Iowa Sen. Ernst promises GOP focus on Americans' concerns

Jan 20, 8:13 PM (ET)

By ALAN FRAM

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans controlling Congress will focus on people's concerns about jobs and health care and steer the country away from President Barack Obama's failed policies, the newly minted senator delivering her party's official response to the State of Union address said Tuesday.

In remarks that mixed calls for bipartisan cooperation with a flexing of GOP independence, freshman Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, cited Americans' worries about stagnant wages, lost jobs and canceled health care coverage. She called on Obama to cooperate with Republicans to simplify the tax code by lowering rates and eliminating unspecified loopholes, and to ease trade barriers with Europe and Asia.

"Americans have been hurting, but when we demanded solutions, too often Washington responded with the same stale mindset that led to failed policies like Obamacare," Ernst, referring to Obama's health care overhaul, said in excerpts from her speech released before its delivery. "It's a mindset that gave us political talking points, not serious solutions."

Ernst's speech marked her party's first State of the Union response during the Obama presidency in which the GOP has had majorities in both the House and Senate. It came as Republicans are hoping to expand their appeal among women and minorities in advance of the 2016 presidential and congressional elections.

"We plan to make Washington focus on your concerns again," she said. "We heard the message you sent in November, loud and clear."

Read more: myway.com