Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02), a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, today released the following statement ahead of President Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress:

“Tonight, I hope to hear opportunities for bipartisan common ground with the President, specifically on one of my top priorities in Congress: repairing the nation’s aging infrastructure. The President has repeatedly stated his interest in a large scale infrastructure plan and I hope he follows through with a plan that includes significant federal investments instead of relying solely on tax-credits.

Investing in transportation and infrastructure is a surefire way to create good-paying jobs and ensure the efficient movement of goods and people – something that is critical for long-term economic growth. Waiting until 2018 to tackle an infrastructure bill – as some Congressional Republicans have suggested – would mean delaying the new jobs and infrastructure improvements that are sorely needed around the country.  

When the President discusses healthcare this evening, it will be in the context of a Republican-led White House and Congress that want to repeal the Affordable Care Act without having agreed on what to replace it with – a move that would harm 537,000 Washingtonians who gained coverage through the Affordable Care Act, 2,969,000 who live with a pre-existing condition and millions more whose critical benefits and health costs are at risk. And this is after more than 1,000 Washingtonians have shared their Affordable Care Act story with me at four recent town halls and www.larsen.house.gov/shareyourstory, the overwhelming majority of whom are demanding any plan to replace the Affordable Care Act meet the same standards of quality, coverage and cost.

As a senior Member of the House Armed Services Committee, I also strongly support ensuring the women and men of the U.S. military have the tools and resources necessary to be mission-ready. However, siphoning resources from education, environmental protection efforts and social safety net programs in order to increase military spending – something else I expect to hear from the President – would be a grave mistake.

In recent weeks, I have spoken out frequently and forcefully against the President’s actions to scapegoat refugees and break up immigrant families, undermine the role of military and intelligence advisors in national security decisions and target America’s most vulnerable populations. I will continue to hold the Trump administration accountable while advancing my own agenda to fight for Pacific Northwest jobs, engage economically in the Asia Pacific and around the globe, break down barriers for all people and protect Washington state’s environment.”

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