Voinovich on SOTU09

Statement:

“When President Obama speaks to Congress tonight, he will speak to a nation with real concerns about the challenges we face at home – some of the most difficult challenges in our great history. Americans are hurting and are looking to Washington for leadership. We need to put people back to work, inject needed capital into our economy, stabilize home values, respond to the human needs brought about by this deep recession and tackle our rising national debt. Our nation is facing a catastrophic debt burden and trillion- dollar deficits for as far as the eye can see. I truly believe that President Obama’s stimulus bill simply added to our debt without fulfilling the well-accepted stimulus criteria that the funds be timely, targeted and temporary. I am hopeful that I will hear straight-talk tonight about the president’s long-term plan to restore the fiscal health of our nation. Nothing can be off the table if we want to ensure our future prosperity. Congress must view our tax code, entitlement system and budget process as the three pillars of our nation’s fiscal foundation and not as separate entities. In addition to creating jobs, jump-starting the economy and responding to human needs, in 2009 we must reform all three fiscal pillars to keep our obligations to future generations and to keep our nation strong. OMB Director Peter Orszag has given me assurances that entitlement and tax reform will be on President Obama’s agenda this year and I look forward to hearing more about his plans tonight. We must all remember that a change in the political landscape of our nation has not changed the challenges we face. ”