Statement On the President's State of the Union Address

Statement On the President's State of the Union Address

"I emerged from the President's State of the Union Speech believing more than ever that if we are to chart a new course for the nation, as the voters demanded last November, the leadership is going to come from the Congress and not the White House.

It is clear that the American people are seeking a new direction in Iraq, yet this President is proposing more of the same in the form of an escalation of the war.

On domestic issues, the President failed to set out the type of bold new initiatives on the economy, health care, education that the American people and I were hoping for.

There were a few high points in his speech for me. I was delighted to hear the President, for the first time, recognize the significant challenge posed by global warming. I am hopeful that the President will work with House Democrats who are ready and willing to lead on this critical issue.

While I thought that most of the President's health care proposals would do little to resolve our nation's health care crisis, I was encouraged by his support of the concept of encouraging state level innovations in our efforts to provide health care for all. I look forward to searching for common ground with the President on this idea.

Lastly, I was surprised by a number of omissions in the President's speech. Most notably was his failure to address agricultural policy. With Congress poised to re-write the farm bill and with the economic importance of our agricultural sector, this omission is notable."

http://tammybaldwin.house.gov/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=1367