Washington, DC – House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries issued the following statement after inviting Eustene Corbin of East New York to be his guest for President Joe Biden’s 2023 State of the Union Address.   

“Social Security is a sacred trust between the government and its people, that after a lifetime of hard work and paying into a system, you will be able to retire with dignity and comfort. It is my honor to invite Ms. Eustene Corbin to the State of the Union to hear how under President Joe Biden’s leadership, Democrats will always defend Social Security and Medicare. Ms. Corbin and the millions of seniors like her deserve better than the Extreme MAGA Republican plot to cut Social Security and destroy Medicare. Democrats will continue to put People Over Politics to deliver results for everyday Americans,” said Leader Jeffries.

“I am very pleased and happy to have been invited to the State of the Union as a guest of Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Like many older and retired Americans, my life depends on the income that I receive from Social Security. This program was a promise made to all Americans 88 years ago. I worked my entire life and contributed to this program with the understanding that I would receive this benefit in retirement, which helps me pay for day-to-day expenses such as food, housing, medication and other necessary things. Without Social Security, I would not be able to live in my home. I would be devastated,” said Eustene Corbin.

In addition to Ms. Corbin, Leader Jeffries invited:

• Gwen Carr, Activist and the mother of the late Eric Garner 
• The Honorable Jaime Harrison
• Mary Kay Henry, President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
• The Honorable Alfredo Pacheco, President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Dominican Republic
• Kelley Robinson, President of the Human Rights Campaign