"Tonight President Bush faced a Democratic Congress and an American public that are deeply skeptical of his ability to lead on the most important issues of the day. On energy, he once again paid lip service to the energy crisis that our nation faces, but his words have yet to be matched by action. 47 million people continue to go without health insurance, and his proposal will do little to alleviate this crisis. Our economy is weakened by his fiscal irresponsibility over the past six years. Students and families find higher education less affordable every year as tuition rises and available federal aid declines."

"On Iraq, the most important political and moral issue of the day, President Bush has astonishingly found a way forward that is even worse than 'stay the course.' He faces overwhelming and bipartisan opposition to his troop escalation in Congress and among the American public.”

"Had the President been truly honest tonight, he would have told the American people that the State of our Union could be much stronger. We can do much better, and I'm optimistic that the Congress will begin reversing these policies and making government work for regular people again."

"President Bush failed to outline real solutions to the problems facing our nation tonight. In the first 100 legislative hours of the new Congress, I joined with the new majority to pass legislation that will implement the 9/11 Commission recommendations, raise the minimum wage, expand federal funding for stem cell research, require negotiation for lower prescription drug costs, make college more affordable, end subsidies to Big Oil, and invest in clean renewable energy. I believe as many Americans do, that it is time to take our nation in a new direction. It is my hope that the President will join with us to create real solutions to our nation's challenges.

"The President's plan for escalation in Iraq is a mistake. It is vital that the U.S. win the war in Iraq, but increasing troop levels is not the way to accomplish this goal. I have laid out a plan that would provide a negotiated solution to the civil war by turning over a portion of the country to the Iraqis. As part of the House Armed Services Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, I will work to forge a solution to the Iraq war, and will hold the Bush Administration accountable for its actions.

"I believe that the President's healthcare proposal is wrong for our country because it will shift even more of the cost of health insurance onto working Americans. It would eliminate employer based healthcare by ending the tax benefit for employers that contribute to health insurance, which could unravel the entire employer-based health insurance system while providing no real alternative. This plan is a step back, not a step forward. As Chairman of the HELP Subcommittee, I will work to create real solutions to the ever-worsening healthcare crisis in this country."

U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Health, issued the following statement in response to President Bush's State of the Union Address.

"The president's health care proposal is a non-starter. At a time when we need to confront the growing number of uninsured and the skyrocketing price of health insurance, the president has created a plan that would actually make both problems worse.

"President Bush's proposal would lead to a giant tax increase on middle class workers who negotiated good health care benefits through their jobs. In many cases, workers who participate in the most costly plans suffer from serious health problems, and their care should not end up costing even more with this tax increase.

"The president falsely believes he can begin to target the rising cost of health care premiums by taxing employee based health benefits. Quality health benefits through employers should be the norm, and should not be discouraged. I am concerned that the president's proposal would lead to more employers dropping their health insurance plans and leaving more New Jerseyans uninsured.

"At the same time, the president's tax deduction plan will not reduce the number of uninsured. Individual health plans are more expensive to purchase and provide considerably less coverage, and the deduction itself will not provide enough financial assistance to allow uninsured middle and low income workers to participate.

"While I cannot support the president's health care proposal tonight, I look forward to working with the president and his administration to address both of these challenges in the coming months."