Heinrich Statement On President Obama's State Of The Union Address

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), released the following statement tonight after President Obama's State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress:

"Tonight, the president laid out a clear vision to increase opportunities for all Americans and strengthen our middle class. While our nation's economy is progressing, my priority is to build on that momentum so that New Mexicans working hard to get ahead feel those gains.

"We have to broaden the economic recovery beyond Wall Street. Leveling the playing field in our tax system is a way to do that. We are a nation built on hard work, but our current tax code does not uphold those values. It's unfair to tax a teacher, construction worker, nurse, or salesperson at a substantially higher rate than a Wall Street investor.

"We must also create a work environment that's family friendly. I agree with President Obama that we must support workplace flexibility and practices like paid sick and family leave. These practices make good business sense, are cost-effective, and create a healthier and more productive workforce.  We shouldn't force working moms and dads to choose between a paycheck and caring for a newborn.

"The health of our economy relies on the strength of our workforce. Community colleges across New Mexico play a critical role in training workers to compete for the jobs of tomorrow, especially in the technology, nursing, and engineering fields. The president's call to make community colleges accessible for everyone willing to work hard for it is an investment in our future. I'm also encouraged by his support for increasing high-speed Internet. In New Mexico, broadband access strengthens our local economies and small businesses, and is a corner stone to improving tele-health services and education and job-training opportunities beyond our urban centers.

"Additionally, I'm pleased with the president's commitment to cybersecurity, which I believe is one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face as a nation. The ability to defend our nation against cyber attacks requires a comprehensive approach that involves not only the federal government, but also private sector companies, while maintaining the privacy of individuals in the process.

"These are practical policies and pragmatic solutions that will ensure the economic recovery is felt by everyone and we build a stronger middle class. I look forward to working with the Administration to advance these priorities and more for the people of New Mexico."