Rooney on SOTU: "Go It Alone" the Wrong Approach for Jobs

Statement

U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney (FL-17) issued the following statement on President Obama's State of the Union Address:

"Why does the President bother coming to Congress just to say he's not going to work with us? He basically told the American people he's not going to work with their elected representatives, isn't willing to seek common ground, and doesn't want to work within the Constitution.

"The President likes to say he doesn't need Congress because he has a pen and a phone. Well, we have a Constitution. We have separation of powers.

"This speech is particularly frustrating coming after the first major bipartisan breakthroughs in Congress that we've seen in several years. We reached a two-year budget agreement, finally passed a real appropriations bill, and are on track to pass a bipartisan farm bill. The President should have used this opportunity build on these agreements and work together to help grow the economy and create jobs. Instead, he delivered one of the most starkly partisan, blatantly political State of the Union addresses I've ever seen. What a shame.

"The House just completed a "year of action' on jobs, and we're going to have another one. We're going to keep working to tear down obstacles to job creation and economic growth, create an environment where small businesses can expand and hire new workers, and boost American energy production. We're going to keep pushing to approve the Keystone Pipeline and the 20,000 jobs that come with it.

"The American people deserve action on jobs, and it's time for Harry Reid and President Obama to join us. President Obama should start by approving the Keystone Pipeline, and Harry Reid should start with the dozens of bipartisan, House-passed jobs bills waiting at his desk."

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