Labrador Statement on President Obama Address to Congress

Statement

Idaho First District Congressman Raúl R. Labrador today issued the following statement in reaction to President Barack Obama's address to Congress.

"Too many Americans today are either unemployed or underemployed. This fact is not news and therefore the president's speech, while good intentioned, rings hollow to the hundreds of thousands still seeking new or full-time jobs nearly three years after his election to the White House. Instead of another speech, I believe President Obama would have been far better served having a dialogue with Congress to find common ground on job--producing measures.

"I sent a letter to the president two months ago outlining three areas I believe we can reach common ground based on his past remarks. Since his election, the president has suggested he believes in cutting regulations, cutting spending and reforming the tax code yet he has not worked with the House on any of these items. Instead of giving another speech to Congress, President Obama should be sitting down with Congress and using those three areas as a framework to create bipartisan pro-growth policies.

"The American people realize that another spending stimulus isn't the answer. The president already tried and failed with a stimulus spending binge over three years ago. Businesses and job creators are waiting to invest in the American economy but only once they are assured that the federal government is prepared to cease its economic experimentation and just get out of the way. President Obama should accept my invitation to work with the House on bipartisan solutions - our economy needs leadership right now."

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