ST. GEORGE — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, along with the nation’s governors, met at the White House Friday with President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Cabinet members and senior White House advisers to discuss bipartisan priorities.
Governors from more than 40 states and territories are attending the National Governors Association (NGA) Winter Meeting this week in Washington, D.C., to discuss bipartisan solutions to housing affordability, artificial intelligence risks, workforce development, disaster response and other priorities.
In a wide-ranging discussion at the White House, governors called on Congress and the administration to work together to address national challenges.
“Governors agree that overcoming our nation’s challenges requires working together — across party lines and across state lines,” said Cox, who chairs the NGA, according to a news release. “We can’t let political division get in the way of good policy. We welcome the opportunity to work with the White House and with Congress on finding bipartisan solutions to border security, economic stability and other challenges.”
President Biden in addressing NGA attendees, singled out Cox, saying, “I appreciate Governor Cox’s effort to make … the mission of the NGA to get those of us who disagree with one another to listen to one another, to treat one another with a sense of dignity and respect.”
The Colorado governor lauded the meeting as a chance to more effectively address the needs of American citizens.
“I thank President Biden and the White House for their partnership and for bringing the governors together today to discuss the important issues facing our states and our country,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said in the news release. “This annual bipartisan gathering is an exciting opportunity to bring Colorado issues to Washington, D.C., while learning from each other and celebrating the important work being done to deliver real results for the people we serve.”
Also Friday, governors were to welcome U.S. Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Amy Coney Barrett for a discussion on Gov. Cox’s Disagree Better initiative, which aims to help Americans overcome toxic polarization. On Saturday, governors will welcome cabinet officials and national experts for sessions on artificial intelligence, housing affordability, disaster response, rural revitalization and workforce development.
The winter meeting is one of the two marquee annual convenings of the National Governors Association, the bipartisan organization representing governors from the 55 states and territories.
A video about the Disagree Better initiative is below.