WASHINGTON — State lawmakers representing Tennessee on Capitol Hill weighed in on President Donald Trump's State of the Union Address Tuesday night.
East Tennessee's Republican lawmakers praised President Trump's State of the Union speech -- particularly for making the call toward bipartisanship in D.C. as the government edges closer to potentially shutting down again if a long-term spending agreement isn't reached by Feb. 15.
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) praised the president for focusing on 'choosing greatness' and encouraging bipartisanship, saying he agreed with many of the president's outlooks on immigration and the economy and looks forward to working on ways to lower the costs of healthcare and prescription drugs.
"My first State of the Union was a humbling experience. It’s truly a privilege to represent Tennessee’s Second District in the United States House of Representatives. And I was honored to have D.J. and Wendy Corcoran in attendance," Burchett said.
Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) echoed Burchett with being honored to have the Corcorans at the SOTU after losing their son Pierce in December.
The man accused of criminally negligent homicide in the crash, Francisco-Eduardo Franco Cambrany, was arrested for driving without a license and was being held for immigration and customs enforcement.
"They have taken the tragic loss their family experienced and spread a message of hope that no American should have to experience the anguish of becoming an Angel Family. I am incredibly thankful they accepted our invitation to attend as our guests," she said
Rep. Phil Roe (R- Tenn.) released a statement shortly after, also agreeing with many of the president's outlook and initiatives -- saying the president 'did a good job' on calling for bipartisanship. Roe said he hopes that VA accountability follows bipartisan lines.
"President Trump’s leadership in urging Congress to bring accountability back to the VA is big reason this issue became a priority. It proves when we work together on a bipartisan basis, we can get big things done for our country. I am hopeful the bipartisan work we did on these important veteran bills will set us up for even more bipartisan accomplishments this Congress," he said.
Rep. Steve Cohen (D- Tenn.) said he declined to attend the address, saying the president 'has no respect for the truth' and that he wanted to 'hear the hear the truth about the State of the Union from a President of the United States.'
"I’m concerned about the state of the union and hope we can return to making progress on climate change affecting not just our country but the world," Cohen said.