Sen. Chuck Grassley issued the following comment regarding the State of the Union address delivered tonight by President Bill Clinton. Sen. Grassley is chairman of the Aging Committee, where he has been a leader on retirement income security, pension reform and long-term care insurance. He is also a senior member of the Finance, Judiciary and Budget Committees.
"I agree with much of what President Clinton presented tonight. There might be some differences, but we share the top priority: shoring up Social Security for future generations of retirees. I also appreciate the fact that the president has picked up many of the initiatives advanced by congressional Republicans: education reform, long-term care and retirement income security for baby boomers.
"Fiscal conservatives have a big challenge before us as the budget surplus appears to be burning a hole in the administration's pocket. Yet, paying down the national debt is the best way to ensure that our children and grandchildren have a shot at the American dream.
"One major difference I have with the president would be my goal of sizeable tax relief, as compared to the much smaller tax cut included in the president's agenda. Once a plan to fix Social Security is agreed upon, across-the-board tax cuts are important and doable. It's important that the president come to the table with a viable plan for saving Social Security. He needs to join the debate going on in Congress.
"I was very glad to see President Clinton talk specifically about the family farm. The pork price crisis and sagging farm economy are weighing heavily on the minds of farm families and we need presidential leadership on long-term strategies. That means creating an environment where the family farmer can prosper and compete. It means aggressive efforts by the President of the United States to find markets for the products we grow in Iowa.
"It was appropriate for the president to deliver his address tonight. Aside from the presentation this afternoon by the White House lawyers, today was ?back-to-work' on Capitol Hill. Republican leaders set forth our legislative agenda this morning and tonight we heard the president's priorities. Both impeachment and the president's report to Congress on the state of the union are constitutional processes."