Congresswoman Terri Sewell issued the following statement after President Obama’s final State of the Union address:

“President Obama’s legacy will be one of a man who sought to unify a divided nation, and whose very election illustrates how far our nation has progressed since Martin Luther King, Jr., dreamed of equality.

“I was honored to share this historic moment with Sheyann Webb-Christburg whose presence should serve as a reminder that federal voting protections are as necessary today as they were in 1965 when an 8-year-old Sheyann marched from Selma to Montgomery in the name of voting equality. Sheyann’s presence should also remind us that progress is elusive, and that we must not take for granted any of the rights and privileges afforded to us.

“President Obama has long warned our nation against abandoning our core values. Our collective commitment to democracy, equality, and opportunity has led us to greatness. America stands as a beacon of light around the world, lending hope to other peoples and nations across the globe.

“We cannot, as President Obama wisely noted, adhere to what Lincoln called the ‘dogmas of the quiet past.’ President Obama has once again called on our nation to work hand in hand to create more opportunities for our families and to raise our standard of living.

“Under President Obama’s leadership, American businesses have added 14.1 million jobs in 70 consecutive months. Unemployment among African-Americans has dropped to 8.3 percent from a peak of 16.8 percent in March 2010. Across Alabama, the unemployment rate has fallen to 6 percent from a recession-era peak of 11.9 percent. 

“Nearly 18 million previously uninsured Americans now have health coverage thanks to the Affordable Care Act, and consumers cannot be denied health insurance due to pre-existing coverage. We still have much work to do in terms of lower health disparities between African-Americans and whites. Parts of my district are rural, and access to quality health care is a long-standing problem that I would like to see addressed.

“I am pleased too that President Obama mentioned criminal justice reform as one of his bipartisan priorities. The population in our nation’s jails and prisons has reached a new high even though crime rates are falling. It’s been proven that African-Americans receive harsher sentences than whites for the same crimes. Justice is color-blind, and we must do more to ensure that our laws are as well.

“Despite the gains our country has made and the vision that President Obama has outlined, Congress’ blind allegiance to party politics has gotten in the way of progress. We have witnessed a backlash to many of his signature achievements – from the passage of the Affordable Care Act to re-establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba – and such resistance done nothing to advance our collective national agenda. I implore my colleagues in Congress to set aside politics, and to work with President Obama in his final year at the White House.

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