Vitter Comments on President Bush's State of the Union Address
U.S. Sen. David Vitter tonight issued the following statement in reaction to the president's State of the Union address:
"I was glad to hear the president mention Louisiana and the Gulf Coast, especially since he was criticized for not doing so in previous years. I was also pleased to hear his announcement that the North American Summit will be held in New Orleans this year and this is an important, positive step for the region's continued recovery.
"I was also impressed by the president's push for an active agenda this last year of his term. The conventional wisdom is that not much gets done in Washington - and especially in Congress - during an election year. I want work in a bipartisan way to help prove that wrong and plan to push for priorities for Louisiana - specifically in the areas of economic stability and health care.
"I agree with the president that we must make the tax cuts permanent to create jobs and grow our economy. I also believe that it is very important that we continue to pursue real reforms in health care to enable patients to seek the best care at the most affordable price.
"Lastly, I could not agree more with the president that the U.S. Senate must move forward and confirm the backlog of good, qualified judges that continue to be slowed by partisanship. Louisiana's own David Dugas has been blocked from receiving a fair, up-or-down vote on his nomination as his seat stays vacant back in our state. I plan to help move good judges, like David Dugas, through the confirmation process so that they at least receive the confirmation vote that they deserve," said Vitter.