Representative Barbara Lee Statement on the President's Budget and the Republican Proposal to Slash Critical Investments in Job Creation, Job Training, and Education

Statement

Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) released the following statement this morning regarding the President's budget proposal and the Republican plan to cut billions in critical investments for education, job creation, and job training:

"Budget decisions by Congress and the President should prioritize the most vulnerable communities who are struggling to make ends meets in this difficult economy -- not the wealthy and the powerful. In my district, we are already facing unacceptably high unemployment numbers and schools are already lacking the necessary resources to educate our children. But Republicans want to slash critical investments in Head Start and job training programs while extending extra tax breaks for millionaires. The Republican plan will cut almost $700 million in funding for our schools -- a move that would negatively impact 4 million disadvantaged students across the nation.

"I am also disappointed in some of the funding cuts for essential programs announced within the President's budget. However, the budget restores critical funding for food stamps that I worked with the President and his Administration to reinstate. And while I am encouraged that the President took some modest steps to trim our defense spending, I will continue to work in a bipartisan way to cut wasteful and unnecessary items in our defense budget.

"We must fight to ensure that we make substantial investments in job creation, job training, and education for our nation's most vulnerable communities, and these proposed cuts do not reflect these priorities. As an appropriator, I will work to restore these cuts and pass a budget that creates jobs, reduces the deficit, and provides pathways out of poverty."

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