Rounds Reacts to President's State of the Union Address

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) made the following statement on the President’s State of the Union Address:

“I appreciate the fact that the President at least acknowledged the need to work together to solve our country’s most pressing issues,” Rounds said, “but he must do more than pay lip service to bipartisanship in order to move our country forward. If the proposals he laid out tonight are any indication, I’m afraid he is not serious about working with the new Republican Congress. Instead, he offered more of his same failed policies and proposals that will raise taxes on American families, add to our already bloated debt and stifle energy and economic growth.

“Most troubling of these proposals is his plan to raise taxes on hard-working Americans – to the tune of $320 billion dollars. The President might want you to think these tax increases will only affect the Warren Buffetts of the world, but don’t be fooled. The tax plan he proposed tonight would impact South Dakota small business owners, farmers, ranchers and entrepreneurs. The people who will be hit by this are your friends, your neighbors and Main Street store owners who provide good-paying jobs and essential services in South Dakota communities.

“Americans made very clear in the last elections that they are tired of the same old Washington practices that have made government too burdensome, too big and downright ineffective.  What South Dakotans are telling me is that they want us to work together on ideas that will make government more efficient and accountable. Republicans have already rolled up their sleeves to work on commonsense, bipartisan efforts to get government working again. It will be up to the President to decide whether he wants to join us in that conversation.”