Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson's Statement on President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address

Statement

Congresswoman Johnson released the following responses to President Obama's State of the Union address:

On the Economy:

"The President's address focused on how best to grow our economy and create more jobs, and I applaud his efforts to ensure that our country is moving forward. Investments in research and innovation are key to our efforts to create more jobs. The mandatory cuts that are set to take effect after March 1st will be detrimental to research institutions such as the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and FDA. We must invest in research and development because it is critical for America is to remain a leader in global innovation."

"As the President noted in his address, we must encourage companies to make it in America so that we can bolster our manufacturing sector. Investments in our future are imperative to move our country in the right direction."

"I am a strong supporter of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. In his remarks, the President advocated for educational policy that is better equipped to graduate students in STEM fields. Our country has a demand for high-skilled workers, and we must provide the resources our students need to excel in these careers. We must continue to emphasize the importance of STEM education because employers are looking for those skills to fill jobs here in the United States. If we want to remain on the competitive stage globally, we must invest in STEM education."

On Infrastructure:

"The President's "Fix-It-First" program would get people back to work, and address our aging infrastructure's most urgent repairs."

On Deficit Reduction:

"I agree with the President that we must have a balanced approach in cutting our deficit. Our country is in the process of rebuilding, and I believe that relief for the American people is on the horizon. Republican Members of Congress continue to push the message of slashing government spending, but we have cut so much already. They operate under the notion that our deficit created itself, or that these were not debts we incurred in the past. We can't afford to just keep cutting without additional sources of revenue. The cuts will affect law enforcement, our first responders, nutrition assistance to low-income families, and emergency unemployment compensation. Deeper cuts to essential programs that assist small businesses and promote educational opportunities will have a detrimental impact on the future of this nation. We need to have a bipartisan balanced approach in cutting the deficit."

On Immigration Reform:

"I applaud the President's push for a comprehensive immigration system. The time is now to act to on immigration reform. Many immigrants come to America looking for a better day, and I am supportive of providing opportunities to those that are hopeful for a better tomorrow. I believe that we must have a responsible pathway to citizenship, as well as protecting our border. My colleagues on both sides of the aisle must come together to create a plan that is truly comprehensive."

On Climate Change:

"I was pleased to see that climate change was a focus in the President's address. As the Ranking Member on the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, it is my duty and that of my colleagues to ensure we address our changing climate. We must continue to foster policies that are focused on prevention and prediction of devastating natural disasters. It is well past the time to address the costly impacts of a changing climate."

On Gun Control:

"The horrific events like those at Sandy Hook Elementary School, and tragedies we see every day across this country are grim reminders of the need to curb gun violence. I am from a state where gun rights are extremely important, but I believe we must have commonsense reform. Background checks are needed to make sure that those who try to buy guns are mentally stable and of appropriate age. We need to restrict high capacity magazines, because too many lives have been lost already."

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