Members of Hawaii’s congressional delegation praised President Barack Obama Tuesday for focusing on the economy and announcing the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan in his State of the Union address.
"The president charted a clear course tonight for Hawaii and our country, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to see his ideas through," Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, said in a statement.
"I applaud the far-sighted plan the president laid out for broad-based economic growth that creates dependable jobs and expands opportunities for everyone, not just those at the very top of society," Hirono said.
But the chairman of the Hawaii Republican Party questioned whether Obama went far enough on the issues of job creation and the economy.
"We need to be serious about job creation, we need to be serious about reducing our deficit, and we need to be serious about spending reform," Republican chairman David Chang said in a statement. "Hawaii voters know that we need serious solutions, not just words and higher taxes."
U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, D-Hawaii, praised the speech, saying the president "presented a powerful vision for America and set out strong priorities moving forward."
Obama announced new steps to withdraw 34,000 American troops from Afghanistan within a year, a move Hanabusa said she welcomes. "I’d like to see that continue and have our combat troops home before the previously announced timetable of the end of 2014," she said.
U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, applauded Obama’s plan to strengthen the middle class and his commitment to a "clean energy economy."
"While we’ve made progress to get our economy back on track, the president’s commitment to a thriving clean energy economy ensures that we will get people back to work and continue to address climate change, the most urgent challenge of our generation," Schatz said in a statement.
U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, said in a statement on her website, "Tonight, I hope to hear the president reaffirm his commitment to withdraw from Afghanistan. And, as our veteran community continues to grow, to remain committed to providing them with the tools to succeed and contribute to our communities, in our workplaces, and classrooms."
