Rep. Watson Coleman Applauds President’s State Of The Union Address
Following her first State of the Union Address as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) released the following statement in response to President Barack Obama’s speech:
“I am proud that President Obama has continued to focus on the issues that New Jerseyans care about most - creating jobs, fostering a fair economic playing field, and improving educational opportunities for all Americans. I share the President’s commitment to these issues, and look forward to working with him and my new colleagues here in Washington to make these goals a reality. After years of record corporate success and profits, I believe that the President’s plan can begin to bring that same success to American families.
It is important that we maintain the economic momentum that we have seen over the past several years. The evidence is clear: 58 straight months of positive job creation, 5.6 percent unemployment – the lowest rate since the recession began in 2008 – and 11.2 million jobs created over the past 5 years. While these numbers are positive, when I tour my district, the windfalls of this growth too seldom reach my constituents hit hardest by the economic downturn, and who still today deserve our full attention and support. That is why I am heartened by the President’s call to increase protections for workers and to invest in new, bold job creation strategies.
I support the President’s goals to grant American workers paid family and medical leave. No parent should have to fear losing a job to take care of a sick child, or be forced to go to work while ill because they need to make ends meet. American workers aren’t looking for a handout—they simply expect decency and fairness in the workplace.
I also support the President in his call for job creation. By focusing on manufacturing, tech jobs, and higher education, we will be able to put more Americans back to work for the 21st Century workforce. The President’s proposals on manufacturing hubs, investments in cyber security, and the America’s College Promise proposal are steps in the right direction. I look forward to working with the Administration to strengthen these proposals to ensure that all Americans have access to these important programs.
In addition, as a member of the Committee on Homeland Security, I am glad that the president laid out fresh and effective plans for cybersecurity by centering on ways to improve and protect identity theft. I look forward to working with him and my colleagues across the aisle to secure our privacy, and protect Americans against cyber threats.
The President laid out a bold and ambitious proposal to keep our nation on the right track—now it’s time for Congress to get back to work for the American people. I look forward to dealing with these and other important issues that face New Jersey’s 12th District.”
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