Response to the State of the Union

As we face the prospect of war and confront an economy in steep decline, the state of our union is uncertain. Tonight, the president failed to ease the nation's anxiety over his economic plan and fell short of addressing the nation's increasing concern about the future.

It is clear that tax cuts continue to be the president's all-purpose solution to our precarious economic situation. I believe there is a time and place for tax cuts directed to those who need them. Unfortunately, tax cuts targeted to those who need it the least at a time of such profound uncertainty are shortsighted and misguided.

Now is the time to discuss improving access to quality health care for all, strengthening our homeland security efforts, providing our children with the best possible education, reducing our dependence on foreign oil by developing environmentally smart energy solutions, strengthening our homeland security efforts and protecting our pensions and retirement savings.

President Bush's rhetoric on these and other most critical issues is undermined by his single-minded push for more tax cuts.

Regarding Iraq, I share the President's view that Saddam Hussein poses a serious threat to U.S. security interests. We must do everything in our power to confront Iraq and other rogue states that might share weapons of mass destruction or their components with our enemies, in whatever form they take. In the weeks ahead, I hope the president will continue to focus on building coalitions both at home and abroad.

No one wants to go to war. However, we must secure the removal of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction diplomatically if we can, militarily if we must.