Local members of Congress react to Obama's speech

PA SPEECH REACTION

WSEE-35

Lindsay Perna

Boston University Washington News Service

February 25, 2009

WASHINGTON –Contemplation and outright glee were painted on the faces in the House chamber as President Obama addressed the House and Senate in a state-of-the-union-style speech on Tuesday night.

“I know there are some in this chamber and watching at home who are skeptical of whether this plan will work.  I understand that skepticism,” Obama said.

As the nation faces overwhelming numbers of jobs lost and debt gained, Pennsylvania lawmakers shared mixed emotions on the President’s remarks one week after he signed the near trillion dollar stimulus bill into law.

Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper (D-Pa.) was no exception as Obama’s words kept most occupants in the House chamber up from their seats in waves of applause.

“I believe that the comprehensive plan that the President outlined tonight, with a focus on slashing spending on the war in Iraq, is of utmost importance,” Dahlkemper said in a statement.

Dahlkemper said that Obama’s concentration on renewable energy and transforming the country’s dependence on foreign oil holds tremendous opportunity for Pennsylvania’s 3rd District.

“Tonight, the President called on me and other members of Congress to confront these challenges …I will continue to make the hard choices necessary to turn our economy around, yet will remain mindful and diligent to the goal of reducing our deficit,” the congresswoman said.

It was not until after 11 p.m. that Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) left Statuary Hall and was able to funnel through the press to a vacant Capitol Rotunda en route to his Senate office.

Besides pointing out the busts of U.S. vice presidents marking the way to the other side of the Capitol, Casey explained his thrill with Obama’s speech.

In particular, the senator noted Obama’s unprecedented way of prioritizing his budget.

“Some in Washington would say: look you’ve got a tough economy you’ve got to deal with—why don’t you push health care and energy and education off for a couple more years…he’s saying no we have to do this now,” said the senator.

As a member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pension committee, Casey shares Obama’s concern.

 “At some point we’ve got to reach a consensus, at least on the Democratic side, about what will be the vehicle to make health care reform a reality,” Casey said after running into Sen, Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.)) in the underground tunnels from the Capitol to the Senate offices.

He said that in order to pass such a bill into law, it will take a lot of hard work to get bipartisan support in Senate.

“One speech does not lead to total unanimity, but I believe Republican members of the House and Senate have been impressed by his efforts to reach out to them…doesn’t mean they will always vote with him, but some day it might lead to a couple extra votes that he may not have gotten otherwise,” Casey said.

Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) also agreed with the President’s focus on health care, education and energy, though he remained speculative while Obama addressed the nation and Congress.

“It’s hard to see how he can reach those goals and fulfill his commitment to deficit reduction. The figures just don’t add up,” Specter wrote in his program during the speech.

Standing in a sea of cameras in Statuary Hall outside the House floor, Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.) said his optimism grew as the President identified the crises before the country, such as Medicare and Social Security.

 “I mean those are the things that are really looming on the horizon that we should have been dealing with earlier in this term,” said Thompson.

“On those things where we can agree—I think we are going to be the President’s best ally,” Thompson said of his Republican colleagues.

A health care professional for 30 years, Thompson said the current system is defunct and was pleased that Obama is looking to unite health care providers and members of Congress “to come up with the best possible health care reform for our country.”

“We need to improve accessibility. We need to improve affordability and we need to maintain the quality that we are used to in this country. So that was affirming for me,” Thompson said.

The congressman said he agreed with the President in terms of the country’s dependence on foreign energy.

“That is dangerous to our economy and to our foreign defense,” he said.

Thompson said he was concerned with the President’s approach to climate change and the tremendous tax burden it facilitates.

“You take small businesses in the 5th Congressional District that are very challenged—and you pile a bunch of…carbon tax on top of them …that’s enough for those businesses to go out of business—people will lose jobs and families will have no way to support themselves,” he said.

Thompson said he does not know how the Obama administration plans on distributing the claimed 7,500 jobs that will go to the 5th district of Pennsylvania, but he is keeping an eye on the potential backfire of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan.

“I’m concerned the stimulus may wind up worsening the recession—may result in inflation as a result of deficit spending. That’s a heck of a legacy to pass along to your children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren,” Thompson said.

“Tonight were some good sound bites—but we really have to take a look at what he gets us,” Thompson said.

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