CARSON STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT OBAMA'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman André Carson issued the following statement in response to President Obama's State of the Union address:

Our country has long been defined by the determination of the American people to redefine their future through education and hard work. Regrettably, as our wealth gap grows and unemployment remains high, this fundamental American goal is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve.

Tonight, President Obama laid out a vision for the future of our country that overcomes these obstacles and once again puts the American dream in reach for all Americans. He made clear that by raising the minimum wage, expanding access to quality education from pre-K to college, and increasing domestic manufacturing, we can move towards a robust economy that will mean real opportunity for our families and communities.

The President also rightly called out our lack of progress on critical issues like job creation, education, immigration, and tax reform. I am hopeful that his call to action will be a wakeup call for those in Congress who focus on political games instead of finding real solutions to our nation's problems.

Despite our political and economic struggles, I agree with President Obama that we have reason to be optimistic. Over the last five years, the American people have prevailed through the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. While we face difficult times ahead, I am confident that by pursuing the President's proposals we can continue our recovery and create new opportunities for Hoosiers.