WASHINGTON, DC— U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement after President Obama’s speech to tonight’s joint session of Congress:
“Tonight I am traveling to Eastern Pennsylvania, which faces a grave threat from rain and floods. This is a tragic reminder that we are all in this together. It is time to work together in the interest of Pennsylvania and the nation to confront our shared challenges, create jobs and get the economy moving.
“As I travel around Pennsylvania, job creation and economic security have been and continue to be the top issues. The truth is that we need more action on concrete ideas to put people back to work and less partisan rhetoric.
“President Obama has put a number of ideas on the table tonight. I agree with some, I disagree with others and I have ideas of my own that I will continue to push.
“I have proposed a job creation tax cut to help small businesses hire new employees, a bipartisan life sciences tax credit to create jobs in one of the leading sectors in the Pennsylvania economy and I have repeatedly called for the Administration to crack down on China’s currency manipulation that puts Pennsylvania workers at a disadvantage and is stifling Pennsylvania manufacturing.
“Our focus on trade should be on leveling the playing field for U.S. workers, not on shipping Pennsylvania manufacturing jobs overseas. Instead of pushing new NAFTA-style trade deals, the Administration should enforce existing trade laws and protect Pennsylvania workers.
“I look forward to working with both Republicans and Democrats toward bipartisan consensus on common-sense solutions that will move our economy and the nation forward together.”
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