WASHINGTON, D.C.— Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) released the following statement regarding President Trump’s State of the Union Address:
“Tonight, President Trump delivered one of the most consequential State of the Union Addresses in the last 15 years. We are facing a crisis at our southern border, and the President presented a very detailed plan to keep America safe while protecting the immigrants who are trying to come to our country legally, and his call for Congress to work together was genuine and should be embraced by both parties.
“In this moment of divided government we have an extraordinary opportunity to find common ground between both parties. Democrats in the resist movement must put aside their personal dislike of the President if we are going to work together towards a more secure and prosperous America. When all we see from Democrat leaders in Washington are calls for obstruction and opposition, it was refreshing to hear the President deliver a bipartisan message that showed his willingness to work with all sides to get things done and solve the serious problems our country faces.
“President Trump continues to protect our national interests and put America first. This administration successfully negotiated an impressive new trade agreement with Mexico and Canada. We are rebuilding our military and promoting peace abroad. January’s latest jobs report affirms what Americans have felt for the past two years: wages are rising at a decade-plus high and the labor market is creating jobs at a record pace. The unemployment rate holds at a near-50 year low and for months we’ve had more job openings in America than available workers. Conservative policies continue to deliver for families and workers. Thanks to our reform of job-killing regulations and commitment to letting Americans of all income levels keep more of their hard-earned money, ‘Help Wanted’ signs are visible all across this great nation.
“The challenges ahead are clear. Our border remains unsecured while Speaker Pelosi and her liberal lieutenants refuse to offer any solutions that will secure our border. Here’s the reality: hundreds of thousands of Americans are dying from heroin smuggled in from Mexico, 17,000 people with criminal records were caught crossing our border just last year, and innocent women and children are being trafficked by gangs and drug cartels. Tonight we heard how serious this security and humanitarian crisis is, and what needs to be done to fix it. Time and time again, President Trump has proposed serious and common-sense solutions to address this crisis, and it’s long past time for Pelosi and Schumer to work with us to help accomplish that. Instead of focusing on issues that affect American families, Democrats have made it clear that tax hikes, political harassment, and radical abortion laws are at the top of their list of priorities. Their policies threaten our prosperity and security, and are out of step with the priorities of most Americans.
“I call on Speaker Pelosi to move beyond the antics of her most radical members and work with President Trump and House Republicans to build a brighter, safer future that puts American families first. Finally, I look forward to working with President Trump and my colleagues in Congress to continue to deliver real results for the American people.”