February 24 – Congressman Zach Wamp issued the following statement in response to President Obama’s address to a joint session of Congress: “President Obama’s delivery of the state of our union was confident, but I am not confident that his agenda is the right approach for America. While I support efforts to eliminate wasteful spending and reduce the growth of government in order to reduce the deficit, adding a tax burden on small business owners and employers is no way to increase jobs or grow the economy. Unfortunately, the confidence and trust in Washington has been lost and borrowing more money or wildly spending will not help restore the essential confidence that consumers and entrepreneurs require.“

“The liberal leadership of Congress will not turn the ‘ship of state’ back on a proper course, but with reasonable policies we can move in the right direction. An across-the-board freeze on spending would restore confidence to the markets and the home front. This is a time for less and not more, but our military is spread too thin, needs resources and deployments that are more sustainable. Reductions in our military preparedness could prove very detrimental over time. A foreign policy that puts America first and protects our sovereignty is now in order.“

“My prayer is that our President understands this and recommends policies that protect our vital interests while balancing the proper role of government during a severe economic downturn.”