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:

"President Obama's call for bipartisanship and rewarding hard work goes hand in hand with New Mexico's priorities and values.  We must be unwavering in our commitment to restore the basic bargain on which this country was built, that if you work and play the rules you can get ahead.

"And New Mexicans are no strangers to hard work, which is why I'm especially pleased with the president's action to raise the minimum wage for federal contractors. No one who works full-time should have to live in poverty -- this is especially critical for women, who make up a disproportionate share of minimum wage workers today. Our economy is stronger when we reward an honest day's work with fair wages, which is why Congress should follow the president's lead and raise the federal minimum wage across the board.

"I was encouraged by the president's commitment to creating opportunities for small businesses to thrive, for students to get a quality education, for workers to get the training they need to succeed in today's job market, for immigrants to have a fair path to citizenship, and for our nation to truly become energy independent. In New Mexico, these are the key ingredients to a strong economy and a thriving middle class.

"I will continue working with the Administration and my colleagues in Congress to advance these priorities for the American people."