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Statement of Congresswoman Nydia M. Velazquez in Reaction to President Bush’s Final State of the Union Address

January 28, 2008

Statement of Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez in Reaction to President Bush’s Final State of the Union Address

Many New Yorkers watched the President deliver his final State of the Union address this evening. These hard-working Americans were looking to their chief executive for new ideas on how to bolster the sagging economy, address high housing and energy costs, and end the War in Iraq. The President delivered none of that.

President Bush chose to discuss what he believes to be successes in the War in Iraq, but each day that our troops remain in danger is a failure of his Administration. It’s clear that he doesn’t have a plan for withdrawal.

It is time for the President to focus on the growing problems at home. Today, our national debt is $4.5 trillion higher than it was when President Bush took office. Yet an additional 9 million Americans are uninsured and almost 5 million more live in poverty. As he faces his last 50 weeks in office, it is time for the President to change his priorities and start focusing his efforts on Americans.

The economic stimulus package that the House leadership worked with the President to formulate is a beginning. We need to further this commitment by creating new jobs at home, bolstering the housing market, and better protecting the American worker and small business owner. But tonight’s State of the Union address provided no sign that we can expect more long-term improvements from this President.