Responding to the President's State of the Union Address

Statement

This week started with a bang, as President Obama attended a joint session of Congress to give his annual State of the Union. This was the seventh time he has addressed the American people and the seventh time we have all had to witness the same empty promises.

The American people spoke very clearly in November-- they are ready for us to work together and ready for the political gamesmanship to end. Simply put, the president's top-down approach to enacting policy isn't real leadership, and it certainly isn't what the American people deserve. I hope the president uses the final two years of his presidency to show us that he is capable of putting down his "pen and phone' long enough to reach across the aisle.

Also this week, I had the opportunity to introduce a Human Trafficking Bill. This legislation would create a program for nursing and medical schools to educate healthcare professionals so they can recognize signs of human trafficking and intercede early-on. Oftentimes, members of the medical community encounter these individuals while they are still being trafficked; however, by training healthcare professionals and equipping them with the right skills, we are enabling them to identify hallmark signs of abuse and intervene quickly.

I look forward to continuing to work on your priorities, and I want to thank you for the opportunity to be your voice in Washington.

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