Hostettler Statement on the State of the Union Address

HOSTETTLER STATEMENT ON THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

WASHINGTON, DC - "I was encouraged to hear President Bush touch on a number of critical topics last night that need to be at the top of our legislative agenda this year.

National security is one of our most pressing priorities, and Congress will continue to provide the tools and benefits to our men and women in uniform to fight, win, and return home as soon as possible. I think President Bush was right to call for the renewal of important legislation like the Patriot Act to protect our citizens from future acts of terrorism. He also talked about illegal Immigration, another national security issue, and I applaud the President for calling for tougher enforcement of our immigration laws and stronger border security.

On tax relief, the President was on target when he warned against allowing tax cuts to be phased out. We have to do everything we can at the federal level to help the American economy steam along. Tax relief is one way to do that and I support him 100% on making the tax cuts permanent. Let's be clear about what this means. If we don't do this, we are going to levy a massive tax increase on American families and businesses.

Federal spending is another economic issue we must address. We have to eliminate the deficit so that we don't leave our grandchildren with an insurmountable debt. I applaud the President's call for a line item veto and have supported it when a Democrat President asked for it. But until new legislation to grant him new authority passes, I encourage President Bush to veto either an entire spending bill that he determines to be excessive or a bill that would authorize new spending.

Finally, I liked his proposal for health savings accounts. Like tax cuts, I think these accounts make good sense and will help many Americans in an effective and immediate way. They provide the opportunity to set aside funds on a tax-advantaged basis to help folks manage their health care costs. These accounts are also portable, so an individual is not dependent on a particular employer to enjoy the advantages. Like an individual retirement account (IRA), you own the HSA. So, if you change jobs, the HSA goes with you. This kind of consumer choice is good for everybody. Health savings accounts won't solve the health care problem entirely, but they are a really good start."

http://www.house.gov/hostettler/News/Hostettler-news-2006-2-01-SOTU-statement.htm