The State of the Union is an American tradition, where the President has the opportunity to layout his plan for the country for the coming year.

I was especially interested in the president’s plan for health care, our economy, energy prices and the war on terror.  Families in Southwest Louisiana expect Congress to provide answers to the problems they face.

I look forward to working with the Administration and Congressional leaders to address these problems.  As a doctor, I am pleased that health care is being brought to the forefront.  I look forward to working on the construction of policies that will make health care more available and accessible for all Americans.  The rising cost of health care is unsustainable and family budgets are being stretched too thin.

In addition, I will continue to support our troops both at home and abroad in our war against terrorism.  I look forward to a productive year in Congress, moving in a bipartisan direction for the entire country.

Last night’s State of the Union Address marked President Bush’s seventh and final time to address the nation on his plans for the year ahead.

In his speech, the President made several pronouncements, such as improving benefits for veterans and military personnel and their families, and changes in the tax code to make health care more accessible.

A substantial part of the President’s speech focused on the need for Congress to stimulate the economy over the short-term by passing the negotiated stimulus package, while at the same time ensuring long-term economic health through the permanence of existing tax relief. I believe Congress should go a step further and include a permanent repeal of the AMT and death tax in this laundry list of issues to address in 2008. Read the rest of this entry »

When President Bush entered office in 2001, our State of the Union had a budget surplus and our country was on its way to eliminating much of its public debt. Since that time, the American people have watched as this Administration has not only squandered that surplus but created three of the largest deficits in the history of our nation. President Bush has added more than three and a half trillion dollars to the debt owed by our government to our creditors. And he has done this through massive tax cuts for the very wealthy at the expense of our hard working middle class Americans. And tonight it is reported that he will once again blindly ask the Congress to make those tax cuts permanent.

Before our very eyes, our President is selling off our economy to the highest bidder. This President has presided over an economy that has seen good-paying American jobs shipped overseas. And President Bush and his Administration have sat idly by during most of the past year as the home mortgages of hard working American families have been bought by foreign creditors. Literally, the roofs over the heads of many Americans are owned by foreigners. Read the rest of this entry »

The President rightfully focused on the downturn in the economy and the economic stimulus package.  I was disappointed, however, that the President did not seem more open to some changes that I think need to be made to the package.  For example, I think it’s critical that the package provide rebates to low-income seniors who don’t have an earned income.  They need those rebate checks just as much as middle-income families.  I hope the President will be open to expanding assistance to that group.  In addition, I’m going to continue to press for an increase in the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP.  I wish the President had recognized how significant a factor increased energy prices are in contributing to this economic downturn.

Sen. Biden is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

On December 31st, the United Nations and the African Union jointly assumed control of the peacekeeping mission in Darfur.  Thus far, however, their efforts to bring peace to Darfur have been hindered by inadequate resources and a lack of commitment by the international community.

While the United Nations Security Council has authorized over 26,000 peacekeepers, just over 9000 are on the ground in Darfur.  Sudanese obstruction, including an attack on a U.N. convoy, has delayed deployment, but the failure of nations possessing the necessary tactical and utility helicopters to commit vehicles and crews also endangers the mission.  Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called these helicopters indispensable in order to transport and protect peacekeepers and allow them to carry out their mission. Yet, not one nation has stepped forward to offer them.

That is inexcusable. We cannot allow genocide and suffering to continue because the combined nations of the world cannot find 24 helicopters to help stop it.

That’s why Sen. Lugar (R-Ind.) and I introduced a bipartisan resolution yesterday urging the members of the international community, including the United States, to provide the resources the African Union and United Nations need to carry out their joint peacekeeping mission in Darfur. Read the rest of this entry »

Last night, I actually stumbled upon my notes from last year’s State of the Union Address, and I was amused to find that they were very similar to my notes from this year’s speech. Both this year and last, President Bush spoke about fiscal responsibility and our economy; and both this year and last, I remarked how our poor economic and fiscal state is a direct result of President Bush’s rampant borrow-and-spend policies.

On fiscal responsibility, President Bush is years late and many dollars short. He has led the American people to believe that they can have all of the spending programs they want and cut taxes, and we can just borrow the money from China to pay for these things. On this President’s watch, a $5.6 trillion projected surplus has vanished, and in its place, we have record deficits, a rising mountain of debt, and a sluggish economy. We now find ourselves facing a possible recession, and President Bush’s irresponsible economic policies are to blame. Read the rest of this entry »

At a time when the challenges facing our country and our economy have never been greater, the American people are looking for a new direction and new leadership from Washington.  But tonight all the American people heard from the President was the same old rhetoric and the same old ideas. The time has come to reject the status quo, and to trade no ideas for new ideas; lethargy for leadership.

I’m encouraged to see that Washington can work across the party aisle to help American taxpayers. Any time hardworking Americans are able to keep more of their money, our economy wins.  It remains critical that Congress continue to work for long-term economic growth as well.  We need to support entrepreneurs to promote new job growth, retain current employees, and grow the economy.  We need to make permanent the Republican tax relief packages and give American taxpayers certainty in their financial planning.

Last year this Congress spent a lot of time on meaningless debate about issues that were very partisan and very political. Last night the President laid the groundwork for Congress to refocus their attention on the priorities of the American people.

The President’s speech created an opportunity for Democrats and Republicans to come together and pass an economic stimulus package, protect our nation from terrorist living abroad by passing a tough FISA bill, and fully fund our brave men and women in uniform-giving them the tools they need to defeat terrorists and march them home victoriously under the American flag, not the white flag of surrender. Read the rest of this entry »

After nearly 4,000 American casualties and more than $500 billion dollars, the misguided war in Iraq continues to be plagued by mismanagement and failed policies. While reduced violence in Iraq is encouraging, the goal of the surge – political reconciliation – has not been achieved. The will of the American people must be done. We require bold leadership in charting a new course that puts Iraqi’s in charge of their country and brings an end to the war in Iraq.

I am glad that President Bush has recognized the recent advances in stem cell research. This again highlights the need for a new, national initiative supporting all types of ethical cell-based research, including embryonic stem cell research. We must establish a robust national stem cell research program with a strict ethical framework. Read the rest of this entry »