The region's Republican congressional representatives were critical of the president's Tuesday night State of the Union address.
Congressman John Katko said he was disappointed by the president's speech. Katko, whose district covers Auburn, Syracuse to Oswego, said Biden hit on the biggest issues plaguing the world but neglected to focus on those facing the county he leads.
“He did a good job focusing on the Ukraine issue, I think,” Katko said. "Then, he kind of devolved into a lot of partisan legislation that has no chance of passing.”
Biden, a Democrat, responded to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by sending a warning to Vladimir Putin. The tone of the president on the invasion resulted in unified response from members of Congress.
With Republicans on the verge of taking control of the House of Representatives in November, Katko said Biden must maintain that unity and learn to work with the other side.
“When there’s a crisis’s, the American people have a very good and very strong ability to put down their swords and work for the common good. And I think that’s what you’re seeing with respect to this Ukrainian issue,” Katko said. “Because of this crisis it may look that way but from a policy standpoint we are very far away from being the collaborative entity that we need to be.”
Katko hopes the president will work with the House and Homeland Security Committee, of which he’s a ranking member, in the coming weeks as they continue to address national security issues.
Another GOP Congressmember from the region was also unhappy with Biden’s address. Rep. Claudia Tenney posted on Twitter that she felt Biden failed to deliver.
Tenney, who represents Binghamton, Cortland and Utica, said Biden missed the chance for a call to action that was “unifying, bipartisan, and results oriented.”
Both congressmembers said the list of challenges the country’s facing is growing, and they want a plan on how Biden will address them.