Washington, D.C. (February 13, 2013) – In response to the President's State of the Union address Tuesday night members of the Congressional Western Caucus released the following statements:

 
“The President spoke of putting America's needs before party,” Pearce continued.  “This is a time when Americans are asking for solutions.  The nation is founded on diverse ideas and different parties-the House, Senate, and President are elected to determine together the course of the country.  The same people who elected the President also elected the Republicans to the House of Representatives.  Tonight, I call on the President to address the needs we can all agree on: jobs, debt, and freedom to prosper.  These are not questions of party or ideology, but of America's future.” – Chairman Steve Pearce (R-NM)
 
“It's ironic to hear the President tout his jobs agenda, when time and again he shoots down job creating projects like the Keystone Pipeline and shackles America's job creators with heavy taxes and piles of regulations; it's even more ironic when you consider our unemployment rate has remained at almost 8% since 2009. In what world does piling thousands of pages of regulations on small businesses create a system that encourages private sector job growth? In what market does one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world equate to more job creation? How is killing coal, an abundant source of American energy, the answer to lowering electricity costs?” – Co-Chair Cynthia Lummis (R-WY)
 
“Just in the last month, multiple lease sales on federal lands in Colorado have been pulled because of bureaucratic red-tape. The reality is that any progress made on this front was done despite his administration's attempt to curb production and slow walk new opportunities for development of our public lands and resources.  It's ironic that he touts natural gas production at the same time that his administration is working on new policies to limit methods of extraction and production.” – Congressman Rob Bishop (R-UT)
 
“On energy, the President failed to mention projects like the Keystone XL Pipeline or development in ANWR, both of which would create thousands of jobs and dramatically improve American energy security.  Instead he tried to take credit for increased American oil and gas production, which largely took place on state and private land and in spite of the federal government's bureaucratic red tape.” – Congressman Don Young (R-AK)
 
“I wish the President had talked about creating American jobs by opening up the Keystone Pipeline. I wish he had put forward a reasonable plan for protecting our military from the reckless spending cuts known as sequestration.” – Congressman Doug Lamborn (R-CO)
 
“What the American people need and deserve is a budget, a plan to end deficit spending and an honest discussion about the difficult issues we face on immigration, crime prevention and energy. When President Obama and Senate Democrats are ready to present a pathway to a balanced budget and tackle our crushing debt, then we can discuss the merits of the President's proposed initiatives and big-government 'investments'." – Congressman Paul Gosar (R-AZ)
 
"President Obama again laid out a vision of government where Washington, D.C. has the solutions to all of Idaho's problems. Over the last four years, the Obama administration spent nearly $1 trillion of taxpayer money on an economic stimulus package and promulgated regulations that stifled small businesses. After four years of trying things the president's way, it's now absolutely clear government interference, spending and debt aren't the solution. They're the problem.” – Congressman Raúl Labrador (R-ID)
 
The mission of the Western Caucus, which is in its twentieth year, is to enhance, sustain, and preserve the West's dynamic and unique culture, and to find innovative solutions that address the distinctive concerns facing western and rural communities. The Western Caucus is also committed to protecting private property, strengthening local control, promoting economic growth, and increasing energy independence.
 
For more information about the Congressional Western Caucus, please visit www.westerncaucus.pearce.house.gov.