Pelosi Statement on State of the Union Address

Contact: Drew Hammill/Evangeline George, 202-226-7616

Washington, D.C. – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement on President Obama’s final State of the Union address:

“Tonight, President Obama called on us to embrace the boundless possibility that is America. For our nation to succeed, we must recognize the grit, the ingenuity and the spirit of the American people to build a new future of strength and sustainability.

“We have come a long way. When President Obama took office seven years ago, our nation faced the worst economic catastrophe since the Great Depression. With Democrats’ leadership, the deficit is down a trillion dollars, the unemployment rate has been cut in half, and the stock market has added almost ten thousand points. The American auto industry was dying, today it is thriving. We’ve enjoyed the longest uninterrupted period of private sector job growth in American history: 70 months and more than 14 million jobs. Nearly 18 million previously uninsured Americans now have affordable, dependable health coverage.

“We cannot take our foot off the gas pedal now. We must ensure that every American shares in the prosperity and possibility of our democracy. We must reduce gun violence and confront the climate crisis. We must sustain our international agreements and affirm our commitment to defeat ISIS with a purpose-built AUMF. We must create good-paying jobs and grow the paychecks of hard-working American families.”

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