Harlan Mathews: “I do not know when we Americans have had a better occasion or an opportunity to be more proud of a President of our…”

“I do not know when we Americans have had a better occasion or an opportunity to be more proud of a President of our country than last evening as he addressed the Nation about those ills and those opportunities that are before us. Mr. President, this morning I join my colleagues in welcoming the new day and in saluting the continuing direction that President Clinton presented in last night's State of the Union Message. It was a message marked by determination and a sense of new possibilities. And we as a nation are discovering more of both because of Bill Clinton's leadership. The President's remarks last night confirmed that the United States has passed the torch to a new generation. It is a generation defined not by age but by shared resolve--in many cases bipartisan resolve--to do what needs doing. The President's message reinforced that resolve and invited more of us to join the company who share it. The first year of a new administration and the first session of the 103d Congress took beginning steps in the right direction. We reduced our deficit by $500 billion and restored equity in the Tax Code, especially for middle- and low-income Americans.”