Statement of U.S. Rep. Kendrick B. Meek (D-FL) Regarding President Bush's Final State of the Union Address

Press Release

Congressman Kendrick B. Meek issued the following statement regarding President Bush's Final State of the Union address.

"As with every State of the Union since he has taken office, President Bush likes to talk about bipartisanship and fiscal responsibility, and this year is no different. Unfortunately, the President has been all talk and no action and his record is in stark contrast to his words.

"The culmination of eight years of misguided policies that placed the special interests of the few over the economic needs of the many is now before us.

"Job growth under President Bush is the worst under any president since Herbert Hoover ushered in the Great Depression. The unemployment rate is rising while real household income is declining. While the rich are afforded tax break after tax break for the last 8 years, the number of Americans living in poverty has increased by a staggering 4.9 million. The middle class continues to be squeezed as energy costs, health care costs and education costs continue to climb.

"Our union is frustrated that President Bush has turned large projected surpluses into large deficits, angered that President Bush's tax cuts will be more than 100 times larger for millionaires than for middle income households, and overburdened by the economic cost of the Iraq War estimated to be $2.8 trillion by 2017.

"In his final year in office, I am pleased that President Bush has reached out to Speaker Pelosi and Leader Reid to achieve a timely, targeted and temporary economic stimulus package for working American families. By putting money in the hands of Americans who need it most, our economy will get a much needed jumpstart. Families facing foreclosure will be able to refinance their loans and will receive housing counseling. With Democrats in control of Congress, lower- and middle-incoming working Americans now have a seat at the economic negotiating table."

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