Chief Deputy Whip Diana DeGette Reacts to State of the Union Address

Chief Deputy Whip Diana DeGette Reacts to State of the Union Address

Chief Deputy Whip Diana DeGette (D-CO) released the following statement in response to President Bush's State of the Union address:

"Tonight we heard from President Bush on some of the most urgent issues facing our great nation. The growing health care crisis, energy security, the war on terror and the worsening war in Iraq are all areas for which we must find a new direction. Democrats welcome the opportunity to forge common ground with President Bush and chart a new way forward; but we are not waiting. If the President is not willing to lead, Democrats will.

"Unfortunately the President is not off to a good start in seeking that common ground. Against the advice of both current and former advisors, as well as members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, President Bush has chosen to escalate the war in Iraq. This goes against the overwhelming opposition of the American people, the Iraq Study Group and many of his own generals. This will not bring success in Iraq or make America more secure. My colleagues and I in Congress intend to ask hard questions and exercise increased oversight of the President's Iraq policy. It is time to bring our brave young men and women home.

"President Bush has rarely matched words and deeds with his State of the Union address. From pledging to cure our ‘addiction to oil' to making health care more affordable, the President's State of the Union address has been filled with hollow rhetoric. Identifying problems is not enough. It is long past time to start solving them."

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/co01_degette/sotu.html