State of the Union A “Liberal Wish List,” Byrne Says

Congressman Bradley Byrne (AL-1) issued the following statement following President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address.

Byrne said: “Tonight, President Obama offered a liberal wish list instead of putting forward realistic solutions that address the serious issues plaguing the American people. Yet again the President has pushed an agenda designed at growing the federal government, not growing American’s paychecks. Families and small businesses don’t want a bigger, more heavy-handed federal government. The people I represent want a federal government that is efficient, effective and accountable.

“Instead of focusing on areas where Republicans and Democrats can work together, the President once again pledged more executive action and asked for higher taxes.  President Obama should look at the examples set by Presidents Reagan, Clinton, and Bush, who all had to work with a Congress controlled by the opposite party. Despite their differences, these men were able to find legislative success because they made a serious effort to work with the Congress. President Obama can’t simply show up on Capitol Hill once a year, make some demands, and expect Congress to just fall in line.

“From the war against ISIL to our growing skills gap to the still recovering economy, our nation needs serious leadership and the people want to see tangible results. In the House of Representatives, we will continue to advance a commonsense agenda that tackles the issues Americans face every day. I sincerely hope the President holds true to his word and  joins us in advancing these sensible solutions.”