Velázquez Reacts to State of the Union Address

Velázquez Reacts to State of the Union Address
President's rhetoric does little to address the concerns of New York's working families

02/02/06

NEW YORK - Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-N.Y.) responded to President Bush's remarks in his State of the Union (SOTU) address, calling on him to tackle the needs of working class families in New York City and across the country who continue to struggle to make ends meet with practical solutions that address the uncertainties facing many Americans.

"We heard from a President that is out of touch with the concerns of the American people, as he continues to plug an agenda that only digs our nation deeper into a cycle of economic uncertainty, poverty, and war," Congresswoman Velázquez said. "What our community truly needs right now is an agenda that is committed to providing the resources that ensure access to health care benefits for seniors, affordable housing options for families, a quality education for our children, and a clear exit strategy for our troops."

President Bush spoke about a clear plan for victory in Iraq that will allow our troops - with numbers fluctuating between 138,000 and 160,000 in recent months - to return home. However, residents in New York City are continuing to be impacted - as of January 28, 2006, 116 New Yorkers had died in Iraq, and another 798 U.S. troops from the state had been wounded since operations began. With no end in sight to the mounting violence, Congresswoman Velázquez remains concerned that there is no clear plan, and the administration will continue to fail in providing a viable exit strategy that transitions control to the Iraqi people and restores security and stability to the region.

Meanwhile, families and individuals in communities across the country - from rural towns to inner city neighborhoods - are feeling the negative impacts of the President's misguided domestic policies. Access to affordable housing is a vital concern for thousands of New York City families. For FY 2006, the President proposed significant cuts to housing programs that serve low-income families, the elderly and disabled, and provided no funding for Section 8 vouchers. In his speech, the President failed to make even one mention of any housing or economic development programs that have been critical to the success of neighborhoods throughout the City. Also lacking was any mention of the highly touted, newly implemented and vastly complex Medicare prescription drug plan - which according to accounts has been a failure, as tens of thousands of seniors have not signed up, are being overcharged, or turned away from pharmacies entirely.

The President also remains disconnected from the education needs of America's youth. New York City public schools, many of which are located in low income or minority communities, have faced adversity in maintaining high standards while providing a quality education. This is truly the path to success in today's global economy. Despite the fact that President Bush repeatedly talks about the importance of education - including a push in his SOTU for an increase in math and science courses - he has continuously failed to provide New York City schools with the funding needed to educate our children. The No Child Left Behind Act, passed by Congress in 2001, has not been made a priority by the administration and has fallen short by $40 million for the past five years. It is estimated that for FY 2006, public schools in the 12th Congressional District will be underfunded by $104,468 - leaving many teachers struggling to find the resources they need to provide quality education services to students.

"Clearly, this nation has been going through some tough times - from our involvement in Iraq, to skyrocketing deficits, and a devastating hurricane season - but it is the troubling trend of an ever-widening gap between the have and the have-nots that truly worries me," Congresswoman Velázquez said. "We have yet to see a clear commitment from this President to saving critical health care, education and housing initiatives that ensure a future not only for the people of New York, but our entire country. In the end, it is crucial that we act now to provide the most vulnerable Americans with the assistance they need to ensure the continued livelihood of our children, families and communities."

http://www.house.gov/velazquez/PressReleases/2006/pr020206.htm