Republicans in the House are planning a full-scale offensive to back up the agenda President Donald Trump presented during Tuesday’s State of the Union address.
Beginning with a measure on Thursday from Rep. Denver Riggleman (R-VA), Republicans will offer legislation and other measures to support the American successes Trump laid out in his historic address on Tuesday night.
Riggleman presented a resolution for Congress to support Trump’s “Best is Yet to Come” policy blueprint on Thursday, which explicitly highlights the vision Trump detailed in the SOTU.
“Supporting policies that are a part of the ‘Best is Yet to Come’ blueprint, outlined by President Trump during his historic, optimistic State of the Union Address,” the resolution’s text states, specifically quoting several passages from Trump’s address.
The resolution states in part:
Whereas on February 4, 2020, President Trump noted that, “The unemployment rates for African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, and Asian-Americans have reached the lowest levels in history. African-American youth unemployment has reached an all-time low.”
It continues, quoting several lines directly from the SOTU address, including: Millions of Americans coming off food stamp rolls; jobs and investment “pouring into 9,000 previously-neglected neighborhoods thanks to Opportunity Zones”; the administration’s promise to stand against socialism and stand up for freedom; the vow to continue “building an inclusive society” by “making sure that every young American gets a great education and the opportunity to achieve the American Dream”; the administration’s commitment to the “One Trillion Trees Initiative”; the administration’s end of the catch-and-release of illegal immigrants; and the administration’s commitment to uphold religious liberty and the “Constitutional right to pray in public schools,” among other examples.
The resolution asks Congress to support policies “that further expands the booming economic growth outlined by President Trump in his State of the Union address” and to embrace the “‘Best is Yet to Come’ policy blueprint for the people of the United States” as outlined in the SOTU.
“This agenda is an optimistic plan to continue the record-setting economic growth we are seeing and provide solutions to problems that ail American citizens,” Riggleman said on the House floor on Thursday.
“It is imperative that Congress step forward and support this agenda as I do,” he added.
“[It’s] an agenda that dramatically lowers prescription drug processionals and raises wages for hardworking Americans. An agenda that will build an inclusive society and make sure every young American has the opportunity to achieve the American dream,” he continued, citing the historically low national unemployment rate of 3.5 percent.
“It is clear the economic policies the president has implemented are working. The ‘Best is Yet to Come’ blueprint will continue this growth and build upon it,” Riggleman said.
“The American economy is stronger than ever, and we should work to continue this growth,” he added.
Nevertheless, by advancing the Previous Question on Thursday, House Democrats effectively rejected consideration of the resolution, making it clear on Tuesday night and thereafter that, despite the successes for Americans on a variety of policy fronts, they intend to continue their historic opposition to Trump and his agenda due to personal animosity.
“President Trump delivered an incredible speech with policy goals that can unite the country and grow our economy, and House Republicans want to help him follow through on those goals,” a House GOP aide told Breitbart News in an exclusive statement.
“Everyone in America needs to understand that the Democrats from districts where President Trump won continuously vote for the agenda of AOC and Pelosi instead of supporting our president,” the aide added.
The Democrats’ latest and most severe effort to undercut Trump — the push to impeach him — failed in grand fashion in the U.S. Senate the day after his SOTU address. The Senate voted by substantial margins to acquit the president on all charges brought by the House, which impeached him for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
With less than a year from the November elections, Republicans in the House are intensifying efforts to contrast their backing of the Trump agenda with the Democrats’ far-left, socialist vision. In the coming weeks and months ahead, the GOP will embark on a full-scale effort to differentiate themselves from what President Trump calls the “Do-nothing Democrats” and offer different pieces of legislation to support tenants of the “Best is Yet to Come” blueprint in coming weeks.
The GOP needs to take back a net of 18 seats from Democrats in this year’s congressional election in order to retake the House majority from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and the Democrats. There are 30 districts currently represented by Democrats that Trump won in 2016 and another 20 districts, roughly, that Republicans believe are competitive this cycle.
Putting a focus on policy solutions for Americans — as the president has — could help Republicans contrast their push to help the country with Democrats’ efforts to undermine economic — and other wins — for voters out of partisan spite of Trump.