GOP Marriage Penalty Plan Would Add to Deficit, Not Create Jobs

Pelosi: GOP Marriage Penalty Plan Would Add to Deficit, Not Create Jobs

Washington, D.C.-House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi spoke today at a news conference on the House Republicans' Marriage Penalty plan:

"Five years ago, when we had a pay-as-you-go budget system, we balanced the budget. We had a zero deficit in 1999. That was important in terms of fiscal responsibility, and it was also important in terms of job creation -- 22 million new jobs were created in the Clinton Administration.

"Now we have the reckless policies of the Bush Administration with record deficits, more than half a trillion dollars this year alone. Since President Bush took office, nearly 3 million jobs have been lost-the worst record on job creation of any President since the Great Depression. And that is related to this fiscal irresponsibility.

"Republicans are coming to the floor today with their marriage penalty legislation. Democrats have a better idea. We have an approach that would take care of the marriage penalty for middle-class families and it will be paid for. It does not add to the deficit. It does not suppress job creation.

"And what do the Republicans have to say about job creation? They're talking about something they call 'Hire Our Workers.' That leads to two questions for me: Who are they talking about? Who are they asking to hire our workers? Our responsibility in the federal government is to create an economic climate that grows the economy in a way that creates jobs, not simply to ask somebody else to hire our workers.

"It's an interesting acronym: 'Hire Our Workers'-HOW. How are our workers going to get jobs? How do they intend to do this?

"Republicans have no plan. Their economic policies have failed. And today, they refuse to pay for the legislation that is on the floor, thereby increasing the deficit and suppressing economic growth and job opportunity in our country. We want to know: How are the Republicans going to create jobs?"