Washington, D.C. – Tonight, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) attended President Trump’s State of the Union address with her guest, Sarah Pratt of South Glens Falls. She released the following statement afterwards:
“Tonight I had the honor of hosting Sarah Pratt of South Glens Falls as my guest for President Trump’s State of the Union Address. Sarah’s father, State Trooper Tim Pratt, is a local hero who tragically lost his life in the line of duty.
“During my time in office, I have worked very closely with our law enforcement community and I know the sacrifices they make each and every day to keep us safe. These sacrifices are not just made by the law enforcement officials themselves, but also by their families who support their loved ones who are in harm’s way.
“Over the past year under President Trump, our economy has grown stronger, we have made significant progress to help our veterans, and we are beginning to rebuild our national defense that was gutted under the previous administration. Tonight President Trump presented his vision for our country and addressed many policy areas that I look forward to working with him on.
“I remain committed to growing our North Country economy and am excited to work on the President’s plan to further develop and improve our infrastructure. A 21stCentury infrastructure includes access to broadband internet for our rural communities, and I continue to work to increase access to this critical resource in our district. Access to broadband means greater economic and educational opportunities for families in our district.
“The opioid crisis is devastating families across our region, and I was pleased the President addressed it tonight. As a Member of the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force, I continue to work with my colleagues to increase awareness and educate the public, support those who are suffering, and lead commonsense legislative solutions to keep opioid addiction under control. I recently joined my colleagues to unveil our task force’s 2018 legislative agenda, and I look forward to partnering with the Trump Administration to bring relief from this tragic epidemic.
“I plan to work closely with the Administration this spring on the upcoming Farm Bill. I was honored to host Secretary Sonny Perdue in our district in November. It’s critical that the priorities of farmers across our district are included in this Farm Bill, such as fixing the broken Margin Protection Program. Agriculture is the backbone of our North Country economy and I will continue to support our farmers in Congress.
“The President also spoke strongly about the need to rebuild our national defense. As a Member of the House Armed Services Committee and the Chair of the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, I look forward to working with the Administration to reduce the threats posed by our adversaries around the globe. We must continue to develop our technologies, build our military readiness, and give our troops the resources they need to keep us safe.
“There are still many challenges facing our nation. I will continue to work my hardest on behalf of families across New York’s 21st District.”
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