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McKeon & Jasey Statement on President Obama’s State of the Union Address

Assembly Democrats John F. McKeon and Mila Jasey released the following statement on President Obama’s State of the Union address:

“In his speech, the president reiterated his commitment to middle-class economics, reminding us that the foundation of this nation is our conviction that all with the will to succeed should have the opportunity to do so.

“The New Jersey Legislature has already led the way in working to prepare our residents for the high-paying jobs of the future the president mentioned. Our colleagues have put forth legislation to help veterans find jobs, expand vocational school programs and establish scholarships at our state’s county colleges that will allow our residents to acquire in-demand skills,” said McKeon (D-Essex/Morris).

“But we have work to do in some other areas. While our state has led the way in preserving open space, we still cannot adequately address the danger that is climate change, which the president noted threatens national security. And while the president has made rebuilding our nation’s crumbling infrastructure a priority, we have yet to come up with a long-term plan for the Transportation Trust Fund,” said McKeon.

“Perhaps the most important idea of the night was the notion that building a better nation must be a bipartisan effort, and the same can be said of our endeavor to move New Jersey forward. When the president spoke of equal pay and child care and increasing the minimum wage, he spoke with a recognition that the wellness of women and children and working people cannot be relegated to a single party if we intend to reach our nation’s full potential. Likewise, anyone and everyone ready to bring change to this state must see past what divides us and realize that bipartisan cooperation is an integral part of the process,” said Jasey (D-Essex/Morris).

“With a Democratic legislature and a Republican governor in New Jersey, we face a compositional challenge in Trenton that now presents itself to Washington. Although we do not agree on all things, we have proven that progress, albeit small, is not impossible. As lawmakers at the federal level work to bring us closer to the ideals the president laid out in his address, let us all commit to setting an example of bipartisanship here in New Jersey,” said Jasey.