WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) today released the following statement on President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address:

“As we proved on the Agriculture Committees with the passage of our Farm Bill, the Congress and the President can come together and govern. I echo the President’s calls for comity and compromise. In order to put an end to the brinkmanship and obstruction, we must all have a desire to meet the challenges facing our nation rather than pursuing a partisan agenda,” Roberts said.

 “I was pleased to hear the President recognize the importance of trade, but I continue to have concerns about the value and practice of tariffs, especially when our agriculture exports end up in the retaliatory crosshairs. I will be closely following further news from Ambassador Lighthizer as talks with China go forward.”

Senator Roberts is Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. He is also a member of the Senate Finance Committee which has jurisdiction over trade and taxes.