Latest News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brett Guthrie released the following statement after President Joe Biden delivered the State of the Union address.

“Rising prices on everyday goods, growing drug overdose epidemic, worsening crisis at our Southern Border, and a challenging supply chain crisis are several of the reasons that Kentuckians I serve tell me they are unhappy with the direction our country is headed under President Biden’s leadership and for good reason. President Biden’s policies have directly resulted in many of the everyday problems Kentuckians are facing.

“Kentuckians are paying nearly a dollar more per gallon of gas than a year ago. With a stroke of a pen, President Biden ended our energy independence by cancelling the Keystone Pipeline and halting drilling permits. I was frustrated that President Biden did not announce plans to reverse his domestic energy decisions to fully unleash America’s energy potential. It is even more unacceptable that we are actively importing energy from Russia, especially when we have untapped oil and gas in the United States. Proceeds from purchasing Russian energy are being used to fuel Russia’s unlawful and unprovoked war against our ally, Ukraine. Boosting our American energy supply can be used as a weapon against Putin. If we increase our energy production, then we can decrease Putin’s leverage with Russian energy by reducing the need for the United States and our European partners to depend on Russian oil and natural gas for energy needs.

“The President’s failed leadership in securing our Southern Border has essentially made Kentucky a border state due to illicit drugs flowing into our communities. After being sworn into office, President Biden halted construction of the border wall and his administration is barely enforcing the Remain in Mexico policy, which have both made it easier for Mexican drug cartels to traffic illicit drugs into our country and exacerbate the drug overdose crisis. I was disappointed that President Biden failed to commit to effectively securing our Southern Border to stop these deadly drugs from reaching our communities, specifically with continuing construction of the border wall and supporting the plan to combat fentanyl-related substances in the HALT Fentanyl Act.

“Additionally, the President doubled down on his push for passage of progressive policies included in his partisan Build Back Better Act, which would fuel inflation through drastic increases in federal spending. Hardworking Kentuckians’ paychecks are already decreasing in value due to the highest inflation since I was in high school in 1982.  Rising inflation is essentially an unlegislated tax that impacts every Kentuckian but is especially and unfairly felt by Kentuckians with low and fixed incomes.

“As the top Republican of the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee, I was especially interested in what President Biden had to say about lowering prescription drug prices. I was disappointed that he is still supportive of a drug pricing scheme that would diminish innovation for my constituents living with rare diseases and other medically complex conditions that lack access to effective treatments or cures. I encourage President Biden to support my bill, the Lower Costs, More Cures Act, which proves with 40 bipartisan provisions that we can lower drug costs without sacrificing innovation.

“As the invasion of Ukraine was unfolding, I was participating as a Republican delegate at a NATO conference with our allies in Brussels. I have seen firsthand how Putin’s evil and maniacal actions are uniting our NATO allies against him. I stand with our Ukrainian allies and support stronger sanctions to make Putin and his complicit financiers feel the full weight of America’s and our allies’ economic power.”

###