Editor’s Note: The following is a statement issued last night by Rep. Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana), the House Minority Whip, in response to President Biden’s State of the Union address. 

The state of our union is in disarray, and President Biden’s failed agenda has resulted in crises that are hurting families at home, and leaving our allies around the world at greater risk.

Tonight, millions of concerned Americans watched President Biden avoid taking responsibility for his self-created crises. It has been just over a year since President Biden has taken office, and he continues to steer the United States towards complete and utter chaos, with no plan other than to double down on his same failed radical policies.

Our world is in crisis due to President Biden’s weak leadership at home and abroad. From his disastrous exit from Afghanistan to allowing Putin to take advantage of his anti-American energy policies, President Biden has failed on the world stage, leading to global conflict. With his war on American energy, President Biden has assured all Americans will feel the consequences of turmoil around the world.

American families, workers, and small businesses are being crushed by inflation. Due to President Biden’s out-of-control spending, inflation has reached its highest level in 40 years, with the Consumer Price Index rising by 7.5 percent. Costs for everything from groceries to gasoline are skyrocketing, while the average American’s hourly earnings have decreased.

As a result of not being in the classroom with their peers, millions of students are suffering severe mental health problems and are dangerously falling behind other students. Democrats’ inconsistent masking guidelines have caused severe damage to kids’ social, emotional, and educational development. In addition, Democrats have spent the last two years caving to teachers union bosses instead of standing up for parents and students, or listening to the science on whether students should be wearing masks in the classroom, and have only changed their posture when their poll numbers tanked.

President Biden’s dangerous decisions to end the ‘Remain In Mexico’ policy, terminate the Migrant Protection Protocols, halt construction of the border wall, and renew the Obama Administration’s failed ‘catch and release’ policy are causing millions of migrants to unlawfully enter the United States. Unless the Biden Administration reinstates President Trump’s successful border security and immigration policies, the out-of-control surge of illegal immigrants and drugs along the U.S.-Mexico border will only get worse. Violent crime and murders are increasing because Democrat-run cities defunded their police departments and implemented anti-law enforcement policies that incentivize malicious behavior and let vicious criminals back into our communities.

In Joe Biden’s America, crime and taxes are going up, while paychecks and opportunity are going down. Overseas, Russia and China are ruthlessly maximizing their power – all at the expense of innocent lives. The state of our union is in sharp decline, and President Biden is to blame.

When he ran for President, Joe Biden promised Americans that he would ‘heal’ and ‘unify’ the country. Instead, Biden has failed to deliver on his campaign promises and has refused to even meet with House Republican Leadership to work on good faith solutions that will address our country’s growing problems.

President Biden has made it clear tonight that he is doubling down on big government socialism. My House Republican colleagues and I will fight against his failed, leftist agenda, and will work to lower inflation, cut energy costs for American families, fight crime, and restore common sense and freedom in our country.