WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman McCarthy issued the following statement outlining 2008 priorities in reaction to the President’s State of the Union:

“The President made clear to the nation that there is much work to do, from being proactive in addressing a potential downturn in our economy to remaining committed to continued progress in the global war on terror.  Our nation faces many challenges, but a united America can solve these problems and many more. This requires Republicans and Democrats in Congress to realize that there is more that unites us than divides us. We need to reduce the partisan sniping, enhance the level of serious debate, and at the end of the day work towards real solutions.

“With the economic stimulus proposal, we have an opportunity to put aside the partisanship that weakened Congress last year and instead act to strengthen our economy by quickly providing tax relief to families and businesses. We must eliminate wasteful earmark spending by creating more transparency and accountability in Congress. We must demonstrate the leadership that Americans expect of their representatives by fixing our fractured Medicare physician payment system that jeopardizes the access of care for our seniors, securing our borders in order to maintain the rule of law, and ensuring that when our brave military men and women return from defending our freedoms, we honor their service by providing the care they deserve.

“I will continue to be a part of a new generation in Washington that works to solve problems. We must not divide ourselves into a red America or a blue America, but come together as a red, white, and blue America.”