Senator Salazar Responds to President's State of the Union Address

Press Release

Senator Salazar Responds to President's State of the Union Address

Tonight, United States Senator Ken Salazar released the following statement in response to President Bush's final State of the Union address to our Nation. Below, Senator Salazar responds to several issues the President spoke about that impact Coloradans, including getting the economy back on track, changing our mission in Iraq from one of combat to one of support, improving our Nation's energy security and fixing America's broken health care system.

"There is a very different state of the union that is very unsettling to me and most Americans, than the one the President discussed tonight.

"Today, our Nation's economy is on thin ice as we are on the verge of a recession; after five years, nearly 4,000 American deaths and more than half a trillion dollars in taxpayer money, we are still mired in an open-ended civil war with no end in sight in Iraq; and 47 million Americans including over 9 million children go to sleep without healthcare each night.

"The 110th Congress is moving America in a New Direction---but clearly, our Nation continues to face many challenges. We must reinvigorate and restore the American people's faith in the economy, change our mission in Iraq from combat to support, secure our energy independence, and step foot on a new path that leads all Americans to have access to quality and affordable health care. I hope in his last months in office, the President takes a fresh bi-partisan approach and works with Congress on these vital issues."

On the economy:

"Our economy is on thin ice and families across Colorado and the Nation are feeling squeezed by the pain of economic uncertainty. We must enact an effective economic stimulus package to provide some measure of relief to Americans who are struggling financially."

"We need urgent action to keep our economy from going into the ditch. As the Senate Finance Committee moves forward this week on an economic stimulus package, I remain committed to two goals: working quickly to put money into the pockets of consumers and small businesses to get the economy moving and secondly, promoting efforts to shore up our economy in the longer term, such as strengthening business investment, investing in infrastructure, and addressing the national housing crisis.

"With those goals in mind, I will continue to work in the Finance Committee to get our economy back on the right track and I hope the President will work cooperatively with Congress to enact an effective conomic stimulus that will provide timely, targeted and temporary relief to struggling families and small businesses."

On Iraq:

"On Iraq, after five years, nearly 4,000 American deaths and more than half a trillion dollars in taxpayer money, we are still mired in an open-ended civil war with no end in sight. This year, as the US enters its 6th calendar year of involvement in Iraq, I am more convinced than ever that we must change our soldiers' mission from combat to support.

"We must change course in Iraq and hold Iraqis responsible for their own country's progress. We must place the responsibility for Iraq's future, and for the security of its citizens, in the hands of its government. While we cheer reduced violence in parts of Iraq and salute the brave U.S. troops who have made that possible, the stated goal of the surge - political reconciliation - has not been achieved. Until we change our mission, and draw our soldiers out of the streets of Iraq, Iraqi politicians will take very few steps toward political reconciliation while making little progress towards peace.

"I believe that our military mission in Iraq must transition, at some point, from one of combat to one of support, with the ultimate goal of bringing our troops home. We may disagree about the number or the timing of troop draw-downs, but we all know that we cannot sustain 158,000 troops in Iraq indefinitely. It will take courage and conviction to begin to shift our mission and bring our troops home, but if Iraq is truly to stand on its own, we must take decisive action."

On our Nation's energy independence:

"Our Nation is on the verge of an energy revolution, but our vision of moving America from its dependence on foreign oil will only become a reality with the support of the President.

"We must build on the historic work of the Congress last year to lower vehicle emissions for the first time in 32 years with the new CAFÉ standards, increasing efficiency for building, lighting and appliances and to increase clean, renewable energy usage.

"I call on the President to support the Senate's energy tax incentives package to stimulate economic growth in the renewable energy sector. I call on the President to support a national renewable electricity standard that will put us on a path to 15% renewable electricity generation by 2020. I call on President Bush to renew and expand our commitment to leading the world in breakthrough energy technologies by announcing a plan to double the budget of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden over the next five years."

On healthcare:

"Too many Americans are just one medical emergency from bankruptcy. Our healthcare system is broken and we need to chart a New Direction where every American has access to quality affordable health care to create a healthier America.

"The time has come for fundamental change in our health care system. We must finally embrace the concept that health care for every American is a right and embark upon a new path that leads us to affordable, high-quality treatment for every member of our communities."

On Rural America:

"I have attended the President's past three State of the Union addresses and, unfortunately, I have yet to hear him mention the word ‘rural.' I am disappointed that this President has ignored the needs of rural America."

On earmark reform:

"After years of increasing amount and funding for earmarks under a Republican Congress and White House, the Democratic Congress supported substantial earmark reform which requires transparency by requiring bills to list all earmarks including the names of Members of Congress who requested the funding. We cut the number of earmarks by 13% this last year. Meanwhile, under President Bush federal spending has increased almost 50% and the National Debt has exploded from $5.8 trillion to over $9 trillion- an increase of approximately 55%."

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