February 06, 2019

Congressman Joe Neguse Responds to the State of the Union

Washington D.C.— Congressman Joe Neguse (CO-02) issued the following statement after President Trump’s State of the Union Address tonight.

“The State of the Union offers us the opportunity for Congress and the Administration to put partisanship aside and find common ground. There are places that Democrats and Republicans agree, including lowering prescription drug prices and rebuilding our national infrastructure. Unfortunately, instead of highlighting places where we can work together, the President returned to his campaign rhetoric of demonizing immigrants, pushing false narratives, and painting the world in stark and grim terms.

By dismissing the important role of Congressional oversight, the President again fails to understand our system of checks and balances. By continuing to outline reckless foreign policy, the President directly contradicts the advice he has received from his own military and diplomatic experts. By ordering almost 4000 more troops to the border to greet caravans that never arrive, the President politicizes our military.

My guest this evening, Elias, is a DACA recipient from my district. Elias has worked to attend Colorado State University and is earning degrees in both chemical and biological engineering, and biomedical engineering. Elias’ final call before we walked to the Capitol this evening was to his parents. They provided him with the love, education and foundation to become the American dream, and encouraged him to come to Washington tonight. Elias, his family and his path to success bear no resemblance to what President Trump said about immigrants tonight.

I can attest that as a member of Democratic House Leadership, the House Democratic Caucus remains focused on delivering on the promises we made to the American people to make healthcare more affordable, to respect our immigrants and the diversity of our nation, to always protect a woman’s right to choose, and to take decisive action in solving the existential threat of climate change—the defining issue of our time.”