WASHINGTON, D.C. - Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-NY) issued the following statement in response President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address this evening:
“Tonight’s address provided a straightforward, sobering reminder of the challenges we face as a nation. President Obama inherited the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, two wars, and a nation desperate for a leader to rekindle their American dream. Tonight, the President rolled up his sleeves and rolled out specific policy proposals to create jobs, continue our economic recovery and keep American families safe from the threat of terrorism. This economic downturn has lasted longer than anyone would like, but a recession of this depth requires dynamic policy solutions and an enduring commitment to a full recovery. Tonight the President delivered on both.
“Those who support the President and our nation have an obligation to contribute to meaningful solutions to move our country forward. The Ways and Means Committee has been at the forefront of our economic recovery efforts, helping to provide tax relief to working families and businesses, incentives to develop and use renewable energy, and innovative bond programs for State and local governments to create jobs and improve the quality of life in our cities and towns.
“Congress remains committed to job creation and economic recovery that will strengthen opportunities for working families. We share President Obama’s belief that our recovery efforts must focus on small businesses and middle-class families which form the backbone of our economy. We will build on the success of the Recovery Act to provide new incentives for hiring workers which will be a win-win for businesses and families alike.
“While we continue working toward solutions to help rebuild our economy, we cannot - and will not -abandon our efforts to reform our financial system to prevent a repeat of the crisis we now face. There is no question that the Administration and Congress provided unprecedented amounts of aid to financial institutions to prevent a total collapse of our financial marketplace. We must ensure that these companies are held accountable for the aid they received, and the American people are made whole for the help they provided.
“Too many families have experienced job loss or live in fear of losing a living wage and falling further behind the rising cost of living. While our job creation policies will tackle that problem on the front-end, we will also work with President Obama to reduce the burden of education and health care costs on working families. For too long, these costs have kept our children from realizing their true potential and leading healthy, happy and productive lives. If we are to recharge our economy and reassert our leadership in the global marketplace, we must focus our efforts on creating a healthy, well-educated workforce.
“The skyrocketing cost of health care has been a driving force behind a staggering number of bankruptcies and personal stories of pain and suffering. For months now, Congress has been engaged in efforts to reform our health insurance system. Our work continues and I am confident that, with President Obama’s leadership, we can succeed, putting the power back in the hands of the patients, and ensuring that every American has access to affordable care that meets their needs. Immediate investments in health care will help ensure our workers and businesses remain competitive internationally, and will reap benefits for generations to come.
“In addition to making investment in the health of our workforce, we must also make investments in the long-term health of our economy. We must improve our infrastructure to make it easier for goods to reach their destination. I applaud the President’s commitment to invest in high-speed rail and transportation initiatives and look forward to working with my colleagues to move these projects forward. In doing so, we must find ways to promote the development and use of new, energy-efficient technology so that our future economy will not be dependent on resources of the past. By greening our economy and our infrastructure, we will create a new generation of jobs and technologies that will give a tremendous boost to our economy and working families, helping American businesses compete and win internationally. Our global economy demands global solutions and I applaud President Obama’s commitment to expand export opportunities for America’s manufacturers.
“Tough times demand tough choices, and I hope Republicans will see fit, not to just say ‘no’, but to work with us in a bipartisan way to achieve progress on these fronts. I truly believe the American people expect, and rightly deserve, no less."
