By Bill Raack, KWMU/AP
St. Louis, MO – Missouri's congressional Republicans are applauding what they heard from President Bush in last night's State of the Union address. G-O-P Senator Jim Talent embraced the president's desire to expand health insurance to more small business workers. Bush would allow companies to pool together to offer corporate-style coverage. Talent helped pass the idea when he was in the U-S House. Republican Senator Kit Bond said Bush did a good job of outlining challenges facing the nation, especial in fighting terrorism.
But the top House Armed Services Committee Democrat, Congressman Ike Skelton, was dis-satisfied with Bush's discussion of Iraq and the war on terrorism. Another Democrat, Congressman William Lacy Clay of St. Louis praised some Bush ideas on education, including increasing Pell grants. But Clay criticized Bush over the war in Iraq. He noted that the president didn't mention a plan for pulling out U-S troops.