Pelosi and Reid: 'If the President Holds Fast to the Commitment He Made to Bipartisanship Tonight, We Can Make Great Progress for the American People'

Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid released the following statement following President Bush's State of the Union Address. Below are their remarks:

"We agree with the President that we must work together to make progress on our most pressing challenges. Yet, tonight, the President offered little more than the status quo. At a time when our economy is on shaky ground and our leadership around the world is eroding, the status quo won't do. "

"The President repeatedly asked Congress tonight to trust the American people to create their own opportunities. But just as we must trust the American people, they must be able to share the same confidence in their leaders -- and only bold action will re-establish Americans' faith in their government. They must be able to trust that their President will work to change course in Iraq so we can more effectively fight terrorism around the world and rebuild our mighty military. "

"They must be able to trust that their leaders will govern with ideas rather than ideology so that every American has the opportunity to pursue a sound education, earn a fair wage, and afford a decent home. And they must be able to trust that we will lead the way for change by reducing our dependence on oil and the rising costs of health care. "

"We hope that the bipartisanship on the economic stimulus package that has marked the start of this new year is a sign of things to come. But the President must do much more than simply give speeches that promise progress and commit to cooperation -- he must work with Congress to make it happen. "

"If the President holds fast to the commitment he made to bipartisanship tonight, we can make great progress for the American people this year."

SOURCE Office of the Speaker of the House