WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner did not attend tonight's State of the Union Address due to today's funeral of his mother, Marjorie Johnston Warner, 82, who passed-away last Saturday at her Vernon, Connecticut home after a lengthy illness.

Senator Warner released the following statement tonight after reviewing a text of the President's prepared remarks:

"I welcome the President's emphasis tonight on rebuilding our economy, and I am pleased that the administration appears ready to act on an initiative we proposed last fall to help responsible small business owners access the credit they need to survive and grow.

"I had hoped for a more robust approach tonight to addressing our long-term budget deficits, and I continue to be extremely disappointed in the Senate's unwillingness this week to support a bipartisan fiscal commission to address needed budget and entitlement reform.

"As our economy continues to demonstrate promising signs of recovery, we must work together to adopt policies that promote innovation and boost America's long-term economic competitiveness. I will continue to work with my colleagues to move forward in a productive and bipartisan way to address these challenges."

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