For Release: Wednesday, February 2, 2005
David Gillies: 202-225-5661

COSTELLO STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT BUSH'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

Washington - U.S. Congressman Jerry Costello (D-IL) issued the following statement in response to President Bush's State of the Union address tonight:

"The President laid out an ambitious agenda tonight, and I look forward to seeing the details of these proposals in the coming days.  There is a great deal of room for agreement, and if we work together, as the President promised, much can be accomplished.  In regard to medical malpractice reform, I believe that if the President chooses to offer legislation that includes insurance reform in addition to caps on non-economic damages and other important provisions, the bill would become law. 

"In regard to Social Security, our foremost goals should be to protect benefits for today's recipients while fully examining ways to shore up the program in the long-term.  Social Security is not in crisis, and it is not facing an impending bankruptcy.  We have the time to do this right and maintain the risk-free nature of the program. 

"I am particularly interested to see the President's 2006 budget, which will be released next week.  I want to examine the President's plan to cut the budget deficit in half by 2009 while maintaining current troop levels in Iraq and spending $1-2 trillion on private Social Security accounts.  I am concerned that health care and other essential services will continue to be adversely affected by the 2006 budget."

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