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After President Obamas State of the Union speech to Congress, the National Council of La Raza issued its own statement on the speech.
Last night, NCLR watched with the rest of the country as President Obama delivered his State of the Union address. For the second year, the president focused on our economic future, stressing the need for job creation and a strengthened economy that will restore the nation’s competitiveness.
NCLR agrees with President Obamas call for responsible investments by Congress that repair our economy and put the nation and future generations of Americans on sustainable economic footing. But decisions made by the Congress and the administration should not come at the cost of strong investments in the Latino community.
We urge President Obama to pursue a legislative agenda that provides real solutions to the challenges that plague our nation.
Our thoughts on...
Jobs and the Economy
We applaud the president’s call to invest in science, education, and technology to jump-start economic growth, but innovation relies on more than a few inventors. True American competitiveness depends on fair access to quality workforce preparation and jobs. Directing investments in transportation to the communities that need them most is a smart way to tackle unemployment in the short term and sow the seeds for a stronger economy in the long term.
Education
NCLR agrees with President Obama that to be globally competitive, we must adequately prepare all American children to contribute to our economy. Latinos are a growing proportion of the future workforce, thus federal education reform must incentivize states to improve the quality of education for Hispanic students. Achieving this goal requires that schools be held accountable for holding all children to high academic standards and preparing them for success in college and the increasingly global economy. However, these reforms cannot stand alone. Congress and the Obama administration must support these efforts with strong investments in programs that support Latino student achievement. Without these reforms, the United States will continue to shortchange children and put American competiveness at risk.
Health
We agree with President Obama: Congress should not repeal the health care reform legislation that passed last year, but rather improve upon it. While not perfect, the law has already expanded health
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