WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Steve Southerland, II issued the following statement tonight in response to President Obama’s State of the Union Address:

“After having the privilege to sit in the House chamber and listen to President Obama deliver the State of the Union address to the nation, I am less optimistic about our country heading in the right direction over the next year.

“I was hopeful the President would seize the opportunity of a new year to jumpstart the job-creating Keystone pipeline project, encourage Harry Reid and the Senate Democrats to act on 27 House-passed jobs bills, and reduce the regulations that are stifling job creation.

“Unfortunately, the President called for even more spending by creating three brand new federal agencies, which will inevitably lead to more rules, regulations and restrictions that inhibit much needed private sector job growth.

“Ironically, the President instructed the Senate to have a straight up or down vote on judicial nominations within ninety days, but never once called for the Senate to fulfill their constitutional duty to pass a budget—something that our friends on the other side of the Capitol have failed to do for the last 1,000 days.

“The hardworking men and women of North and Northwest Florida expect the President and Congress to stop the political games and find real, common sense solutions.

“While I am disappointed by what I heard tonight, I am still hopeful that Congress can find common ground this year, as we did in 2011 with the 1099 health care repeal, free trade agreements with South Korea, Panama and Colombia, and negotiating to extend the payroll tax.

“Under this administration, our nation has lost two million jobs; food stamp dependency has increased by 45%; federal government spending has exploded at historic rates; the national debt has increased by 43% to over $15 trillion and now exceeds our nation’s GDP.

“That being said, America simply can’t remain on the unsustainable path that President Obama’s failed economic policies have put us on. Enough is enough.”

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