Press Release
Price Response to President Obama’s State of the Union Address
Washington, D.C.– House Republican Policy Committee Chairman Tom Price, M.D. (R-GA) issued the following statement in response to President Obama’s State of the Union Address.
“This evening, President Obama had the opportunity and the responsibility to level with the American people, admit that the policies of the past three years have delivered an underwhelming record of economic growth and job creation, and show an interest in changing direction and uniting, not dividing the nation,” said Chairman Price. “The president failed to meet that responsibility. After three years of ballooning deficits, new onerous regulatory actions, the expansion of government authority over health care, an uncertain tax policy, and, most recently, a rejection of a bipartisan project to promote job growth and energy security, the American people needed something more than the type of campaign stump speech the president has been giving all across the country.
“While the president has been campaigning, Republicans in the House of Representatives have outlined and acted on a pro-growth legislative agenda rooted in policies that promote hardworking taxpayers, job creators, and small businesses. The Republican-led House of Representatives has pushed for tax reform that eliminates loopholes, broadens the base, and simplifies the code for all Americans. Our economic reforms – which also include a bold expansion of American energy resources, the promotion of private capital investment, and a reduction in regulatory red tape – would promote success across America. If the president is truly interested in tax reform, he should look at the pro-growth proposals put forth by House Republicans. When he talks about American manufacturing and American energy, he should remember the thousands of jobs his administration rejected by declining to approve the Keystone XL pipeline project. And when Republicans put forth a plan to save and strengthen programs like Medicare while putting us on a path to pay off the debt over time, President Obama ought to offer a sensible budget plan of his own and ask the Democrat-led Senate to do the same.
“Our vision is admittedly in contrast to the president’s desire to take more hard-earned money away for taxpayers and the economy while dividing the American people. Nevertheless, we have asked the president to call on Senator Reid to consider the nearly 30 pieces of legislation sitting over in the Senate, so that we have the chance to find common ground. Our big challenges require bold leadership today.”
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