WASHINGTON, DC (March 7, 2024) — Today, Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04), announced that she will be joined by local gun violence prevention activist, Lavern Lucier, as her guest to President Biden’s State of the Union Address to Congress on Thursday, March 7. Lavern Lucier is the mother of the late-Syncere Burrell, who was the victim of a shooting in Durham in 2020. Lucier has been a critical ally in the fight to slow the flow of guns into local communities and important advocate for improving relations between law enforcement and local communities.

“President Biden and House Democrats have lowered health care costs, cancelled student debt to grow the middle class, defended reproductive freedoms, delivered historic benefits for America’s veterans, and fought to prevent gun violence in our communities,” said Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04). “People like Lavern Lucier truly exemplify the work Democrats are doing to fight for everyday Americans, and I applaud her commitment to making our schools, neighborhoods, and streets a safer place for our children. As a member of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, I will continue to push for federal gun violence prevention legislation that will save lives and keep our communities safe.”

“I am honored to join Congresswoman Foushee at the State of the Union Address to hear from President Biden about the progress we have made,” said Lavern Lucier. “We cannot continue to let gun violence take away our loved ones. We urgently need sensible federal legislation against gun violence to save lives, keep families together, and protect the people in our communities.”

The State of the Union Address will take place on Thursday, March 7, 2024, at 9:00PM ET and will highlight historic achievements that House Democrats and President Biden have delivered and share an optimistic vision of putting People Over Politics to lower costs, grow the middle class, make all our communities safer, and defend our fundamental freedoms.