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"The President's budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2017 sets up an important debate about how our nation can continue to build an economy that allows for every American to attain economic prosperity. President Obama's budget proposal funds critical investments to expand access to education, focuses on improving Information Technology to best deliver Federal services, and prioritizes sustainable research and development programs to help combat climate change.

"On February 1, 2016, the case of Renton resident Nestora Salgado received long overdue legitimacy from the United Nations (UN) Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. In their legal decision dated December 17, 2015 made public this week, the international panel of independent human rights experts announced their conclusion that Nestora's continued detention by the Mexican government is illegal and arbitrary. The formal UN Working Group Report calls for Nestora's immediate release.

"A functioning justice system must work to protect the innocent and simultaneously hold accountable and rehabilitate those who commit crimes. The President's recently announced executive action reforms the federal prison system, following an extensive review by the Justice Department.

"Tomorrow, I will undergo a hip replacement procedure to correct problems stemming from my October 2014 hip surgery. In late 2014 and early 2015, I had two hip surgeries, one on each hip. Over the last several months, I have encountered ongoing difficulties with my recovery from the first surgery, necessitating a further procedure.

"Martin Luther King, Jr. has inspired generations of Americans to thoughtfully challenge inequality. Dr. King wisely advised that injustice at any level of society requires our attention, and his work continues to guide us as we collectively work to address injustices in our community and throughout the world.

"In his final State of the Union address, President Obama spoke of his leadership out of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. His administration, together with partners in Congress, has advanced policies that grew our economy and created new living-wage jobs. With 14 million new private sector jobs created over the past 70 months, and the longest continued period of private sector job growth in our history, our nation is looking forward to the future with renewed hope.

"I am extremely disturbed by recent accounts of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions in several states that are specifically targeting undocumented women and children from South and Central America. It has been reported that these raids have already resulted in the detention of 121 individuals, including in many cases, individuals who were not originally the focus of targeted enforcement actions.