Hensarling: Obama 'making economy worse'

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21 (UPI) -- As President Obama prepares to deliver his State of the Union address, Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, said Obama's policies are "making our economy worse."

Hensarling said Saturday in the weekly Republican media address Obama has failed to deliver on promises made in his first three State of the Union addresses.

"In 2009, we were told that if we passed his 'stimulus' plan, the economy would improve," Hensarling said. "In 2010, we were told that if we passed his government takeover of healthcare, the economy would improve. Last year, we were told that his budget would help us 'win the future.'"

But the congressman representing Dallas said, since Obama took office, 1.9 million fewer Americans have jobs, gas prices have doubled, a record number of Americans receive food stamps and the healthcare law has made it more difficult for small businesses to hire employees and provide health insurance.

"The State of the Union is a time for truth-telling, and the sad truth is that the president's policies are making our economy worse," Hensarling said.

He also criticized Obama for rejecting a permit filed by TransCanada for the Keystone XL pipeline, which would transport oil recovered from Canadian oil sands to Texas "right through my congressional district," the congressman said.

Hensarling said the pipeline would have created 20,000 "shovel-ready jobs" and had won support from a "diverse coalition" of unions, small businesses and legislators in both parties.

"Republicans will continue fighting to bring these Keystone jobs to the United States," he said.