Van Hollen Statement on President Obama’s Address to Congress

Washington, DC – Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen, Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee, today issued the following statement in response to President Obama’s address to Congress.

“Every day that the economy is stalled is another day that the American people are hurting and another day that the deficit is growing. The quickest, most effective way to reduce the deficit in the short-term is to put people back to work and kick start our economic recovery. And tonight, President Obama laid out a clear path to achieve that goal with the American Jobs Act.

“This package will make critical investments in infrastructure that will allow hard-working men and women to rebuild our roads, bridges, and schools, and provide important relief for states so they can keep teachers in the classroom and cops on the beat. It will cut taxes for small businesses to help them hire people and put more money in the pockets of American families. And it does this in a way that does not add a dime to our deficit.

“President Obama has put forward a plan based on bipartisan ideas, and I hope it receives bipartisan support in the Congress. We must unite to put America back to work, to get our fiscal house in order, and to ensure a brighter future for our children and our country.”