Congresswoman Matsui Statement on President Obama's Final State of the Union Address to the Nation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

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LAUREN DART
(202) 225-7163

Congresswoman Matsui Statement on President Obama's Final State of the Union Address to the Nation

Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) issued the following statement on President Obama's final State of the Union Address to the nation:

"This evening, the President spoke to the American people about our country's ability to prosper in the face of extraordinary change, and despite overwhelming odds. Over the course of the last seven years, our progress as a nation has been a testament to the resiliency of the American spirit.

"Due to policies enacted by the Administration and Congressional Democrats, the unemployment rate is the lowest it has been since 2008, businesses have added millions of jobs, and our economy has experienced consecutive months of growth in private sector job creation.

"We must continue to build on this progress, and work hard in Congress to ensure that the President's vision becomes a reality for the American people. By settling for nothing less than equal pay for equal work, enacting paid family leave policies, and ensuring affordable healthcare for children and older Americans, we can guarantee that every citizen has an opportunity to achieve economic security.

"Tonight, the President highlighted the advances of the Affordable Care Act, which has expanded quality care to nearly 18 million previously uninsured Americans. The ACA also made the largest coverage gains for mental health in a generation by expanding Medicaid, the single largest payer for mental health services in the U.S. Now, Congress needs to comprehensively address mental health care through a package that recognizes the entire spectrum of care and increases access to behavioral health services in a way that parallels what is available for physical illnesses.

"I was also pleased with the President's call for Congress to build on the progress of the historic climate agreement reached in Paris. Now we must act at home, and make investments in a clean energy economy that will improve the health of our children, strengthen the resiliency of our communities, and protect the environment.

"As the President stated tonight, generations of Americans before us have unlocked innovation through a spirit of discovery. We must do the same when it comes to accelerating the pace of cures and medical breakthroughs in the United States, and I will continue to support increased funding for the National Institutes of Health as they conduct groundbreaking and lifesaving research.

"Tonight, the President grounded his vision for the future in the possibility of the American spirit. Now, we must get to work in crafting policies that will allow every citizen to fully participate in America's promise."

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