Pennsylvania Sens. Casey and Toomey respond to Trump's national address

Pennsylvania’s senators issued the following statements Tuesday night after President Donald Trump’s prime-time address to the nation:

Toomey Statement on Presidential Address

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) issued the following statement regarding tonight’s presidential address:

“Tonight, we heard a clear case for boosting security and humanitarian aid funding at our southern border. I support these objectives, provided taxpayer dollars are used efficiently and effectively.

“President Trump has invited Speaker Pelosi, Minority Leader Schumer and others to the White House tomorrow to try and end this partial government shutdown. At that meeting, I hope an agreement is reached for the sake of hundreds of thousands of federal employees and their families, who are in jeopardy of missing their next paycheck. There is a deal to be made given that Democrats repeatedly supported billions in funding to maintain and expand the existing 350 miles of security fencing along the southern border prior to President Trump’s election.”

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Casey Statement Following Presidential Address on Trump Shutdown

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is releasing a statement following the President’s address on the ongoing Trump shutdown:

“President Trump shut down the government to force the construction of a wall that security experts say won’t work. A concrete or steel wall is not border security. Instead of continuing his shutdown, President Trump should commit to signing the Republican bills passed by the Democratic House that would reopen the government and secure the border with over $1 billion in funding.

Once the government is reopened, Congress should have a substantial debate on how to fix our broken system and begin work on legislation that mirrors the bipartisan 2013 comprehensive immigration reform bill. That legislation passed with 68 votes in the Senate and provided $40 billion in funding for border security. It also provided order, rules and certainty for individuals and businesses and a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.”