Washington, DC – Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson made the following statement about President Obama’s address to a joint session of Congress this evening:

“Tonight, President Obama outlined the challenges our country faces and laid out a bold, comprehensive plan to address them.  He demonstrated that he understands the full extent of what we are facing, but that he is optimistic, because he knows Americans are hard-working and resilient.  We have risen to the challenge many times in the past, and we will rise to the challenge again.

“The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was the first step in bringing genuine change to our country.  It will save or create 3.5 million jobs and give 95 percent of working Americans the fastest tax cut in history.  This week, in collaboration with the Obama administration, we will begin work on the nation’s budget.  The steps we are taking will not help Americans in the short term and put the U.S. economy on a path to growth for generations to come.

“In the coming months, I will work hard with the White House and with my colleagues, on behalf of my constituents, many of whom are experiencing the ramifications of the recession in their lives.  We will rebuild and recover together.”

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U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson is the highest-ranking Texan on the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure and a senior member of the Science Committee. She represents the 30th Congressional District of Texas, which, includes Downtown Dallas, Fair Park, Oak Lawn, Old East Dallas, Pleasant Grove, & South Oak Cliff; all of Balch Springs, DeSoto, Hutchins, Lancaster & Wilmer and parts of Cedar Hill, Duncanville, Ferris, Glenn Heights and Ovilla.