Congressman Carney Statement On State Of The Union Address

Statement

Congressman Chris Carney made the following statement after the President's State of the Union address Wednesday night:

"The president offered a hopeful message about our country's future and I credit him with seeking to inspire optimism. Our economy is showing signs of recovery and I have tremendous faith in the resilience of our working men and women. But we must give our businesses and organizations the tools they need to make bold decisions that will lay a foundation for the future and do so by coming together in a bipartisan manner. I will continue to do everything I can to support the increased growth of our businesses and help our local economy, whether it be through small business tax credits or the elimination of capital gains on small businesses. I am also proud to have fought tirelessly in opposition to the tolling of I-80, a move that would have disastrous consequences on our local economy.

I was pleased to host Austin Burke, president of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce and a resident of Archbald, as my guest at the State of the Union. Mr. Burke knows all about being visionary. Rarely has a week gone by when we haven't worked together to help get funding for an area business or business park. He is planning for northeastern Pennsylvania's economic future in ways that should serve as a guide for others to follow.

While many families continue to struggle during this difficult economic climate, we must not forget about the sacrifices borne by our brave service men and women who are fighting on the front lines in Afghanistan and Iraq. We must not back down from the terrorists who threaten the security of our country.

I was disappointed the president did not discuss the failed Christmas Day bombing in greater detail and the steps he plans to avoid another near terrorist attack. Keeping our citizens safe is my top priority in Congress and we must feel confident that this administration has learned its lessons from the communications breakdowns and know that improvements are quickly being made.

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