WASHINGTON — Rep. Lois Capps thought President Bush's State of the Union address Monday night was "pretty uninspiring."

"Truly this speech was a disappointment for all Americans who had hoped that in his final State of the Union, the president would seize the moment and attempt to address serious concerns regarding the American economy, our huge federal deficit, greenhouse gas emissions and global warming," said Capps, D-Santa Barbara.

Rep. Elton Gallegly thought the president's address "hit on all of the right parts" and even touched on some areas that resonate with both Democrats and Republicans, such as the environment and energy.

"Let's face it, it's a tough time to give a speech, and I think he presented it well," said Gallegly, R-Simi Valley. "And, I think, by and large he was well-received."

In his address, Bush called on Congress to quickly pass the $150 billion package of tax rebates and other proposals that he and House leaders have agreed upon to stimulate the ailing economy.

Capps said that while the stimulus package is a short-term fix, it shows what the president and Democratic-controlled Congress can accomplish "when the White House decides they want to work with us."

For the most part, however, "President Bush has continued to pursue a go-it-alone strategy and rejected countless opportunities to work with the Democratic-led Congress to move our country forward," she said.

On global warming, for example, the president called for an international agreement to reverse the growth of greenhouse gases.

However, "it's too little too late," Capps said. "He recognizes that it's an issue, but his whole administration has been geared toward subsidizing the status quo — subsidizing oil and gas."

For Gallegly, the most important issue the president addressed was the state of the economy.

The stimulus package "will inject some money into the economy, although I'm not as convinced that, in and of itself, is going to be the real answer," Gallegly said.

He agreed with the president that Congress must renew a law that allows the government to monitor terrorist communications.

However, he took issue with the president's comments regarding immigration. Bush called immigration "a pressing challenge" and said that while efforts are being made to secure the border, lawmakers must create a way for foreign workers to come to the United States legally.

"It's clear that the president and I do not see eye to eye on resolving the immigration issue," Gallegly said.

The president's remarks "sounded a great deal like what we were talking about last year on the so-called comprehensive immigration reform, which was a code word for amnesty," Gallegly said.