Washington, DC - In a show of bipartisanship, Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) will sit with Republican Rep. Charlie Dent (PA-15) during President Barack Obama's State of the Union address this evening.
Until last year, Members of Congress traditionally sat with elected officials from their respective political parties in a divided chamber. However, in 2011 that tradition was abandoned by some Representatives who embraced calls for greater displays of bipartisan cooperation and sat with colleagues from the other party.
"It won't fix everything that's broken in Washington, but sitting together in a bipartisan way is a good reminder that at the end of the day, we're all Americans - not just Republicans or Democrats," Braley said. "Charlie and I don't agree on everything, but we're friends and we do agree that when it comes to facing our nation's challenges, we face them as a united people, not as members of political parties."
"On a night the President outlines his vision for 2012, it is important elected officials illustrate to the American people our determination to tackle the major issues facing our nation in a bipartisan manner," said Rep. Dent. "Sitting with my colleague and friend Bruce Braley is a simple gesture to show our shared commitment to working together. This show of unity is particularly poignant this evening, as we celebrate the service of U.S. Rep Gabby Giffords (AZ-8), who will soon resign from Congress to focus on her rehabilitation."
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