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

“It’s no secret that our country has experienced troubled economic times. Beginning with the Recovery Act, the Obama Administration and Congress have begun the process of putting our country and our economy back on track. Yet, more work is still needed. The president tonight renewed his commitment to a new long-term economic strategy that will stabilize our economy by creating jobs and reducing the deficit.

“Our ballooning federal deficit cannot continue into the red, and the creation of an bipartisan fiscal commission to recommend additional ways to cut it is the right path forward. I pledge to continue to support fully paid-for programs under the House’s pay-go rules ensuring the strong fiscal health of our country. I also support the president’s call for bipartisan solutions and urge the Senate to consider important pieces of legislation already passed by the House, such as comprehensive food safety legislation, energy independence legislation, and the House-passed jobs bill.”