WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), Vice Chair of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, offered the following response to President Barack Obama’s address to a joint session of Congress:

“President Obama put forth a bold and realistic path to fuel our economy for the twenty-first century. On the heels of an historic recovery package that put into motion the immediate steps necessary to revitalize the economy in the short-term, tonight President Obama laid a strong foundation for its long-term stability. The way forward in restoring America’s strengths is to make sustained investments in health care, energy, and education that will lead to the creation of new jobs and new industries that will make us more competitive in the global economy.

“After signing the largest expansion of children’s health care into law, President Obama continues to take swift action to reform our broken health care system. His commitment to affordable health care for all Americans is firm and real; it is a promise that I am confident he will deliver. President Obama’s proposal for comprehensive reform this year not only includes a budget that ensures a system that is both efficient and cost-effective, but also guarantees health care for all.”