WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman J. Gresham Barrett (SC-03) released the following statement in reaction to President Obama’s remarks in his State of the Union address:

“While I appreciate the President’s tough talk, now is the time for bold action, and frankly a freeze in discretionary spending just does not go far enough. Congress has been spending taxpayer dollars like drunken sailors and getting Washington to sober up is going to take more than just another twelve-step program.

We need to audit the fed, refund the taxpayers for TARP and pass a strict budget cap that limits federal spending. With so many families in South Carolina and across the nation tightening their purse strings and taking a hard look at their spending habits, it is past time the federal government does the same.”