Federal News Service - Democratic Radio Address - Transcript

Federal News Service March 27, 2004 Saturday
Copyright 2004 The Federal News Service, Inc.
Federal News Service

March 27, 2004 Saturday

HEADLINE: DEMOCRATIC RADIO ADDRESS

SPEAKER: REPRESENTATIVE NANCY PELOSI (D-CA)

BODY:

Good morning. I'm Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic Leader in the U.S. House of Representatives.

This week, Congress debated the national budget. Nothing illustrates more clearly the differences between the Democrats and the Republicans than the battle of the budget.

Democrats presented a budget of hope and opportunity. Our budget is paid for and promotes economic growth. Republicans presented a budget which creates historic deficits of over one half trillion dollars-and that's just for this year alone.

The Democratic budget reflects what is important to America's families-a safe America with good jobs, better access to health care, the best possible education for our children, and a clean and healthy environment.

As every family must, the federal government should live within its means. The Democratic budget does. Democrats would put the budget on a pay-as-you-go system in which both tax cuts and spending increases must be paid for. We would erase the deficit.

This is important because bulging budget deficits limit economic growth and slow job creation. Budget deficits also lead to higher interest rates, which mean families pay more to finance homes, cars, and college, and could also lead to cuts in Social Security benefits.

As any family would, the federal government should invest in the future and keep faith with our children and our seniors. The Democratic budget does.

To create jobs, Democrats grow the economy and support tax relief for working families and small businesses. The Republican budget would actually make the economy worse-giving massive tax cuts to the wealthy few and to corporations that move jobs overseas, while doing nothing to replace the nearly 3 million jobs lost in just three years.

To improve education, Democrats invest in smaller class size, modern classrooms, and expanded opportunities for higher education. Republicans turn their backs on education-freezing college loans and failing to fund the No Child Left Behind law by nearly $9 billion. That means fewer children getting help with reading and math and fewer children in after-school programs.

To keep our homeland safe, Democrats increase funding for our firefighters, our police, and our emergency medical personnel. Republicans actually cut funds for key homeland security initiatives by hundreds of millions of dollars.

Under the Democrats' pay-as-you-go plan, we protect Social Security, Medicare and veterans' benefits. Our budget would improve veterans' health care and finally give veterans the full pensions and survivor benefits they have earned. On the battlefield, our troops pledge to leave no soldier behind. When they come home, we must leave no veteran behind.

Republicans actually increase health care costs for veterans and spend every penny of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds over the next decade.

For the fourth time in four years, the Republican budget will create record deficits, but it will not create jobs. It will indebt our children rather than investing in them. It will reward wealth, rather than work.

Democrats will continue to fight for a fiscally sound budget that helps all Americans by ensuring our national security, creating good- paying jobs, improving education, promoting health care, and protecting our environment. That agenda is a true reflection of our national values.

I'm Nancy Pelosi. Thank you for listening.

END