“We Need to ‘Get Back to Basics’;
‘More of the Same’ Won’t Work”

Washington, DC – Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference, released the following statement tonight in response to President Obama’s State of the Union speech:

“What I heard from the President tonight was mostly a defense of his failed policies, and after three years of economic turmoil, that is no longer acceptable to the people of Eastern Washington or the American people.  

“Instead of promising ‘more of the same,’ the President should have invited Congress to work with him on free market-solutions to revive our economy and put our fiscal house in order.  So far, House Republicans have passed 27 jobs bills which take this ‘back to basics’ approach, but the Senate refuses to consider them and the President ignores them. That is not leadership.  Last week, the President’s own Jobs Council released a report validating many Republican ideas on job creation – including tax reform, regulatory relief, and expanding domestic energy production.  Those ideas can be the basis for bipartisan discussion and action.  But as we saw with the recent Keystone decision and tonight’s speech, the President has decided that while jobs can wait, his campaign cannot.

“Despite the current challenges, I remain hopeful that Congress and the White House can still work together to solve our nation’s problems.  This will be an important session of Congress, and I pledge to do my part to find common ground, change the direction of our country, and keep the American Dream alive for the next generation.  

“I will also be using this session of Congress to advocate for bipartisan initiatives directly focused on Eastern Washington, including bringing the KC-46A tanker to Fairchild Air Force Base, completing the North Spokane Corridor, and passing my bills to expand Graduate Medical Education in Spokane and bolster hydropower production.”