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Wilson Reacts to State of the Union Address

January 28, 2008
Press Release

EMBARGOED UNTIL CONCLUSION OF STATE OF THE UNION
January 28, 2008

CONTACT: Ryan Murphy
(202) 225-2452 (Office)
(202) 689-4825 (Cell)

Congressman Joe Wilson (SC-02) issued the following statement this evening in response to President Bush's State of the Union Address.

"Tonight, President Bush outlined a strong agenda for the upcoming year. He made clear that our nation faces many challenges, and that we must address these difficulties in a bipartisan manner.

"As our troops continue to serve bravely overseas, Congress must not legislate a defeat in Iraq or Afghanistan and ignore the progress we have seen. The remarkable success on the ground in Iraq should be a clear sign that short-term political motives, like a precipitous withdrawal, is not only foolish but has very real, dangerous, and long-term consequences. The sacrifices our brave men and women in uniform have made and continue to make to protect American families is the primary concern of this President and should be the number one concern of this Congress.

"On the domestic front, American families are facing rising prices at the pump and limited access to affordable health care. The President made it clear that he supports solutions that can garner bipartisan support and are grounded in a dedication to free market principles. That means less not more government interference.

"Between wasteful pork spending and the runaway costs of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, future generations face a bill they will not be able to pay. It is incumbent upon Congress to make the tough decisions now and not kick these problems further down the road. I was pleased that President Bush reiterated his support for the type of sound, principled earmark reforms Republicans in Congress continue to champion.

"Americans deserve honest and open leadership. I am proud to stand with President Bush in voicing my support for accountability in Washington and with optimism for the great potential our nation has to meet the challenges of our time."

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