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Today, Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH5) provided the following statement in response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address:

“Tonight, President Joe Biden gave his State of the Union Address to Congress and the American people. Like many, I was open to hearing what the president had to say about the direction of our country and the policies he believes will best serve our nation and people. Though I strongly disagree with the president on many of his policy proposals, his call to rein in Big Tech’s influence and censorship – which has exploited our children online and unfairly silenced too many Americans – is welcomed. It is up to Congress to take action, which is why Republicans have been working hard to keep our kids safe online and protect our right to free speech. As Chair of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee within the Energy and Commerce Committee, I am ready and willing to work with anyone whose goal is to strengthen our First Amendment rights to ensure American’s voices and opinions are heard – not silenced. 

“It did not come as a surprise, though, that the president continues to brush off multiple crises – some of his Administration’s own making – affecting people’s livelihoods and threatening the safety of communities across America. 

“Hardworking families continue to suffer under the crushing weight of inflation, spurred by trillions of dollars in reckless and wasteful government spending. Farmers, truckers, and manufacturers feel the squeeze from soaring energy costs due to far-left policies that have suppressed domestic energy production and kneecapped America’s energy producers. Even more devastating, hundreds of thousands of families have been forced to grieve the loss of a loved one as the overdose crisis spirals out of control. The fact is, disastrous southern border enforcement policies have given drug cartels near unfettered access to smuggle drugs – often laced with deadly fentanyl – across the southern border and into our communities, poisoning our nation’s children at an alarming pace.

“And beyond our nation’s borders, we continue to face mounting threats from adversaries who seek to undermine America’s strength and standing in the world. Just last week, we watched as a surveillance balloon, launched from Communist China, traversed the entirety of the continental United States. While I commend the Air Force for eventually shooting down the balloon, it should have never been allowed to enter our airspace in the first place. The Biden Administration must provide answers as to how this was allowed to happen and then immediately lay out steps to ensure it never happens again. For the sake of our national security, President Biden must reverse his weak stance on countering Communist China’s aggression and provocations.  We cannot stand idly by while the Chinese Communist Party make inroads to destabilize the United States by undercutting our workforce, buying up our farmland, and surveilling us through online platforms and in our own skies. 

“The people I serve in Ohio’s Fifth District deserve a nation that is safe and prosperous. They deserve better than failed liberal policies that put our nation last and threaten the well-being of our families, businesses, and communities. I remain committed to holding this Administration accountable for their failures and will continue looking for ways to cut back on heavy handed government interventions while advancing commonsense policies that make life better and safer for communities across America.”

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