January 28, 2011
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President Obama Declares, “Our Union is Strong”

I had the distinct honor and pleasure to be on hand as President Barack Obama presented his 2011 State of the Union address to members of Congress, having been invited by U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah to join him for the address.

It was important to hear firsthand the president's plan for our nation – specifically issues so important for Pennsylvania such as deficit reduction, job creation and preserving health care reform.

From the beginning of his speech, President Obama talked about the resilience of the American people – how we deal with big issues and solve big problems. He said that “Americans will not retreat.”

And now, with this same resilience, we move forward to face new challenges head on.

One of the most important lines in the speech was the president’s call to “out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build” as the key to moving the nation forward.

The cornerstone of the president’s message was togetherness and cooperation in the face of extreme difficulties. He challenged Congress to work together to restore the greatness of America, to make America a great place for our children.

While there has been progress in tackling the recession through tax cuts, growing the economy and improving the job climate, he said that “to win the future, we'll need to take on challenges that have been decades in the making.”

He stressed the need to improve the job market, to restructure education to make our children more competitive in the global market and to make investments in clean energy and technology.

“We know what it takes to compete for the jobs and industries of our time. We need to out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the world. We have to make America the best place on Earth to do business. We need to take responsibility for our deficit and reform our government. That's how our people will prosper. That's how we'll win the future,” President Obama said.

The president talked about working together and putting aside partisan bickering in the wake of the tragic shootings in Tucson, where six lives, including that of 9-year-old Christina Green, were taken and 14 individuals were injured, including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords who has been fighting bravely for her life.

President Obama said that the tragedy reminded us that “each of us is a part of something greater -- something more consequential than party or political preference.”

He asserted that in order for the process of government to work, we must all work together despite our differences.

He rallied the nation at such a critical juncture in time to continue to make America a great place to live, work and raise children and reminded us that although our great nation has hit a rough patch our union is still strong.

For the full text of President Barack Obama’s 2011 State of the Union Address, click here.
For video of President Barack Obama’s 2011 State of the Union Address, click here.

Corbett’s Inauguration Ushers In a New Era for Pennsylvania

Earlier this month, I was also on hand as our new Governor, Tom Corbett, addressed his constituents for the first time.

In his inaugural speech, the governor called for government reform, urged civil discourse, and pledged his dedication to “leadership that is responsive to fiscal realities; leadership that takes on financial burdens, rather than passing those burdens on to the next generation; and leadership that can see beyond today's turbulence and into tomorrow's tranquility.”

While I agree with Gov. Corbett on the need to move Pennsylvania forward, the number one way to do this is through sound job creation and economic development that will stabilize our dire fiscal situation. Our economic future and the ability to create family-sustaining jobs and employment opportunities for future generations are at stake.

I am ready to work with Gov. Corbett and all my colleagues in the legislature to ensure that our citizens have a streamlined, efficient and effective government serving all of the people. Gov. Corbett has pledged not to raise taxes and balance the state’s spending plan through budget cuts.

We must recognize – through all the rhetoric and promises – that Pennsylvania will prosper through sound jobs, investments in the economy and infrastructure while we protect the services that vulnerable Pennsylvanians need the most. It is not time to cut and slash without regard to the impact that the budget cuts will have on those who depend on safety net programs.

For the full text of Gov. Tom Corbett’s Inaugural Address, courtesy of the Philadelphia Daily News, click here.

For video from Gov. Tom Corbett’s Inaugural Address, click here.

 

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