FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Isakson Statement on State of the Union

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) tonight issued the following statement following the President’s State of the Union address:

“I remain supportive of the President’s strategy in sending more troops to Iraq and in demanding more accountability from the Iraqi government, and tonight, I was very pleased to hear the President call for a bipartisan group of senators and congressman to be his advisors on the battle in Iraq and the overall global war on terror. I think we’re in very difficult and trying times, but very important times for the peace and security of our country. It’s time we all got under the same tent, working for the same cause. I think the President is right to call on that bipartisan approach, and I think he’ll receive a good response.    

“On immigration, I have to disagree with the President. You cannot have comprehensive reform until you first build the foundation of secure borders. The President has called tonight for a number of immigration measures, but we still have to get the commitment that all of the border security measures are in place, fully funded and operational before we pursue any guest worker provisions.  In 1986, this country made a terrible mistake. It promised amnesty and it promised we would secure the border. We granted amnesty and we didn’t secure the border, and now today we have 20 million illegals in the country by some estimates. It’s time we got it right and that means border security as the foundation for immigration reform.  

“The President was right tonight to highlight the issues of energy and healthcare. You go talk to average Georgians sitting around their family table at dinnertime, and they’ll tell you that the cost of energy and the fear of being dependent on the Middle East for our energy – as well as the cost of healthcare, the availability of insurance and the accessibility of insurance – are all huge issues.  The President hit both of those square on the head. I think he’s exactly right to be aggressive in terms of renewable energy, in terms of reducing our dependence on foreign oil and petroleum products. And I look forward to the debate on how to use market-based principles to empower every American to be able to have an insurance policy to cover their healthcare.

“As the President said, this year we will reauthorize No Child Left Behind, and I look forward again to working with him to strengthen our nation's public schools and provide students with the educational tools they need to compete in the 21st century.”

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