Congressman Platts' Reaction to the State of the Union Address

        "President Bush has provided our Nation's citizens a candid, yet optimistic assessment of the challenges and opportunities we face.  We are living in historic times and America has an obligation to lead.  The time has come for Congress and the Administration to put aside partisanship and work together to address the domestic priorities the American people care most about, such as rising health care and energy costs, education, and fiscal responsibility.

        It is important for us to remember that while we must address these important domestic issues, we remain a nation at war.  President Bush reminded us that we have made considerable democratic, economic and military progress in the War on Terrorism.  I witnessed this progress last week during my trip to Iraq and Afghanistan. I observed first-hand the pride our soldiers feel in helping the people of Iraq and Afghanistan defeat the insurgents and embrace democracy, which in turn, directly enhances our Nation's security.  When our mission in Iraq and Afghanistan is complete and we have fully achieved victory, our soldiers will return home with the honor they and their families have so heroically earned."