Today, U.S. Congressman Scott Peters (CA-52) released the following statement after hearing President Trump’s first State of the Union Address:

Rep. Peters was joined at the speech by San Diego DREAMer Karen Bahena.

“I was heartened when I heard early reports yesterday that the President would strike a unifying tone,” said Rep. Peters. “Sadly, things took an ugly turn pretty fast last night when he tried to paint all DREAMers as gangsters and thugs. It was insulting, hurtful, and beneath the dignity of the President of a nation built on the backs of immigrants. Republicans, Democrats, and the President himself have said they support providing Dreamers with a solution. President Trump must back his words with action. We are past the point of discussion. Time is up – we need to act now.”

Peters is an original cosponsor of the United and Securing America (USA) Act, which calls for a permanent legislative fix for immigrants brought to the United States as children and would help strengthen the southern border through new technology and border modernization.

Peters continued, “I’m glad the President pointed to the need to make major investments in our rapidly deteriorating infrastructure. However, paying for these investments will be a challenge since he just signed into law a tax bill that adds $1.5 trillion to the deficit. Finding a path forward on a $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan will take serious, bipartisan conversation and agreement to avoid plunging our country even further into debt.

“I’ve come to know and respect a lot of my Republican colleagues and I stand at the ready to work with them and President Trump, yet their actions make me question their commitment to bipartisanship. I am part of the Problem Solvers Caucus that provided Congress with a bipartisan healthcare solution and that’s why it was hard for me to see the same Republican colleagues that supported this measure stand and cheer for the idea of ripping healthcare away from millions of working families across the nation. My commitment to bipartisanship remains strong and I call the President and my Republican friends to match this same dedication.”