The State of the Union 2007

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, Vice Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, made the following statement Tuesday regarding the President’s State of the Union address:

“The President laid out a comprehensive, forward-looking agenda that addresses many of the key issues facing America today. As Governor of Texas, the President had a strong record of accomplishment in working with a Democrat-controlled Legislature. It is my sincere hope that Democrats in Washington will likewise work to meet the President halfway. The 110th Congress has started on a strong bipartisan note, but a lot of hard work remains. I hope both parties will continue working together in the best interests of the American people.”

War on Terror / Victory in Iraq
“The one thing we should all agree on is that our military men and women serving in Iraq, and their leaders, should be given a reasonable chance to execute the President’s plan. The President has made clear that the consequences of failure pose a serious threat to our nation’s security and economic interests. So the United States must unify in its effort to achieve victory and avoid playing politics with national security.”

Immigration Reform / Border Security
“I remain committed to seeking a comprehensive solution to one of the top domestic issues facing our nation. Congress has taken some steps in the right direction to secure our borders, but we can and must do more. This comprehensive effort will require improving border and interior enforcement by equipping law enforcement agencies with the additional personnel, up-to-date technology and infrastructure needed to carry out this vital mission. Also, we should implement a successful employment-verification system, which includes adequate information-sharing and the ability to identify theft and document fraud. And we need broader reforms of our broken immigration system to restore respect for the rule of law, while also protecting our nation’s security and the U.S. economy.”

Energy Independence
“President Bush continues to address a pressing challenge—increasing domestic energy production and decreasing our dependence on foreign sources. Greater energy independence is a key to our economic and national security. We need a consistent and strategic energy policy that efficiently utilizes our domestic resources, diversifies our energy sources, and invests in new and cleaner technologies, rather than to pursue expensive or punitive patchwork policies that do not produce long-term solutions. I will continue working with my colleagues to develop such solutions.”

Education Reform
“As we move toward re-authorization of No Child Left Behind, it’s time to return education decision-making authority to the state level, and renew our focus on results. Education is best left mainly to parents, teachers and local school boards. This is in the best interest of our country, our states, and most importantly, our children. I’ll soon join Sen. DeMint in introducing the Academic Partnerships Lead Us to Success (A-PLUS) Act of 2007, which will allow states flexibility in funding and innovation in programs to best serve their students. It will give parents and teachers greater influence in what happens in classrooms across America everyday.”

Access to Health Care
“I applaud President Bush’s efforts to address the rising cost of health care, increasing accessibility and affordability. Many Americans will see tax relief under this plan. It will also begin to level the playing field for those who do not get health coverage through their employer. This plan promotes a market-based solution to the increasing number of uninsured Americans. And it will allow more Americans to choose the coverage they want and retain it even when they change jobs—providing true portability and ownership of health insurance. In addition, I’ll soon co-sponsor legislation that builds on the President’s proposal and provides tax credits to low-income Americans to purchase health insurance.”

Economic Growth / Fiscal Responsibility
“As a result of the pro-growth, low-tax economic policies of President Bush and Republicans in Congress, more than 7.2 million new jobs have been created since 2003. The last thing we should consider doing now is raising taxes—as some Democrats would like to do. What we must do is rein in wasteful government spending and reform entitlements, which is perhaps the greatest long-term fiscal challenge facing our country. I believe the President is committed to greater fiscal restraint, and I hope my Democrat colleagues will work with us to tackle the serious economic challenges ahead while continuing to create good, high-paying jobs.”

Sen. Cornyn serves on the Armed Services, Judiciary and Budget Committees. In addition, he is Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Ethics. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee’s Immigration, Border Security and Citizenship subcommittee and the Armed Services Committee’s Airland subcommittee.