Local Congressmen React To President Trump's Address

The House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol Building on Tuesday, when President Donald Trump delivered his State of the Union address. Official White House photo by D. Myles Culle

By Connor Beach
cbeach@longislandergroup.com

President Donald Trump gave Tuesday night his first State of the Union address, outlining his first year in office, and plans for the upcoming year.

Trump touched on topics of foreign policy, infrastructure and economic plans, among others.

Perhaps most-notably, Trump outlined a four-pillar immigration plan that, he said, “should be supported by both parties as a fair compromise — one where nobody gets everything they want, but where our country gets the critical reforms it needs.”

The four pillars, Trump said, include a path to citizenship for 1.8 million illegal immigrants brought to the States by their parents at a young age; construction of a wall on the southern border; and ends to both the visa lottery program and “chain migration” by limiting sponsorships to spouses and minors.

Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Huntington), who represents New York’s Third Congressional District, which includes much of the Town of Huntington, was on hand at the address and later offered local perspective on it.

Suozzi said in a statement that both parties must work together to find common ground on the issues, including immigration.

“I agree that we need to find a solution to our nation’s immigration crisis. That means forging a bipartisan compromise that includes a pathway to citizenship, while also securing our borders,” said Suozzi, who sat next to Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pennsylvania) during the address in a show of bipartisanship.

Trump also touted his sweeping tax legislation that was signed into law last month.

“Our massive tax cuts provide tremendous relief for the middle class and small businesses,” Trump said.

Suozzi rebuked that claim, arguing instead that the cuts have a negative effect on many of his district’s residents.

“I remain firmly against the Republican tax bill… which will devastate middle class families, and especially the over 250,000 filers in our district who utilize the state and local tax deduction,” Suozzi said.

Trump also mentioned Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens, two Brentwood High School students who were killed in 2016. Six alleged members of the gang MS-13 have since been arrested in connection with the murders, according to Suffolk police.

Rep. Peter King (R-Amityville), of New York’s Second Congressional District, which includes a piece of the southern part of the Town of Huntington, said in a Facebook post that the acknowledgement of Cuevas and Mickens was a main point of Trump’s address.

King, who spoke to the president twice after the address, added, “Both times I thanked him for acknowledging the families of the MS-13 victims, and for the great job his administration is doing in going after this vicious gang.”