Casey, Toomey, Cartwright, Meuser, Wolf express hope for nation’s future

WILKES-BARRE — U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey Wednesday said he is praying for President Joe Biden and for his success in leading the country forward.

“President Joe Biden took the oath of office today during a health crisis and significant political strife,” said Toomey, R-Lehigh Valley. “I commend President Biden for his call for national unity, and his assurance to those who did not support him that he will nevertheless be president for all Americans. I urge the president to follow through on this commitment by working with members of Congress from both sides of the aisle to pursue policies that will lead to peace and prosperity for all Americans.”

U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Moosic, said Wednesday was a time to honor one of the most central traditions of American democracy — the peaceful transfer of presidential power.

“As Joe Biden is inaugurated, I’m so proud that we will have someone in the White House we can claim as our own in Northeastern Pennsylvania,” Cartwright said. “Joe knows the way of life of people here, as well as the struggles they go through. He will bring that perspective to governing and be a great partner in helping Northeastern Pennsylvania come back stronger than before this pandemic.”

Cartwright noted that Biden, who often referred to himself as “that scrappy kid from Scranton,” grew up in the city until the family relocated when Biden was 10 years old. Biden has often returned to Scranton and always stops at his childhood home at 2446 North Washington Ave. Biden visited there on Election Day, Nov. 3.

President Biden will help us achieve real relief for our families and businesses, and make long overdue infrastructure plans a reality,” Cartwright said. “President Biden also knows our nation is deeply divided, and he wants to fix that by working with both Democrats and Republicans to solve the challenges we face in this nation.”

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton, said exactly two weeks ago, terrorists stormed the Capitol and “attempted to undermine the will of the American people” as expressed through their votes in a free, fair and lawful election.

“Today, American democracy prevailed when Joe Biden was sworn in as our nation’s 46th President and Kamala Harris made history as the first woman and Black woman of South Asian descent to become Vice President,” Casey said. “During his address, President Biden laid out a vision to heal our nation, contain the COVID-19 pandemic and build our economy back better. It’s now time for us to get things done on behalf of working families.”

Casey noted that many Americans have spent the past two months cycling between joy, grief, and anxiety.

“The last few weeks have been especially difficult,” he said. “We’re now in a position to put our country on a better path and reverse some of the damage of the last four years. We should not only be optimistic about the days ahead, but overjoyed at what we have the opportunity to achieve together.”

U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Dallas, said President Biden campaigned on uniting the country to “build back better”and as the duly elected Commander-in-Chief, he will chart his own course.

“I intend to work with him on policies that will benefit the long-term interests of our people, but building back better should not begin with starting from scratch,” Meuser said. “As he takes office, I hope his administration recognizes some of the policy achievements of the last four years that have been to the benefit of all Americans.”

Meuser said before the pandemic, the Trump administration built “the greatest economy in a century,” with the lowest unemployment numbers ever recorded for women, African-Americans, and Hispanic-Americans. He said new trade deals leveled the playing field and gave American manufacturers a chance to succeed.

“Our military was rebuilt, and our allies began to finally pay their fair share for NATO,” Meuser said. “Before President Trump took office, cartels used immigrant families as pawns to smuggle illegal drugs into the United States, resulting in violence and innocent deaths.”

Meuser went on to say that the Trump Administration secured our borders and illegal crossings fell dramatically. He added that for the first time in a generation, the United States brokered historic peace deals in the Middle East, while also eliminating the threat of ISIS and Islamic extremists, add lowered the cost of prescription drugs, dealt with China from a position of strength, and became energy independent.

“President Biden should build on this foundation, working with both parties to enact policies that are in the best interest of the American people, not simply to appease his base,” Meuser said. “I believe we can find common ground to achieve these objectives and I pray that President Biden shows the strength to govern as a leader for all Americans.”

Gov. Tom Wolf attended the inauguration, saying it was an honor to witness a new president take office, marking a time of hope and promise in the nation.

“It is a moment of great change, but also one of great possibility and hope for a better future,” Wolf said. “It is a time for bold vision and strong leadership. Our nation is certainly facing unprecedented challenges in this moment, but I know that President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris will rise to meet the challenge of these turbulent times. I look forward to working with them as they guide our nation forward into a brighter future.”