Waak touts Obama's plans to invest in clean energy, affordable healthcare and education, and his commitment to fiscal responsibility

Denver, Colorado - President Obama held the second primetime news conference of his presidency this week, where he demonstrated leadership, a command of the issues and challenges facing the country, and assured the American people that he is carrying out the agenda of change on which he was elected in November.

As the debate over President Obama's budget continues in Congress, Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak issued the following statement to reiterate her support for President Obama's budget plan.

"Residents across Colorado are struggling. With unemployment continuing to rise, people are tightening their belts and making adjustments large and small in their own fight to get by.

"As we heard again from the President this week, his budget proposal is centered around four core principles: making healthcare affordable for all Americans, investing in clean energy to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, investing in education so American students are competitive in the global marketplace and cutting the budget deficit in half by the end of his first term. These are the same principles advocated by Coloradans for more than four years now.

"The President understands that it took us a long time to fall as far as we have, and that it will take patience and persistence to get us back to where we want to be. President Obama's budget makes strong, sustainable investments in America's future to ensure that the foundation on which we build this economic recovery is solid, and that it provides the real growth Americans need in the long term.

"We are already seeing indications that President Obama's plans are beginning to work - credit is beginning to flow again to families and small businesses, and we're seeing signs of increased home sales for the first time in a long time.

"There's no denying that this is a difficult time. But President Obama has made it clear he's willing to make the tough choices and do the hard work with Congress and leaders here in Colorado to get our country back on track. Every member of Congress should join President Obama in passing a budget that invests in America's future, grows our economy and puts us back on the road to prosperity."