The South Carolina Republican delivered the GOP response to Biden’s first joint address to Congress.

Sen. Tim Scott on Wednesday offered up a GOP alternative to President Joe Biden’s vision for the country, pushing back on Biden’s agenda in a wide-ranging speech that propelled the South Carolina Republican further into the national spotlight.

In the official GOP response to Biden’s first joint address to Congress, Scott, the only Black Republican in the upper chamber, drew on his own personal experiences to push back on the drastic expansion of government that has defined Biden’s first 100 days in office — from his pandemic relief package to the president’s proposals on jobs and infrastructure.

“We should be expanding options and opportunities for all families — not throwing money at certain issues because Democrats think they know best,” Scott said.

Scott’s racial identity and conservative politics have made him a rarity in Congress, where he hasn’t been afraid to lean into both. And Wednesday was no exception. During his speech, Scott reiterated that he has “experienced the pain of discrimination.” But he also emphasized that “America is not a racist country” and cautioned that “race is not a political weapon to settle every issue the way one side wants,” citing voting rights as an example.

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