WASHINGTON – Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., today issued the following statement in response to President Obama’s address to Congress:

“We are certainly ready to work with the president on the deficit reduction program he outlined tonight.  I do have to agree with Governor Jindal when he said that growing the size of government is not really a good way to grow the economy and we need to keep that in mind.

“I hope there is room for negotiation with the president on the area of small business taxation.  I’d like for us to work with the president on his economic program while keeping the tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 in place. 

“During these times of economic hardship, the last thing we need to do is raise taxes on anyone.  I hope there is a majority in Congress that still subscribes to that view.  I’m afraid that a lot of the spending programs that the president is proposing – and it’s been an enormous spending spree - will require higher taxes on small business. 

“We need to keep in mind that the way we have historically created jobs in our American free market economy is through creation by small business.  Any program that will raise taxes on America’s small businessmen and women will be damaging in the short run and in the long run.”