Wittman Statement on Biden's State of the Union Address

Statement

Today, Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) released the following statement in response to President Joe Biden's State of the Union Address:

"This evening, President Biden delivered his first State of the Union address to both a joint session of Congress and to the American people. This speech uniquely coincided with a time of grave tensions both at home and abroad.

"Our nation should be in the midst of a booming economic recovery coming out of what has now been over two years of our nation suffering the consequences of a global pandemic. Businesses, students, families, and every hardworking American should be benefiting from an economy and environment that sets them up for success. However, what we are seeing is the exact opposite: our nation faces record-high inflation rates, disappointing jobs reports, struggling businesses through a labor shortage, a crisis at our southern border, and unprecedented levels of crime, among many other challenges.

"Globally, our nation faces additional crises and uncertainty as the world is looking to the United States to see how we respond to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. What we are witnessing in Ukraine is an intolerable and blatant attack that has implications on the security and stability on the rest of the world. The Ukraine crisis is a crucial test of American global power: this is a test for whether American power will remain strong enough to maintain peace and advance democracy, or whether the world's autocracies will claw back clout that they lost decades ago. The outcome of the days and weeks to come could reverberate well beyond the region and well into the future.

"Far too often, what we see coming out of Washington is nothing but red tape and bureaucracy that makes it increasingly more difficult for folks across the nation. Unfortunately, under the Biden Administration, they have doubled down on the expansion of government which have made things worse. The last year has been filled with heavy-handed government overreach, burdensome regulations, and excessive government spending that have all contributed to the many crises facing the American people. Americans want a government that sets them up for success, not one that gets in the way.

"Unfortunately, President Biden's State of the Union address painted an inaccurate picture of the realities facing our nation both at home and abroad. However, I believe the strength and will of the American people proves that there are brighter days ahead. Despite the unprecedented challenges facing our communities, Americans have consistently proven to be resilient. We have a lot of work and rebuilding to do both domestically and abroad, but together, I know we will."

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