The state of our union is…

January 28, 2014

I just had the privilege of watching President Obama’s State of the Union address here at the U.S. Capitol. And I wanted to share with you a few of my key takeaways from his speech, while they are still fresh in my mind.

First and foremost, the state of our union is strong and continues to grow stronger. Just a few short years ago our nation and the world were mired in the worst recession since the Great Depression. Today, our economy is growing and Americans are getting back to work. But there is more we need to do. During the course of his speech, President Obama touched on a number of issues that will affect the lives of Delawareans and all Americans. Here are a few topics that I was particularly pleased to hear him address:

• Stemming the tide of climate change- The effects of climate change, specifically sea-level rise and extreme weather events, pose a unique and serious threat to low lying, coastal states like Delaware. I am glad that President Obama has renewed his commitment to the environment by urging a multi-faceted and common-sense approach to our nation’s environmental and energy challenges to help us reduce harmful pollutants, lead healthier lives, lower our energy costs, and help put Americans to work.
• Implementing the Affordable Care Act- Over the next year, we must continue to work to implement the law, improving it where necessary.  In doing so, we can help thousands of Delawareans and millions of Americans to get health insurance while slowing the growth of health care costs and improving the quality of care.
• Adopting Comprehensive Immigration Reform- Last year, the Senate passed a bipartisan immigration reform deal. I echo the President’s call that it’s time for the House to follow the Senate’s lead and work toward passing an immigration reform measure that is effective, humane, provides  a path to citizenship and improves our nation’s economic competitiveness while safeguarding our security.

The President and I share an ambitious plan for 2014, but  the only way for us to get anything done here in Congress is by doing what we do every day in the First State – by setting aside our differences, coming together and compromising for the betterment of the American people.

As always, I want to hear your thoughts. Tell me about your reaction to President Obama’s speech and what you think our nation needs to focus on over the next year. Let me know what you think by emailing me, or interacting with me on Twitter,@SenatorCarper, and on Facebook at facebook.com/tomcarper.

Here is to a productive year,