Rep. McNerney Responds to President Obama’s Final State of the Union Address

Washington – Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-09) released the following statement in response to President Obama’s final State of the Union address:

“President Obama’s final State of the Union struck a constructive tone and reminded us that, as Americans, we have always seen challenges as opportunities to strengthen our lives. We can confront our most pressing challenges by working together and forging a bipartisan common ground for the good of our country, the safety of its people, and the benefit of future generations.

“With signs our national economic recovery is pointing in a positive direction due to continued job growth, we need to fight for policies that will broaden this economic improvement to the regions still suffering from high unemployment, where families struggle to make ends meet. To boost job growth at home, we need to pursue policies that will put people back to work – investing in local economies rather than bolstering economies abroad. These efforts should be coupled with education policies that help prepare students with the tools and knowledge that will make them competitive for the jobs of a modern economy.

“President Obama suggested that we need to make change work for us. I can think of no better area where this applies than with our efforts to curb the effects of climate change, a serious threat to the health of families and children in my district and across the country. I believe that reducing carbon emissions is an opportunity to help improve our local economy, by investing in clean-energy technologies and helping people become more energy-efficient. I introduced legislation to help advance these efforts because I believe we can work toward a stronger economy and healthier environment at the same time.

“Moving forward, we must create a culture in government that enables elected leaders at all levels to work collaboratively to protect our country and find solutions to our challenges. The President called for us to fix our politics, and I believe that starts with sincere efforts to bring long-overdue reform to our campaign finance system.

“Under our current laws, the voices of individuals are pushed aside in favor of the interests of the wealthy few who use massive amounts of money to exert influence over our political system. This creates the unfortunate scenario that stunts our ability to govern and severely limits our ability to meet the demands of the challenges before us. I believe we can restore the integrity of our democracy, and I am committed to working to change how campaigns are financed.

“America is a great nation founded on the values of freedom and liberty, and we must take the appropriate steps to protect our way of life. I believe we must confront any extremists or terrorist organizations that threaten our security and stability as a leader in the international community.

“I believe that by working together we will rise to meet the demands of our greatest challenges and promote the strength of our nation, and I look forward to partnering with my colleagues to achieve results and improve the lives of all Americans.”

Prior to President Obama delivering his State of the Union, Rep. McNerney released a video message where he delivered his State of the California 9th Congressional District for 2016.