U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) issued the following statement after President Biden delivered his State of the Union address:

“Over the past year, President Biden and Democrats in Congress have pursued a reckless, partisan agenda while crisis after crisis has mounted at home and abroad. 

“The smallest congressional majorities in generations have imposed some of the largest costs and regulations on families and workers. Democrats’ rampant spending has fueled historic inflation, which is hitting families’ pocketbooks in South Dakota and across the country. A president who promised to unite the nation has endorsed unprecedented attempts to undermine institutions of our government and ignored the humanitarian and national security crisis at the southern border. And of course, the entire world was shocked by the administration’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.

“If the past year has proven anything, it’s that Democrats cannot confront the challenges facing America in a real or meaningful way. The fragile conditions of our economy and world affairs demand that Democrats abandon their far-left crusade. 

“Russia is waging war in Europe, and the stakes could not be higher. An anxious world is looking to the United States for strong leadership. Our adversaries are rooting for bitter partisanship. 

“Republicans stand ready to work together to unleash American energy production, restore our energy independence, and bolster our military capabilities in order to provide for the safety and security of our nation. We can support our allies and hold the criminal thug Vladimir Putin accountable for his unprovoked war. We can do big things, but the president and his allies in Congress must abandon the partisan streak that has come to define their first year in power. 

“In these perilous times, I pray that God watches over the United States and our fellow citizens, especially the men and women who defend our country in uniform. We are blessed to live in the greatest nation ever created, with freedoms made possible by the countless patriots who have fought and died to protect them.”