WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Pete Olson (TX-22) today issued the following statement in response to President Obama's 5th State of the Union address:

"What I heard tonight was borderline delusional - a return to the failed policies of the past. Our addiction to spending is like an addiction to drugs.  President Obama wants to make us more dependent on government spending. We know what happens to the addict who can’t kick his habit, yet the President’s prescription is more drugs.  

"The American taxpayer simply cannot afford these failed policies. Remember, when he says “balanced approach,” he means more taxes.  Taxes haven’t caused our massive debt.  Spending has.  My House colleagues and I serve as the final backstop to a tax-and-spend agenda that can't and won't fix our economy.

"The best thing that President Obama can do for this economy is to acknowledge the obvious problem: we must reduce spending and we must restore and preserve Social Security and Medicare.  Low, fair tax rates and limited, sensible regulations will do more to strengthen our economy than any costly stimulus proposals the President can dream up.

"President Obama asked for the across-the-board cuts and he should have the political courage to stick with them.  If he's concerned about their impact, he should come up with a list of immediate targeted cuts to replace them, but the amount of the cuts must be the same. 

"The House passed legislation last year that would replace harmful national security cuts with alternatives that reduce spending the right way. I favor passing this legislation again immediately and the President should urge the Senate to pass it so we can protect our military."

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