REP. ANDREWS ASSESES THE STATE OF THE UNION

On January 31, 2006 the President gave his sixth annual State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress. As in past years, homage was given to our need to reduce energy dependence on the Middle East, reform healthcare, and balance the budget. Unfortunately, after six years, our state of affairs has worsened. We are still entangled in the Middle East and high energy prices drag on our economy. The cost of healthcare is rising and our national debt is growing. We live in the greatest country in the world and it is being mismanaged.

We must get our fiscal house in order and stop borrowing money from our children and China to fund tax cuts for the wealthiest 1% of our nation. These tax cuts should be repealed to pay for quality healthcare for all American families. The new Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit has failed our seniors. After struggling through a complicated enrollment process, millions of seniors are now discovering that they are worse off under the new plan. Seniors are not getting the drugs they need and New Jersey continues to pick up the tab where the federal government has failed. We need a real plan. Our children and elders are our priority, not the wealthy.

Iraq is still in turmoil and casualties are mounting. We failed to ask our friends in the Middle East and global community for help and we are now paying the price. Iraq needs to be stabilized and we should begin to withdraw our troops. For each Iraqi Defense Force soldier that is trained, one by one, an American soldier should come home until they are all safe.

The American people will no longer accept the empty promises of its leadership. I look forward to working with the President and my colleagues in Congress to enact real change which benefits all Americans. Together, with the spirit and ambition of our citizens, this nation will reach even greater heights.

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