Sen. Daniel Akaka‘s office posted a link to audio of the senator reacting to the jobs plan that President Barack Obama announced Thursday night. 

“I do agree with the president when he says we must stop the political circus and work together to improve the economy,” Akaka says in the audio clip. “The American people who elected us want us to work together to help them. We work for them. We must never forget that. That’s what we’re here for.”

DC808 caught up with Akaka after the speech, and pointed out the extent to which Obama tried to bring Democrats and Republicans together. 

“(Obama) made it clear that everything in this bill is a kind of proposal that has been supported by both Democrats and Republicans in the past,” Akaka told DC808. “He sort of put it in the laps of Congress, and made it clear that everything in this bill will be paid for. Everything… Again, it comes back to American people working together.”