Tonight, President Obama will come before Congress and deliver his annual State of the Union address to the American people.  There is no doubt he will spend a considerable amount of time chastising Congress for what he feels is its “inaction” on his priorities.  Unfortunately, he will likely direct his frustrations at the wrong chamber. 

It is an eerie coincidence that the President’s State of the Union speech falls on the 1,000^th day since Majority Leader Reid’s caucus has passed a budget, but a coincidence that can serve as a reminder to the American people about who is failing to heed their calls to get our spending in order.  Instead of lecturing the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, President Obama should press the Senate Majority on its inability to pass a budget.  After all, “fiscal responsibility” is one of the President’s priorities, at least according to the White House website. 

The Washington Examiner’s editorial board today reminded the President that members of his own party are holding up his supposed priorities.  Moreover, they are shirking their responsibilities to the American people by refusing to produce a blueprint for the nation’s spending.  Instead of making any tough decisions about where spending is truly necessary, Senate Majority Leader Reid and his caucus have continued to run up our national debt to record levels while forcing America to accept what they pass in last-minute bills to avoid a government shutdown.  This is not how anyone serious about addressing excessive federal spending operates.

The President can show that he is serious about getting our fiscal house in order by calling on the Senate Majority to pass a budget.  It is a good opportunity for him to offer more than lip service on the issue by pressing his own allies in Congress to act.  However, it is unlikely that will happen considering he will be late with his own proposal this year. 

What is more likely is that President Obama will once again blame House Republicans, the only legislators who produced a budget that passed.  It is the only budget that has received support since his inaugural address to Congress.  Mr. President, it is time to stop blaming those who are offering solutions and direct your attention to those who have failed to act—the Senate Majority. 

The way we treat the voiceless and most powerless among us speaks volumes about our priorities and values as a society.  Today, thousands of Americans flocked to the National Mall to give a voice to those who cannot speak and power to those who cannot defend themselves: the unborn.

From the child in the womb to the hospitalized senior, we share moral responsibility to respect the dignity of all human beings—regardless of their political clout in Washington.  The fact that in our society—the unborn do not receive the most basic of human rights—is what motivates us in the fight for justice.   It is these principles that have been driving thousands of Americans to the National Mall every year on the anniversary of the misguided Roe v. Wade decision.

I want to commend everyone who participated in today’s events on the National Mall as well as the Arkansans who took part in yesterday’s March for Life in Little Rock.  I will continue to stand in defense of the unborn and fight policies that run counter to our nation’s core values. 

Yesterday the Obama Administration announced it would not issue a permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline. You can read my statement here. This is not the right approach to job creation. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimates this would create 250,000 over the course of the project with 20,000 immediate jobs.

Newspapers from around the country examined the President’s decision and decided it was not the right policy in our current economic climate where 8.5 percent of Americans are looking for employment.

Here is a look at editorial page headlines across the country today:

Obama’s Keystone pipeline rejection is hard to accept  - Washington Post

“…on the substance, there should be no question... clearly, constructing the pipeline would still result in job gains during a sluggish economic recovery.”

Pipeline politics: Misguided Obama blocks Keystone pipeline – Chicago Tribune

“Obama made a decision that will cost the U.S. good jobs. He seems to think those jobs will still be there when he gets around to making a decision on the pipeline. But they may well be gone for good.”

The Anti-Jobs President – The Wall Street Journal

“Only last week the White House issued a "jobs" report praising domestic energy production, but that now looks like political cover for this anti-jobs policy choice.”

This morning, I begin a three day, eight county swing through Northeast Arkansas where I will be meeting with local officials and hearing what is on the minds of members of the community. I expect it to be much like what I heard on my recent six-county tour in Northwest Arkansas--jobs and the economy.