01/24/2007

Associated Press

Quotes from North Carolina politicians and others in reference to President Bush's State of the Union address:

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C.: "The current security and political situation in Iraq is difficult, but a precipitous withdrawal would guarantee defeat and would have catastrophic implications for the security of our country and the stability of the Middle East region."

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U.S. Rep. Walter B. Jones, R-N.C.: "With illegal immigration's ever-growing burden on our schools, hospitals, and federal prisons — we cannot afford to send mixed messages about the cost of illegal immigration to our government. An immigration compromise that includes any form of amnesty is not in the best interest of our country."

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U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C.: "Health care is one of the most serious issues we face domestically today. I believe the president's plan to make basic, private health insurance available and affordable for more Americans must be a priority."

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U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge, D-N.C.: "If the President truly wants to achieve his goals, then he needs to be willing to work with Democrats to reach bipartisan solutions to our country's most pressing problems."

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U.S. Rep. David Price, D-N.C.: "No issue cries out for bold leadership more than the war in Iraq, and tonight the president again demonstrated his refusal to listen to Congress and the American people's demand for a dramatic change of course."

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U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C.: "I believe everyone should have access to affordable health care and currently, many minimum wage employees are uninsured. I think employers should have the option of providing minimum wage employees with health care benefits equaling the $2.10 wage increase currently being considered by Congress."

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State Democratic Party Chairman Jerry Meek (on a resolution the party recently passed regarding troops in Iraq): "The American people, our troops, the Iraqi government, and the Iraqi people all need to know clearly that this war is not open-ended."

"Make no mistake, the resolution passed because we care so much about the thousands of brave men and women from North Carolina who continue to serve in this war. And that is precisely why Congress must act to bring about an orderly redeployment and ultimate withdrawal from Iraq."