Politics & Government

Denny Heck: Obama Addressed Paramount Issues In SOTU

The Washington Democrat - which represents Lakewood, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Puyallup, University Place and other communities in the state's 10th District - spoke to Patch immediately after the speech.

WASHINGTON D.C.-Representing Washington's new 10th Congressional District, Rep. Denny Heck says he was more than impressed with President Barack Obama's State of the Union address.

Tuesday's speech, he told Patch minutes after it ended, was one of the best SOTU's he's ever seen, if not the best. That's saying plenty, given that anyone associated with Heck knows he's not a cheerleader.

The Democrat who represents Lakewood, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Puyallup, University Place and others in the 10th District said he liked how Obama addressed the following:

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Sequestration

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Heck said he's glad the president "called out" Republicans who are threatening damaging sequestration cuts.

In particular, he said, sequestration would affect JBLM, quoting a figure that puts Washington's military loss around $500 million annually if sequestration cuts are enacted.

 

Afghanistan

As reported earlier, Obama reaffirmed that the U.S. will pull 34,000 troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2014.

Heck said that's news the families of thousands of JBLM soldiers stationed in Afghanistan "are heartened" to hear.

"It's time to bring them home," he said.

 

Voter Rights

Although it's a subject that has slipped off the country's radar since last year's election, Heck said he was moved by the president's recognition of Desiline Victor.

She's the 102-year-old Florida woman, the president said, who endured voter suppression efforts, including waiting hours in line simply to cast her ballot.

When asked why it was important for Obama to address voter suppression, even as he was months removed from winning re-election, Heck responded:

"It defines who we are."


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