U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce plans not to sit next to a fellow Republican during President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address on Tuesday.

Instead Joyce, R-Russell Township and U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., announced they will sit together.

“In the spirit of bipartisanship and working together, we look forward to attending President Obama’s State of the Union address together,” the two federal lawmakers said in a statement. “As freshman Members new to Washington, we understand our constituents want to see common-sense solutions to our nation’s problems, not partisan bickering.

“We look forward to hearing the president’s proposals to address our challenges and working together to tackle the serious issues facing the U.S. such as reducing our debt, creating jobs and growing our economy.”

Joyce and Bustos now serve their first term in the U.S. House of Representatives. They met while attending a bipartisan Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service with eleven other Members of Congress.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah