WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-01) tonight issued the following statement in response to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address.  DeGette is a Chief Deputy Whip and Ranking Member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.   

“Tonight the President outlined his vision to address our nation’s most pressing challenge – getting Americans back to work, while getting our fiscal house in order. President Obama recognizes that the first priority of this Congress must be to create jobs for millions of Americans still struggling in this tough economy.  By pairing investments in innovation with a long-term commitment to improving education and supporting critical infrastructure projects, we can ensure that not only will Colorado and this country create jobs for today, we will help secure our economic future for generations to come. Generations like the students President Obama congratulated in his speech tonight from Denver’s Bruce Randolph high school, now graduating at record levels.  Tonight, all of Colorado’s representatives in Congress were proud to stand as one to commend the innovation of Bruce Randolph’s leadership, recognized as a model for the nation.

“But investing in job creation alone cannot yield the long-term growth we desperately need, without our also taking significant measures to reduce our national deficit.  All across America, families have tightened their belts, and so must we. The President tonight outlined a strategic approach to examine our nation’s government – and thus its spending - in a targeted manner to reconfigure programs that have lost their way, while supporting those that truly work for the American people and our nation. Doing so will finally begin to reduce our deficit and create a lasting government that is leaner, smarter, and more efficient. It has been less than fifteen years since we were able to boast of a balanced budget, and while it will not be easy, I look forward to working with the President and my colleagues in Congress to once again make that a reality.

“The President spoke this evening of shared challenges, and the responsibility we all have to ensure our dialogue and our actions are worthy of the American people.  The truth is that most Members of Congress, regardless of party, want the same things – a strong economy where families can fulfill their American Dream, and a brighter future for our country – we simply have different approaches to getting there.  When we focus on these common goals we will find that what separates us is not as strong as what binds us, and that by working together we can get our economy back on track and make America more competitive in the global economy.”