Van Hollen Statement on President Obama’s Economic Speech

Washington, DC – Today Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen, Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee, released the following statement on President Obama’s speech on the economy that he delivered this afternoon in Cleveland, OH:

“Today, President Obama laid out an economic vision that promotes economic growth, makes strategic investments in our nation’s future, and puts our country on a long-term, responsible path to fiscal sustainability. The American people will support this common sense plan to strengthen the middle class, put people back to work, and forge a balanced approach to deficit reduction. 

“Unfortunately, Tea Party Republicans in Congress refuse to join us in this effort.  They have obstructed the President’s American Jobs Act and propose turning back the clock to policies that got us into this economic mess in the first place.  Their ‘jobs plan’ is simply the recycled policy of trickle-down economics, which helped the already wealthy and left working families behind.  Their ‘deficit reduction plan’ ends the Medicare guarantee and attempts to balance the budget on the backs of seniors, kids, and struggling Americans, and refuses to ask millionaires and special interests to share greater responsibility in reducing the deficit. And their ‘tax reform plan’ expands tax breaks for the very rich at the expense of everyone and everything else.

“America stands at a crossroads.  President Obama wants to ensure that hard work pays off, responsibility is rewarded, and everyone plays by the same rules and gets a fair shot.  Now is the time to move our country forward, not turn back the clock.”