Sen. Carper Reacts to President Obama’s State of the Union Address

WASHINGTON – Tonight, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) released the following statement reacting to President Obama’s State of the Union address: 

“Tonight, President Obama laid out a strong vision for our country. I am encouraged by his commitment to several key issues, not the least of which is addressing our nation’s debt and deficit in a balanced, pragmatic way. As we face yet another set of ‘fiscal cliffs’ in the coming weeks and months, we must, as the President suggested, find ways to end this style of ‘crisis governing.’ We need to come together to raise real revenues by reforming the tax code, reform our entitlement programs, and continue to reform our health care system to reduce costs and improve quality. The President also underscored his commitment to growing our economy and helping put more people back to work. To do that, I believe we must invest in three key areas: a world-class workforce; modern, innovative infrastructure and transportation systems; and the research and development that can create new technologies, products and even industries right here in America. I stand ready to work with both my colleagues in Congress and the President to set that plan in motion and turn our middling economic recovery into a robust one. The President also announced an executive order to address the security and resilience of our nation’s critical cyber infrastructure. This action is an important piece of protecting America’s cyber networks, and I look forward to heeding the President’s call and working with my colleagues in Congress to pass legislation to strengthen our cybersecurity. Additionally, I stand beside the President’s bold agenda to curb gun violence in America and to reform our badly broken immigration system.

“I was particularly encouraged by the President’s renewed commitment to stemming the tide of climate change. The effects of climate change, specifically sea-level rise and extreme weather events like Superstorm Sandy, pose a unique and serious threat to my coastal home state of Delaware. So I am eager to continue doing all I can in the Senate to work with my colleagues and the President to combat the root causes of global warming while protecting against its dangerous effects.

“The state of our union isn’t as strong as it could be. But if we have courage and work together – Democrats and Republicans, President Obama and those of us in Congress, and people all across this great nation – then I’m hopeful that we’ll continue to grow even stronger.”