As President Obama prepares for his first State of the Union address, a speech that has taken on added significance given the shifting political picture, two local members of Congress are among those eagerly awaiting the event.

U.S. Rep. James Gerlach, R-6th Dist., and U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz, D-13th Dist., both spoke to The Mercury Tuesday evening about what they expect Obama to say and what they would like him to say.

The speech is scheduled to begin at approximately 9 p.m. and will be broadcast live on most major networks as well as video-streamed live on www.WhiteHouse.gov, the White House Web site and here at pottsmerc.com

Having recently pulled out of a campaign for governor during which he spent the past several months touring the state, Gerlach, who is now running for reelection to the House of Representatives, said he has a good sense of what people in Pennsylvania want to hear from Obama.

"Typically, a State of the Union covers a pretty wide range of issues, but I hope the president focuses on generating more jobs in the United States and bringing unemployment down," Gerlach said Tuesday evening.

He called Obama's recent call for a three-year freeze in some discretionary spending "a step in the right direction, a baby step maybe, but a step nonetheless."

Another tradition common for State of the Union addresses is for ideas that will be explored during the speech to be "test-driven" in public prior.

On Monday, the White House posted information on its Web site regarding Obama's new "Middle Class Task Force," and highlighted some of the initiatives that will be touched upon in the address.

Among those listed is a plan to "nearly double the child and dependent care tax credit for middle class families making under $85,000 a year."

Asked about this, Gerlach described the idea as a good one, but said Obama needs to go further in targeting tax breaks and incentives to aid small businesses.

"Small businesses generate 75 percent of all jobs in this country and we need to provide tax relief to small business owners, such as extending the tax cuts enacted in 2003 and cuts to capital gains, investments and dividends, that's what gets that economic activity going," Gerlach said.

He also praised another idea floated by the White House, at least in concept which would "require all employers to give the option for employees to enroll in a direct-deposit IRA."

"Certainly, I think getting more Americans to save for retirement is a good idea, but I want to see something in writing first," he said.

Gerlach predicted that in the wake of the Christmas Day bombing attempt aboard an airliner, Obama would also devote a good portion of his address to national security issues. "It's my hope that he re-energizes the country's focus on fighting terrorism," he said.

Gerlach also observed that the results of the special Massachusetts election to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Sen. Edward Kennedy — which was won by Republican Scott Brown and which changed the balance of power in the Senate — probably has also changed the content and approach of tonight's speech.

"I think it may have altered the issues he decided to focus on," Gerlach said. "It has probably changed both the politics and the policy we'll hear."

Whatever he says, Gerlach predicted Obama's delivery will be impressive. "I hope to hear a good speech," Gerlach said.

Obama is "a very good communicator in terms of style, but I also think the substance is very important and I think that will be more of a focus for Americans right now."

Schwartz said Obama "should start, I hope he starts, explaining the status of the deficit and the economy he inherited a year ago and I hope he also speaks to some of the progress we've made in preventing the collapse of our financial sector."

She added "I certainly think he will focus on our ambitions for job growth. I know, and I think he knows, that a lot of Americans are struggling to make ends meet right now and until we reverse the trend in unemployment, this recovery will not have as much meaning for a lot of the country."

"I think he will also talk about providing some relief for working families," she said referring to the same tax credit on which Gerlach commented.

"I also hope he will talk about the national debt and ways we can move forward to find ways to pay for our spending," said Schwartz.

She also acknowledged the impact the election in Massachusetts has had on the political agenda, as well as the speech itself.

"I think the State of the Union is something that is written and re-written up until an hour beforehand," Schwartz said.

Nevertheless, she conceded, the special election had been "a reality check for everyone," and said it certainly underscored for the Democrats the procedural challenges they will face in the Senate without a filibuster-proof majority of 60 votes.

"We always knew that mid-term elections would be challenging, but we didn't need Massachusetts to tell us that we have had trouble encouraging cooperation from the Republicans," Schwartz said.

"And most people understand its a little harder to get bi-partisanship on critically important bills because there are fewer moderate Republicans to work with than there used to be," she said.

Nowhere will that increased difficulty be more evident, Schwartz agreed, that in the pending votes on health care reform, an issue with which Schwartz has been closely associated this past year.

"I hope he will speak to how important it is to address this very real problem, not only to ensure that more Americans have access to adequate health care, but for businesses and how this health care system we have is a drain on the economy," Schwartz said.

One thing Schwartz said she is not worried about is the president's delivery.

"I have great confidence in his ability to address the important issues facing this country," said Schwartz. "He raises expectations and hope for people as well."