Last week, President Trump gave the State of the Union address to the nation. I can say that in all my time in Washington, this was the best State of the Union I have had the honor of attending, and it seems most Americans agree.
The president’s message was clear: if we stop with the political games and focus on solutions, American greatness knows no bounds. By supporting President Trump’s clear and bold agenda, the American people will be stronger, safer, and more prosperous.
He began by charging us to choose greatness in all that we do as lawmakers and as Americans. The guests the president and First Lady invited to the speech – including war heroes of World War II, relatives of victims of illegal immigration, and those who suffered from drug abuse – were expertly woven throughout the address to demonstrate the greatness that resides in our country.
It takes these reminders of our greatness to underscore the need to come together to work on issues that matter most to the American people.
Most notably, President Trump again outlined a commonsense strategy to secure our border. After decades of inaction by both parties, it is time we finally fix our broken immigration system, restore the rule of law and keep the American people safe.
He also outlined many issues important to Alabama. From strengthening our military to expanding rural broadband to lowering prescription drug costs, under President Trump’s agenda the people of Alabama stand to benefit, and our state will become even stronger.
I appreciated the president’s call to rebuild American infrastructure. As we know in Alabama, the need for a stronger infrastructure system is vitally important to the overall success of our economy. With better roads, bridges and waterways, we can unlock the extraordinary potential of our economic future.
Rural broadband access is something that folks throughout the state will benefit from. People in rural areas deserve the same economic opportunities as those in urban areas when it comes to Internet access, and I will continue to advocate for greater access to rural broadband in any infrastructure bill put forward by Congress.
Similarly, President Trump is dedicated to the American workforce, something Congress echoed last year through a number of laws to protect workers and. In the same vein, as the president mentioned, lowering the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs will benefit our workforce as well. With month after month of continued growth and positive economic news, it is clear that our conservative policies continue to pay off.
I was thrilled President Trump mentioned the importance of protecting the unborn in his speech. As he said, “Let us reaffirm a fundamental truth: all children — born and unborn — are made in the holy image of God.” I couldn’t agree more.
Lastly, President Trump’s call for protecting America’s national security in conjunction with safe and legal immigration is a commonsense approach we as a nation can get behind. Border security is national security. It only makes sense that we should advocate for greater national security and strong borders.
Recently, Democrats have obstructed what is best for the American people: opposing border security measures, supporting infanticide and proposing ill-thought-out and costly plans for our environment.
It is time to stop with the politics of resistance and instead focus on realistic solutions to the problems facing our country.
President Trump is right when he said that great bipartisan achievements in this Congress are possible, especially when we rally behind a commonsense agenda building American greatness. Let’s get it done.
U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne is a Republican from Fairhope.
