WASHINGTON, D.C. — House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) released the following statement in response to President Biden’s State of the Union Address tonight:

“The state of the union is struggling under the weight of President Biden’s extremist agenda that is causing pain to hardworking families. For over two years, President Biden has divided our country and created a destructive era of big government socialism. The results speak for themselves: inflation is skyrocketing, gas prices are 40 percent higher, crime is out of control, and the border is wide open. Families cannot afford everyday household items, and they feel unsafe in their communities.
 
“It doesn’t have to be this way. House Republicans laid out a plan of action with our Commitment to America, focused on solving the problems that President Biden and Speaker Pelosi created during the last two years.
 
“Our Commitment to America calls for lowering inflation, securing America’s border, and restoring energy independence. This will make it easier for hardworking families to keep more of their hard-earned money and reduce our dependence on foreign countries for our energy. Families have seen their household electricity bills go through the roof. Our plan of action would require the Biden Administration to embrace an all-of-the-above energy strategy and give American families access to affordable, reliable energy. Democrats’ soft-on-crime policies have led to an increase in murders and violent crime across the country. Republicans will stand with the brave law enforcement officers who protect our communities and keep our families safe. President Biden’s open border has had devastating consequences. More than 150 young Americans are being poisoned every single day because of the illegal drugs, like fentanyl, that are coming across our open southern border. House Republicans will pass laws to stop the deadly flow of drugs that are poisoning our young kids in every community across the nation.
 
“Under our new Republican majority, we’re showing the American people that there is a better way. We’ve already passed legislation through the House that stops the Biden Administration from raiding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, confronts the Chinese Communist Party, ends the federal government’s COVID-19 emergencies, requires federal workers to return to their offices, and denounces the horrors of socialism. 
 
“We understand the American people’s struggles, and we will continue to pass bills through the House that will solve real problems and fight for those hardworking taxpayers who are struggling so we can get our nation back on track.”