Thinks the
President laid out a plan for rebuilding the American middle-class
“America is
strongest when we have a strong middle class, and a thriving middle class is a
direct result of access to opportunity. That is a principle tenet of this great
nation, and it was at the core of President Obama’s remarks this evening.
“Opportunity
comes in many forms, from education and access to health care, to affordable
housing and workforce development that is in tune with the demands of the job
market. When America prioritizes these important investments, America succeeds,
and I applaud the President’s attention to these policies.
“All around us,
we are seeing the signs of a gradually recovering economy. New home
foreclosures are at their lowest level since 2006, and manufacturing is
resurging nationwide. More than 11 million private-sector jobs have been added
in the last five years.
“In the words of
President Obama, ‘tonight, we turn the page.’ This is great news, and if we are
to build upon that momentum, we must invest in middle class families. We must
continue to demand a living wage for all workers, because no one in America
should work a 40-hour work week and still live in poverty.
“We must promote
a simpler tax code that ensures everyone is paying their fair share. The
President has outlined a practical plan to address these issues, and I truly believe
that there is a compromise to be found that will achieve these goals with
bipartisan support. The President’s tax plan would raise $320 billion over the
next 10 years; immigration reform could save $175 billion over that same time
period. If we make these kinds of smart reforms, we can reinvest in essential
areas like infrastructure, education, and middle class tax relief.
“As co-founder
and co-chair of the Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus, I am particularly
excited to see cybersecurity come center stage in the State of the Union and in
the public dialogue. Cybersecurity is an issue of economic and national
security that cannot be ignored. I hope the President’s attention to this
challenge will be the impetus for Congress to pass comprehensive cybersecurity
legislation.
“I have strongly
supported information-sharing legislation, as the President has proposed, that
would allow private companies to share threat data with the government, and
vice versa. And I will be introducing legislation in the very near future
to require companies impacted by data breaches to notify affected consumers
within 30 days to improve consumer protections and reduce the threat of
identity theft.
“The challenges
facing our nation are great, but so too are the opportunities, and we cannot
let these opportunities go to waste. I believe we can seize this moment and put
our country back on sound economic footing. We can restore the public trust in
government and make the middle class stronger than ever. The President has set
the tone for the year to come. He is ready to roll up his sleeves and so am I.
I am eager to continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to
build consensus and do what is right for the American people.”
