BOISE, Idaho — U.S. Senator Mike Crapo and Congressman Mike Simpson issued their thoughts on President Trump's State of the Union address.
Sen. Mike Crapo
“In his third State of the Union address, President Trump delivered a strong and optimistic message that highlighted the many economic and national security successes his Administration and Congress have developed throughout this presidency. Significant progress has been made in the last three years to deliver commonsense approaches that address the needs of all Americans.
On the economy: "The United States economy under President Trump is thriving. The national unemployment rate remains at a 50-year low. Unemployment rates for minorities are at their lowest levels on record. Wage growth was strong in 2019. Median household income sits at the highest level ever recorded. Idaho’s economy has also continued to grow, with Idaho’s unemployment at a record low--even below the national average--at 2.7 percent. Additionally, Idaho has seen a boom in entrepreneurship as new business applications have increased by 25 percent throughout Trump’s presidency."
On international trade: "President Trump tonight reaffirmed his commitment to keeping American interests at the forefront of any trade negotiations. Just last month, his Administration secured two historic trade deals for American producers. By signing a phase one trade agreement with China, as well as the overwhelmingly-passed United States-Mexico-Canada agreement, President Trump has demonstrated this commitment. These forcefully-negotiated trade agreements will provide U.S. farmers with valuable new export opportunities."
On American National Security: "The President strengthened our diplomatic and military efforts throughout the world. His decisive actions have signaled to our adversaries that the United States will not stand idly by and follow a path of appeasement when it comes to protecting our national security. I continue to have the utmost faith in Idaho’s women and men at Mountain Home Air Force Base and Gowen Field to carry out their missions successfully throughout the world."
On Lower Health Care and Prescription Costs: "The President called on Congress to support efforts to lower the costs of health care and prescription drugs. I introduced the Lower Costs, More Cures Act to address this priority. As a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, I will work closely with my colleagues to advance policy solutions that lower costs and adhere to market-driven principles."
You can watch Senator Crapo's full response to the State of the Union address here.
Congressman Mike Simpson
“The President covered a lot of ground tonight, largely discussing the robust economy we all enjoy. This stimulated economy wasn’t by accident, it came from implementing tax reform, trade policies, and by reducing onerous federal regulations. President Trump worked tirelessly to ensure USMCA was signed into law and under this new and improved trade deal, U.S. agricultural exports alone are expected to increase by more than $2 billion annually, further helping our economy. President Trump has been a leader on these economic drivers, and I applaud his Administration for their efforts.
“In Idaho, we have a record low unemployment rate of 2.7 percent and our strong economy is benefiting greatly by reducing overreaching federal regulations. Less than two weeks ago, I joined many of my colleagues and the Administration announcing the new rule concerning the Waters of the United States. For almost a decade I’ve heard concerns from farmers, ranchers, small businesses, governors, and many others about the extremely broad definition of ‘waters of the United States’ under the Clean Water Act. This Administration took note of those concerns and rewrote the rule in a way that maintains critical protections under the Clean Water Act, while also appropriately delegating state and local jurisdictions in charge of regulating smaller bodies of water, as the law was intended.
“Once again President Trump laid out several bipartisan goals; addressing our countries infrastructure needs, educational needs by offering vocational and technical education in high school, lowering the costs of prescription drugs, and covering pre-existing conditions.
“Despite being the target of impeachment talk since the very beginning of his term, he has seated two accomplished U.S. Supreme Court Justices, secured a bipartisan budget deal, enacted historic tax cuts and reforms, negotiated a better deal for the United States with the USMCA, reduced illegal border crossings, and rebuilt our military, not to mention the benefits of a consistently strong and growing economy—something ALL Americans currently enjoy. I hope tomorrow marks the end of partisan fights and the beginning of bipartisan governing so we can continue the strong positive momentum in our great nation.”
