Washington, D.C., Jan 25 - "Today, Congressman Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas) released the following statement after President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address to a Joint Session of Congress. During the address, President Obama laid out his “Blueprint for an America Built to Last,” which focuses on manufacturing; new and renewable energy; high-paying, technology-oriented jobs; and our nation's values."

“Tonight, President Obama spoke to the American people and made his message very clear by providing a Blueprint for an America Built to Last. This Blueprint, if followed by members on both sides of the aisle and in both chambers, has the potential of guiding our country, the border region, and El Paso on the right path to economic prosperity through job creation and innovation.  

“During his address to a joint session of Congress, he outlined his plan to build an economy that works for middle class families, and helps Americans secure high-paying, technology-oriented jobs.  Each one of these items is crucial for our country’s on-going economic growth and prosperity. I am committed and ready to help President Obama achieve these objectives through meaningful legislation that helps move our nation forward. This is the land of opportunity where every man, woman, and child is entitled to live the American dream.

“President Obama also spoke about the importance of having the best education system and excellent colleges that provide affordable education to all – schools that focus on training our next generation of engineers, doctors, scientists, teachers, lawyers, caregivers, first responders, and entrepreneurs. El Pasoans understand how important this is – our younger generation is already at work building the future at UTEP, at the Texas Tech Paul Foster School of Medicine, and at El Paso Community College.

“Every person living in this country deserves a fair shot at an education, regardless of economic status, ethnicity, income level or gender, every person, no exceptions. Every person deserves a shot at the American dream. I agree with President Obama on the emphasis we must place on making college affordable. We Democrats on the federal level have already worked to increase the college Pell Grant to $5,550 and decreased the interest rate on student loans. We cannot stop here; we must do more to ensure our students can have access to a high-quality, first-class, and rigorous education. I stand with President Obama as we continue our work on higher education.

“I was touched by President Obama when he spoke about comprehensive immigration reform. I have long championed this cause that brings economic stability and unites families while weeding out those who wish to pose harm. A comprehensive immigration reform plan would allow those here who work hard, pay their taxes and play by the rules a path to residency and ultimately citizenship. These people currently live in a shadow world. In December 2010, I voted for the DREAM Act, a bill that would help provide relief to hard working, outstanding students who are Americans in every way except papers. Tonight, President Obama called on my colleagues to take up the DREAM Act and allow those children and young people to pursue the American dream. Thank you President Obama for standing with our immigrant community.

“During President Obama’s tenure, the private sector has experienced a 22 percent growth. The oil industry and automobile companies have seen a substantial growth in their production and output. We must continue to focus on renewable energy and the creation of green jobs. Green jobs are the future of our country and workforce and through education, training and job availability, they can become a beacon of hope.

“But our work to make America better through our Blueprint must not stop here. Under President Obama’s leadership, we were able to enact legislation that holds Wall Street accountable for some of our country’s toughest economic times and hardships. There has been significant progress, but we still have a lot more to do. We need to get it done.

“I am committed and ready to help President Obama achieve these objectives through meaningful legislation that helps move our nation forward. This is the land of opportunity where every man, woman, and child is entitled to live the American dream, and El Paso and the border region exemplify this dream.

“I stand with President Obama, thank him for his leadership and implore him to continue to fight for working middle class Americans. I also stand committed to helping the President protect Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and veterans’ benefits to ensure that our heroes and some of the most vulnerable groups in our society have the support they need. Undoubtedly, we have much more work to do, and I am ready to do my part to ensure we work for the common good of our country and our people through President Obama’s Blueprint for an America Built to Last.”