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In this week’s media roundup, Members responded to the State of the Union with solutions — solutions for strengthening our energy sector, solutions for real educational opportunities, and solutions on tax reform. Check out what they had to say — in person and in print.
House Committee Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX)
“Chairman McCaul Discusses The Secure Our Borders First Act”
Fox News “America’s Newsroom”
“When I go home, the number one mantra I hear is ‘Mr. Chairman, when are you going to secure that border?’ That’s my Constitutional responsibility. The administration has failed to do this.”
House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI)
“Chairman Ryan Discusses The President’s SOTU Tax Plan”
MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”
“I think the key secret to a healthy economy, to get more people from welfare to work, to growing this economy – is tax reform… The great agreements that have been done in the past have been bipartisan.”
Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
“We Do Not Have a Revenue Problem”
Fox News with Kimberly Guilfoyle
“People are overtaxed, government is overspent. We do not have a revenue problem. You know we brought in the most money ever in 2014 — $3 trillion dollars in revenue…. This President still does not understand that the best economic revenue is a job.”
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI)
“Building The Infrastructure For A Brighter Energy Future”
The Hill
“Our nation’s infrastructure system is critical to our national security, economy, and quality of life. Yet despite its significance, Washington frequently overlooks the necessity of energy infrastructure.
“The deficiency of our energy infrastructure also threatens industries responsible for some of the greatest job growth from pre-recession levels. Creating the infrastructure we need not only protects that job growth, it will also open up new markets for American energy at home and abroad, providing even more opportunity for economic growth.
“This week the House will consider the Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Act sponsored by Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.). This bill streamlines the permitting process for natural gas pipelines, which are exactly what New Englanders need to enjoy affordable energy. Next week the House will consider a bill to expedite the approval of liquefied natural gas export facilities, letting America use its energy abundance to benefit our allies and counter our adversaries.”
Rep. Diane Black (R-TN)
“President Obama’s Rip-Off Of Tennessee Promise Misses The Mark”
The Daily Caller
“My college diploma offered me a ticket to a better life, and I want future generations of Americans, like my six grandchildren, to know these same opportunities. When President Obama talks about the need to help more students realize the dream of higher education, I get it. Unfortunately, his latest proposal of ‘free’ community college tuition still misses the mark.
“When it comes to expanding educational opportunities, our states are best equipped to help achieve this goal. Tennessee has provided a viable model through ‘Tennessee Promise’ and other states would be right to follow our example – but it must be a decision of their choosing, not a one-size-fits-all solution from Uncle Sam.
“We all want to see more doors of opportunity opened for the next generation of students, but a ‘free’ community college proposal that simply shifts the cost to taxpayers and risks adding to an already unsustainable national debt is the wrong approach.”
Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-AL)
“President Obama’s ‘Free’ Community College Program Comes At A High Price But Would Do Little”
AL.com
“I’m all for trying to reduce the skills gap and equipping more Americans with the skills they need to get the high paying jobs those skills offer, but let’s be clear: the President’s announcement is in no way a serious proposal. The President is once again more interested in making headlines than offering legitimate solutions.
“Most importantly, I seriously doubt offering free community college to all would make much progress in actually closing the skills gap. Instead of adding another expensive federal program and growing the national debt, we should consider targeted approaches to reduce the skills gap.
“Increased focus on closing the skills gap and promoting workforce training is desperately needed in our country, but President Obama’s free community college plan is simply not a serious proposal. Let’s not focus our attention on making headlines and falsely raising expectations, but instead consider realistic solutions that truthfully address the problem. By doing that, we can actually make progress in getting Americans the high paying jobs they want.”