Pelosi: Republican Budget Not a Statement of American Values; It Should be Rejected

Pelosi: Republican Budget Not a Statement of American Values; It Should be Rejected

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Washington, D.C. - House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi joined other Democratic leaders at a press stakeout this morning after the Democratic Caucus meeting to discuss the misplaced priorities of the Republican budget and Speaker Hastert's upcoming meeting with oil company CEOs . Below are Pelosi's remarks:

"There were many victories last night and I think they bode well for a Democratic sweep in next year's election. But today, Democrats continue to be organized against this budget bill that is supposed to come to the House floor tomorrow. It increases the deficit, it gives tax cuts to the wealthiest people in our country, taking food from the mouths of our children by cutting food stamps and by cutting the school lunch program, cuts back on the health care for the poorest children in America, and increases the cost of student loans for America's families who are striving for a better life for the next generation.

"It has many bad provisions that have already gone into it. It should be rejected. It is not a statement of the values of the American people. They spoke out about it last night; I hope the Republicans in Congress do not have a tin ear to that.

"I hope they also don't have a tin ear when it comes to the price at the pump and home heating oil. The Speaker has said that he's going to meet with the CEOs of the major oil companies to do some ‘jawboning.' What's to jawbone? We all know that oil companies had record and shameful profits at a time when the American people are paying an increased price at the pump, much higher than a year ago, and the price of home heating oil has gone up.

"I personally support, and I know our distinguished Chair of the Democratic Caucus Mr. Menendez does as well, a windfall profit tax. The Speaker says he doesn't support that because he doesn't want to line the pockets of government. He prefers to line the pockets of Big Oil. Democrats reject that. We could easily have a windfall profit tax that would subsidize the LIHEAP program, which is home heating for low-income people, especially our seniors.

"Yesterday, I sent a letter to the Speaker about his session with these CEOs. I said this is what Democrats want you to do: instead of jawboning, you should schedule a House vote on the Stupak bill that would protect consumers from price gouging, to fully fund LIHEAP, which could easily be done with a windfall profit tax, and to rescind the recent subsidies and tax breaks to oil companies.

"These are unconscionable increases in the profits for oil companies. Some of those increases stem from the bill that was passed in Congress this summer and reinforced in the fall. It's time for Big Oil to release the grip that it has on the consumers in America, for the Republicans to respect the taxpayers of our country, reject this budget, and act in the public interest and not in the special interest."

http://democraticleader.house.gov/press/articles.cfm?pressReleaseID=1266