Costa Statement on President Obama’s State of the Union Address

Washington, D.C. - Rep. Jim Costa released the following statement in response to President Obama's 7th State of the Union Address.

"Today, the President focused on uniting our nation, promoting our shared values, and ultimately, moving our country forward. Some progress has been made over the years and now, more than ever, Congress and the Administration must come together to deal with the very real challenges facing America. The reality of the last six years is that compromise and common ground have been difficult to achieve and have sometimes seemed to be impossible.

"The President outlined a number of proposals that will expand economic opportunity for the middle class. Providing affordable higher education, increasing access to high-speed internet for rural communities, and engaging in smart trade agreements will result in direct and far-reaching benefits to the San Joaquin Valley and to America's economy. I am pleased that the President is proposing to reform our complex tax code, which is long overdue and will undoubtedly require compromise. I look forward to working with the President and my colleagues in the House and Senate on additional issues of common ground including enhancing our cybersecurity and investing in our nation's infrastructure.

"Unfortunately, the President failed to discuss the issue most important to the economic stability of our Valley, water. Flawed and incomplete scientific studies and inflexible federal regulations that guide the operations of our water pumps have devastated California's agricultural industry. Our Valley and our state need a reliable supply of water to spur job creation, boost the economy, and protect hard-working families. I remain committed to fighting for our Valley's water and urge my Congressional colleagues to move quickly to pass bipartisan, bicameral legislation to fix our broken water system and capture any surplus rain that falls over California.

"As our country moves forward, we must remember that the bonds which unite us as Americans are far stronger than our disagreements. As we have seen, divisive politics does nothing to ensure the success of our great nation. The American public wants Congress and the Administration to find common ground and enact policies that put us on a path to success."

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