being built in michigan. and we arela just getting started the knock on michigan is that we don't have the tools to compete with other states. and then to create thousands of jobs. and then forward proposals to build on the work we have done

together by cutting taxes and lowering costs. first i believe whenever possible what makes taxes more affairs on —- more fair t14in she keep more of what they earned. to sign up by partisan bill for small business owners and then to repeal the tampon tax saving women hundreds of dollars of taxes on menstrual products. when it comes to delivering for women i will keep finding ways to lower the cost and i will veto any legislation to take away the t right to choose. my proposals tonight and for our seniors that's work together to repeal the

retirement tax. and it's time to get it done. and his money for prescriptions and repealing the retirement tax will help real people. and then to teaching for over 30 years. and then to serve the community and then to budget on fixed income.

and then they alll have to go back to work just to pay the bills. today to ms. painting and working odd jobs while dick is a driver's ed instructor. susan works over decade at a hair salon. after a lifetime of work they are still worried about affording essentials. so let's make it right. we can keep our word to dick and susan and tenant every t14 who's worked hard to play by the rules. with an average of $1000 a year. and those working full-time but still can't get ahead.

he said it's time that the federal and state y level. part of the refund you get when you file taxes but t14 received almost $3000 of tax refunds for combined e-itc. and to restore the e-itc with 22000 people that the 730,000 families with an average refund of almost 3000 that they can use to pay the bills. but was half the kids in

michigan backpacks, workouts and hot meals let's get that done. and in 2019 bipartisan autoship insurance reform saving drivers hundreds of dollars per year. and then insurance companies are sending every driver 400-dollar refund check for vehicle on may 9th of this year. secretary of state is saving t14 time and money. with an average of only 20

minutes. thanks to michigan reconnect. with over 175,000 families with a lot of good work to lower costs. families are feeling squeezed and we must do more. going back there retirement tax raising the e-itc is keeping more money in people's pockets and we can ensure that less comes out. i have two proposals tonight to lower costs on insulin and cars to expand access to mentalal health. first, hundreds of thousands

of michiganders need insulin to survive in the average cost of a single vial is almost 100 bucks. most people who use it need to or three vials per month that's $3600 a year.s and for years drug companies have and jacking up for the average price tripled with life-saving medicine without serious competition that is unconscionable. and yesterday the attorney general take action and launched an investigation on the michigan consumer protection act into are the three largest drug companies that makes nearly all insulin in the us.

meanwhile in the michigan legislature there been bipartisan bills introduced capping the cost at $50 a month. we all agree insulin cost too much. and to hold drug energy on —- drug companies accountable to save lives. done.get that and building on t the heritage moving toward clean energy future. and those electric vehicles sold in michigan and automakers have committed hundred percent of the fleets over the last ten or 15 years electric vehicles and as much

is gas powered cars. and to save thousands of dollars a year. 2000 for the car and 500 for the charging equipment. we can get this done making t14 to go electric mental health is just as important as physical health we went every person michigan we can expand access 3 percent of t14 do not

get treatment for their mental illness we will address the shortfall by expanding michigan loan repayment program from the top professionals with another bold investment mental health building on the work we did last year to help schools hire 560 nurses and counselors and social workers. we can expand access to mental health care. i laid out my plans to cutlt taxes for retirees and working families into lower-cost on insulin and electric vehicles and to expand access to mental health. i will work with anyone.

but the michigan economy and then to support small businesses that invest in our community. house on a message for the folks in dc. fund the actea so we can fight the ship crisis just the chip crisis head-on we have a once in a generation opportunity on our hands and i know that together we can do big things. and everything we face the last few years i have fought often about the time in my life that was in which between two generations of my own family taking care of my newborn daughter and my mom who was dying of brain cancer. i adjusted to a new job come i fought my mom's insuranceed company and cared for my baby. i learned i could do more than

i ever imagined. it can be hard but tough times make a stronger. making a difference for the people we love. it's what motivates all of us. and the reason i'm standing here today and the reason i'm determined and optimistic about our future. i want a better future for my girls and all of our kids. even on the hardest day i am grateful to serve my fellow t14 that desire for so many of us to step up and do more than we ever thought possible for the people. that is our spirit that lives in our stories we are doers united and optimist and united against pessimism. we are believers united

againstt cynicism. we fight for each other, not with each other and come together to get things done. we are capable of greatness. the question we have to ask ourselves, do we believe in michigan? i know i do. i believe because of you i work hard every day to play t14 first and i will always believe in michigan because we arewa strong and getting stronger everytr day. thank you and good night.

>> thank you lieutenant governor and the speaker members of the 32nd legislature. i'm glad to be back at the capital and person and thank you for the invitation to speak tonight. the first of want to recognize my wife of 34 years the first lady rose dunlevy. [applause] alaska in history this