REP. MIKE THOMPSON STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT OBAMA’S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) released the following statement in response to President Obama's State of the Union Address to Congress:

"Tonight the President laid out a clear agenda to expand economic opportunities, create jobs and strengthen the middle class. Many of the steps being taken by President will further this agenda, and as the President said, these actions must be met by a year of action from Congress.

"Right now, people across our country feel like no matter how hard they work, they can't get ahead. Though our economy continues to recover, the middle class has seen their wages stall and their bills soar. When these hard working families look to Washington for answers, all they see is partisan fighting.

"This partisan gridlock must be set aside and Congress must take action. We need to work across the aisle to raise the minimum wage, pass immigration reform, expand affordable educational opportunities, and make job-creating investments in infrastructure, manufacturing and renewable energy. By taking these actions we can strengthen our middle class, lower our deficit and grow our economy.

"We must also work together to make our country a safer place. It has been more than a year since the tragic shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. In that time, more than 12,000 people have been killed by someone using a gun. Too many lives are being cut short and Congress is doing nothing. While no one bill will end all gun violence, taking simple steps like passing my bipartisan background checks bill to keep guns out of dangerous hands and save lives while respecting the Second Amendment.

"Making sure our communities are safe and our middle class is strong is what I'm fighting for in Congress. It's what our families, children and grandchildren deserve, and it's what makes our country great. America has always been place where, if you work hard and play by the rules, you get a job, buy a house, send your kids to college and save for retirement. That's the American Dream, and our top goal must be to make sure everyone has an equal opportunity to achieve that dream, no matter on what side of the aisle we sit."


Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California's 5th Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties. He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rep. Thompson is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and chairs the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus.

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