Congressman John Garamendi’s Statement on President Trump’s State of the Union Address

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman John Garamendi (D-Fairfield, Davis, Yuba City, CA), issued the following statement in response to the State of the Union Address by President Trump:

"Tonight, President Trump spent 90 minutes literally applauding himself, but there wasn't much for everyday Americans to be excited about. Contrary to Trump's claims, job creation last year fell to its lowest rate since 2010. The bulk of the benefits of the tax cut he praised himself so much for went to America's wealthiest, with only cents on the dollar for the middle class and the working poor. Meanwhile, Trump's reckless efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act have jacked up the uninsured rates and the cost of healthcare, including prescription drugs.

On immigration, President Trump offered far from a middle-of-the-road compromise, providing instead a divisive roadmap that provides no answers to the needs of California's agricultural industry. On foreign policy, Trump further alienated our allies and provoked our adversaries, while committing to a massive expansion of our nuclear arsenal that will damage both our safety and our economy.

In his response speech, my colleague Joe Kennedy offered a Better Deal for Americans tonight: an America that recognizes that wages matter just as much as the Dow Jones Index. It's a vision that recognizes that America is not a zero-sum game, and that a rising tide does indeed lift all boats. And it's vision of an America that has health care as a right, and not a privilege for those lucky enough to afford it.

Our vision is one that seeks to unite, rather than divide by gender, color, creed and country of origin. That's not the vision we got from President Trump tonight, but that's the vision that I believe in and will fight for every day."