| SC Congressional Delegation Reacts to Bush Address |
| Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC) made the following remarks after listening to President George W. Bush's State of the Union Address: "President Bush has once again demonstrated his extraordinary leadership, as he has consistently set goals and achieved them throughout his presidency," said Congressman Wilson. "Last year, the President set out an agenda to prosecute the War on Terror by ending the threat posed by Saddam Hussein, to spur the economy by bringing further tax relief to American families and small businesses, to ensure seniors have prescription drug coverage and to improve Medicare, and to bring more accountability to our education system so that no child is left behind. President Bush has remarkably achieved all of those goals." "Yet, although we have made great strides, the President knows that many challenges face us in the coming year. The War on Terror is still our top priority, as we further secure our homeland and take the battle to the terrorists outside the U.S. Our courageous military continues to fight oversees to secure the peace in Iraq and Afghanistan, while hunting down terrorists wherever they may hide." "Also, as our economy recovers from the Clinton recession, we must continue with the Republican pro-growth agenda of tax relief, less regulation, and allowing Americans to save over the long-term." "I applaud President George W. Bush's speech, especially his call for us to continue to promote and live by our American values. The President has once again set the right tone for our nation as we enter this new year." U.S. Representative Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) issued the following statement today in response to President Bush's State of the Union address: "President Bush has demonstrated tremendous courage and resolve in the past year. He has been the decisive leader these times have required. By preemptively eliminating the threat of Saddam Hussein's brutal regime, President Bush has ended the era of American appeasement in the face of terror." "The President has shown courage and great leadership on a number of other important and difficult issues. He has led an effort to rebuild the economy. He has led on education by providing more choices for children in failing schools. He has led on health care by helping Americans access affordable care, and now he is going to lead the effort to save and strengthen Social Security. I look forward to working with the President to move his agenda through Congress." U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) issued the following statement today in response to President Bush's State of the Union address: "President Bush has a plan to keep America secure. The people who attacked us on 9-11 have either been captured, killed, or are on the run. Afghanistan, once a breeding ground for terrorists, is now an emerging democracy. Saddam Hussein, a ruthless dictator who defied the United Nations and the international community for a dozen years, is now behind bars awaiting trail. We are making progress in winning the war on terror and we must continue to show strength and resolve." U.S. Representative John Spratt (D-S.C.) issued the following statement today in response to President Bush's State of the Union address: "President Bush took office with an advantage no president in recent times has enjoyed, a budget in surplus by $126 billion in 2001. His Office of Management and Budget looked out over the next 10 years and saw nothing but surpluses, $5.6 trillion in all. Since then, the bottom line of the budget has moved $9 trillion in the wrong direction. The deficit for 2003 hit a record high, $375 billion. The deficit for 2004 will top that and approach $500 billion. The Administration dismisses these deficits as 'manageable,' but chronic deficits crowd out private investment, push up interest rates, and slow economic growth. It is becoming clear that this Administration has no plan to eliminate these deficits." U.S. Representative Gresham Barrett (R-S.C.) issued the following statement today in response to President Bush's State of the Union address: "I am proud of the way President Bush continues to lead our country through one of the most challenging times in our history. He has great vision for this nation. He is able to see the big picture and make decisions based not solely on today, but tomorrow and the future." "His economic policies have helped America recover from the recession he inherited. His foreign policies have created a more secure America by putting terrorists on the run, freeing two countries from oppressive regimes, and planting the seeds of democracy in a region unfamiliar with choice and freedom." U.S. Representative Henry Brown (R-S.C.) issued the following statement today in response to President Bush's State of the Union address: "President Bush clearly articulated the challenges facing America and an agenda that will address these challenges. We are winning the war on terror, with great progress being made in Iraq, Afghanistan and in disrupting al-Qaida activities. I wholeheartedly agree that we must stay the course as outlined by the President in order to make America and the world safer." |