Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the statement below regarding President Obama’s State of the Union address:
“Tonight President Obama made clear that he is committed to using the full power of his office to address some of the major issues facing our country. From addressing the minimum wage, to advancing job creation and addressing carbon pollution, there is a great deal that the President can do now, without delay. I stand ready to support his efforts because I know Rhode Islanders can’t afford to wait. We can’t wait while minimum wage workers see rising costs outpace their incomes. We can’t wait while foreign nations out-compete the United States for the clean energy jobs of tomorrow. And we can’t wait while rising oceans and warmer waters threaten our seaside communities. I’m glad the President is committed to acting on these problems, and I will continue working to convince Congressional Republicans to wake up and join us in the fight.”
Whitehouse’s guest at this evening’s address was Scott DePasquale, CEO of Utilidata, a Providence-based company that produces technology to help reduce energy waste from power lines between utilities’ substations and their customers. Policies such as President Obama’s plan to establish carbon pollution standards for coal-fired power plants could provide incentives for big utility companies to work with small businesses like Utilidata to transmit energy in ways that save consumers money and reduce pollution.
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