SALT LAKE CITY — The crowd attending President Joe Biden’s event commemorating the PACT Act had many reasons to be there.
For some, it was political. For others, it was personal.
“As a Salt Lake City native, Navy veteran, post-9/11 veteran, what an honor to have the President of the United States come to our VA medical center,” said Justin Brown, a veteran with the Hill Vets Foundation.
Terry Schow, a service officer with the American Legion, called the PACT Act the single most important legislation “in my lifetime.”
At Thursday’s event, Biden announced the White House had extended the deadline for veterans and their families to apply for benefits. People can CLICK HERE to sign up.
“The deadline was actually yesterday, but because of the tremendous demand it shut down the phones so they extended the deadline to monday at midnight,” said Schow.
Brown said the legislation was important for veterans and their families.
“It will ensure that if any of us get sick, any of our peers, our brothers and sisters-in-arms get sick, they are taken care of and their families are taken care of,” he told FOX 13 News.
Many veterans and prominent Utah Democrats met privately with President Biden ahead of his speech. Utah Democratic Party Chair Diane Lewis told FOX 13 News she conveyed how thrilled she was to see her party’s leader in a very red state.
“I said ‘I want you to know I’m so happy you came to Utah to represent the Democratic party as well.’ And then I started crying and he hugged me,” she said, chuckling.
Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla (D-Salt Lake City) told FOX 13 News she viewed the President’s visit as positive for Utah Democrats and the message it sends.
“Both of my uncles were Vietnam vets and so this was really important to me not just as an elected official but it’s very personal to our family,” said House Minority Leader Angela Romero, D-Salt Lake City. “To have a president here who represents all people. This isn’t about blue or red, it’s the Commander-in-Chief of our country.”
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall and Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson accompanied President Biden to a Park City fundraiser later in the afternoon.
Republican Utah Governor Spencer Cox also greeted the president, as is custom. But he was in the political minority in the room on Thursday. Gov. Cox told reporters he did meet with President Biden on multiple occasions, discussing a number of issues.
“Obviously veterans and taking care of our veterans. We talked about the recently declared monument and our disagreements about that monument,” the governor said. “I think it’s important we have those discussions. We talked about the Great Salt Lake and what we’re doing to preserve the lake and help the federal government can give us on that effort.”
As Gov. Cox has been increasingly vocal in pleading for people to abandon hyperpartisan bickering, he said he and President Biden found areas of common ground even if they are ideologically in disagreement on issues.
“We can disagree in the right ways, in the right places and we welcome each other and try to find common ground and work together,” he said.
For one teenager, the visit was just fun. Adrienne Nielsen accompanied her mother, Deondra Brown as they sat in the crowd. Nielsen shook hands with President Biden as he left.
“I knew there weren’t going to be a lot of people my age there,” she said. “So it was really a cool experience to meet the President.”
