Sinema Releases Statement on State of the Union Address

Statement

Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema, Ariz - 9, released the following statement today regarding the President Obama's State of the Union Address:

"The President shared his plan to grow the middle class, create jobs, and work with Congress to pass a budget that works for our nation. It's our job as Congress -- Democrats and Republicans together -- to work toward a crucial middle ground that will help struggling families while reducing our long-term debt.

"Hardworking Americans sent a clear message last year when they cast their vote for the 113thCongress. We were sent to Washington with the duty to fix the most critical issues of our generation. Americans and Arizonans need jobs. They need an economy and a national budget that works -- and they need a Congress that will restore their faith in leaders who will go to work and fight for them.

"In Arizona and across our nation, middle class families are worried about how they will prepare for the future. Many are worried about their mortgage or rent, the price of gas and a gallon of milk. Arizonans faced the toughest foreclosure crisis in the nation. Our state has made deep cuts to education -- deeper than any other state. Millions of Americans are in serious debt. Some are seniors, some are recent college graduates and many are families with kids in school. They cannot give up on planning for their kids' future or afford crude and indiscriminate cuts to their everyday budgets. Neither can we as nation. That's what we face today with the looming budget sequester. It's my hope that we can move past the partisan fighting and rhetoric. Endless borrowing and spending is not the answer. Neither is drastically cutting local programs that struggling families are counting on. I'm committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find the critical common ground to get through this together.

"While our country and our Congress face a pivotal moment in this recession, I believe that Arizona can be a leader in our economic recovery. We have vital institutions of education in my district like Arizona State University and Mesa Community College. Arizona State recruits top talent from around the world and Mesa Community has the highest population of veterans than any other school in the state. These institutions are producing graduates that are ready to work and contribute to our economy. Congress can and must support them.

"We have high tech industries like Intel and General Dynamics that have settled into our communities and are ready to invest in workers and jobs. I began my tour of large and small businesses in my first month in Congress because I believe that our leaders have an obligation to attract jobs and keep them in our state.

"Tonight we heard about plans to consider new policies regarding mortgages and foreclosures. Arizona families have been waiting for a solution to our foreclosure crisis for a long time. I'm honored to have been given the opportunity to serve on House Financial Services Committee so I can focus on the critical housing issues that face families in Arizona. This allows me to be resource to the everyday hardworking families in our communities that are struggling to keep their homes. I feel privileged to bring to Congress the stories of our families and neighbors who are struggling with this crisis at home."

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