Carney will sit with Republican for State of the Union

As President Obama delivers his State of the Union address tonight, freshman Representative John Carney (D) will be sitting with fellow newcomer to the U.S. House, Pennsylvania Republican Pat Meehan.

Dozens of Representatives and Senators will be sitting with members of another party as part of a show of bipartisanship following the assassination attempt on Arizona Representative Gabrielle Giffords (D).  Carney says, “I’m committed to working with both Democrats and Republicans to find common ground and work together to make progress on a number of important issues, particularly jobs and the economy.”

Last year, Carney and Meehan toured the Boeing plant in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, a site that employs nearly 6,000 workers from Pennsylvania and Delaware.  “When you know your colleagues on a personal level, it makes it much easier to work with them on legislation and other initiatives.  This is a small but important step forward in creating a more civil atmosphere in the Capitol,” Carney said.

Meehan’s district in Pennsylvania borders Carney’s district which encompasses the entire state of Delaware.