Compiled by Courier Staff

First Lady Michelle Obama is shown above with Cleopatra Pendleton, mother of 15 year old Hadiya who was tragically shot and killed a week after performing at the President’s Inauguration. Her father Nathaniel along with other survivors of gun violence were invited guests of the First Lady for the State of the Union Address. (AP/Getty Photo)

Congresswoman Gwen Moore (WI-4) responded to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address to Congress.

“Tonight the President set an aggressive agenda for America. His plan to refocus our efforts on bringing about solid economic growth for all Americans through manufacturing, infrastructure, clean and renewable energy, skills training for American workers, and a renewed commitment to education are critical to this country moving forward.

“With the recent success of the manufacturing sector adding nearly 500,000 jobs over the past three years, I was glad that he is committed to continuing to strengthen this sector of our economy. Manufacturing is an important part of the economy in Wisconsin, and it will be important to invest in this industry to ensure that we have more good jobs here at home and are able to compete in the global economy.

“His plans to invest in clean energy and decrease our dependence on foreign oil will be necessary to help our businesses compete as well as reducing energy costs for American families. It is my hope that we will allow for greater research and development in this area to spur greater investment in clean and renewable energy.

“I was particularly pleased with the President’s announcement of the return of 34,000 U.S. troops from Afghanistan within a year. It is not as quick a timeline as I would like but shows his commitment to keep his promise to formally end this war by 2014. I am eager to hear more in the coming days about when the rest of our troops will be home for good and will continue to work with my colleagues to bring all our troops home soon

and safely so we can focus on the many other pressing priorities facing our nation that he outlined in his speech.

“His ‘back to basics’ approach to education will be critical in preparing our young people with not only the academic prowess but the real world skills needed to compete for the jobs of today and tomorrow. I believe greater investments in program such as TRIO would go a long way in fulfilling this vision for our educational system.

“Additionally, I applaud and support the President’s plan to prevent and reduce gun violence in our communities. Unfortunately, my home state of Wisconsin has seen a rash of gun violence over the past year, including a shooting at a local area Sikh Temple which left seven people dead and a shooting in Brookfield that took the lives of three members of our community. We cannot turn a blind eye to the rampant gun violence that plagues our nation. We must implement common sense strategies to build safer neighborhoods for everyone.

“While some may dismiss the President’s message as simple fodder for liberals, I believe that the message he gave this evening was –as the young people say – ‘real talk.’ We are facing tough times, and the only way that our country will thrive is with bold new ideas. With the looming sequester and a fragilely recovering economy, Congress must put aside their petty differences and work to enact concrete solutions that will help all Americans. We cannot cut our way to solvency on the backs of the poor and working class as Republicans would suggest. We must create an even playing field that provides greater opportunity for all.

“It’s time to barbecue or mildew; and I for one am ready to go to work on behalf of the American people. So let’s get to work.”

U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin also responded to the State of the Union Address with the following:

“Tonight President Obama spoke directly to the American people about the need to put progress ahead of partisan politics. I was pleased to hear the President make a strong case for growing the economy, strengthening our middle class, and moving our country forward. President Obama made clear the path we must take to build broad based economic growth and reduce our deficit without shortchanging our future.

I applaud President Obama for renewing our commitment to creating a “Made in America” economy by investing in job training and job readiness for advanced manufacturing. In order to compete with the rest of the world and create shared prosperity, we need to invest in innovation, science and research, and a 21st century American infrastructure, putting people to work rebuilding our roads, bridges and ports. I was particularly pleased to hear the President engage the American people to take a path forward that makes sure our budget reflects our values and priorities. As President Obama said tonight, in order to build a strong middle class we must make it a priority to invest in education, with a focus on early education and affordable higher education for student and families, so we open the doors of opportunity to every child and equip hard working people with the skills they need to get ahead and realize their dreams.”

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