Ayotte Statement on President's State of the Union Address

Statement

"I was encouraged to hear the president mention the importance of working together to address the heroin and prescription opioid abuse crisis, which I have been focused on for the past two years. I look forward to continuing to lead efforts to pass bipartisan legislation that will provide additional resources for prevention, treatment, individuals in recovery, and first responders who are on the front lines of this crisis. I hope the president will be a partner in that effort.

"With 10 American service members having been "arrested' by the world's worst state sponsor of terrorism, it's surprising and disappointing that our Commander in Chief did not demand the immediate return of our sailors, let alone even mention this serious situation. Further, in praising his nuclear agreement with Iran, the president failed to acknowledge that since the deal was finalized, Tehran has conducted two tests of ballistic missiles capable of carrying a nuclear weapon in violation of a UN Security Council Resolution, unveiled a new underground ballistic missile depot, fired rockets near a U.S. aircraft carrier, refused to release Americans unjustly imprisoned, and continued its support for terrorist groups that has earned Iran its reputation as the world's worst state sponsor of terrorism.

"Tonight, the President repeated the same misguided arguments to empty and then close Guantanamo. Congress has rejected closing Gitmo, and any effort to close the facility would violate the law and would make Americans less safe. For that reason, I will continue to lead efforts in Congress to ensure that the United States has a detention facility for the long-term law of war detention and interrogation of foreign enemy combatants necessary to keep terrorists like Ibrahim al-Qosi off the battlefield and gather the intelligence necessary to prevent future attacks on our country."

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