The State of Our Union, 2006

By U.S. Senator Jon Kyl Last week, President Bush spoke to the American people on the State of the Union. He said that, despite the difficulties of 2005, the state of our Union is strong and we can make it stronger. Much of his address was devoted to policy ideas on which he urged people from both parties to work together and find common ground. Here are some of them: The Border and Immigration: This is a top priority for Arizonans. The President said we need an immigration system that upholds our laws, our values, and our economic interests, and said we had to start by protecting our borders to reduce smuggling and crime. He also pressed the case for a guest worker program that rejects amnesty but allows our economy to fill temporary jobs for those who seek them. Given the magnitude of the problem, the President could have devoted more attention to immigration policy, but it is the Congress, after all, that will have to legislate; and I fully expect we will be debating legislation on the floor of the Senate before the end of March. The War on Terror: To press forward with this effort is essential, the President said, and that means Congress ought to reauthorize the Patriot Act. Stressing that Iraq is a critical front in the war on terror, he noted the progress the Coalition is making there, which the media rarely covers. He expressed hope that U.S. troop levels can be reduced as Iraqi forces take the lead. Health Care: He called on Congress to consider expanding Health Savings Accounts (HSAs); making health insurance more portable; improving information on price and quality to make health care more transparent; enhancing opportunities for individuals and small business employees to buy insurance; passing medical liability reform; improving access to health-information technology; and assisting vulnerable Americans. The Economy: The President noted that our economy is healthy and that in the past two-and-a half years, America has created 4.6 million jobs, more than Japan and the European countries combined. To keep our economy growing so that Americans can spend, save, and invest, he called upon Congress to make permanent the tax cuts of recent years. He also announced an American Competitiveness Initiative to encourage technological innovation that will enhance Americas economic strength and leadership in the global economy. Energy: The President stressed the need to reduce our dependence on oil and to set a national goal of replacing 75 percent of U.S. oil imports from the Middle East by 2025. His administration, he said, will support innovative technology to hasten breakthroughs in powering autos, homes, and businesses. Fighting Official Corruption: President Bush called for honorable people in both political parties to work to raise ethical standards in Washington and said he supports such reform efforts. The Senate has already proposed lobbying reforms. Senator McCain and I have long been involved in such efforts - for example, our work to enact a gift ban in 1995. We believe todays reform sentiment will not translate into effective measures without a commitment to ending the practice of adding special interest earmarks to legislation. These earmarks are often not disclosed in the original legislation and are added secretly by members of both parties in conference committees. The result is loads of wasteful spending and an incentive to hire ever more lobbyists. Curbing the spending gets to the root of the problem. These are just some of the issues before us this year. As always, I invite my fellow Arizonans to think about them and share their thoughts with me. With the President, the Congress, and the American people exchanging views and working together, we can move forward and improve the state of the Union.