Newsflash:
A Budget That Tightens Belts by Emptying Stomachs A time-honored tactic of conservative lawmakers is to “starve the beast”by defunding government programs. In the case of food stamps—the quintessential whipping boy for budget hawks—they’re going a step further by trying to starve actual people. Read the Full Story
Top Democrats React to Low-Wage Federal Workers’ Strike “I work at Quick Pita in the food court of the Ronald Reagan Building. I work nearly 12 hours every day serving lunch to the thousands of people who work in the building. But I am not here to tell you how hard I work. I am here to tell you that my employer does not follow the law,” testified Antonio Vanegas before a hearing of the Congressional Progressive Caucus yesterday. Read the Full Story
The Axe Falls on 50 Chicago Public Schools At times, the meeting of the Board of Education of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) on Wednesday took on the air of a mass mock trial; at others, it seemed like a public execution. On the dock were 53 elementary schools and one high school charged with underutilization of space and underperformance. Read the Full Story
The End of the Perpetual War President Obama’s speech on Thursday was the most important statement on counterterrorism policy since the 2001 attacks, a momentous turning point in post-9/11 America.For the first time, a president stated clearly and unequivocally that the state of perpetual warfare that began nearly 12 years ago is unsustainable for a democracy and must come to an end in the not-too-distant future.       Read the Full Story
Banks’ Lobbyists Help in Drafting Financial Bills WASHINGTON — Bank lobbyists are not leaving it to lawmakers to draft legislation that softens financial regulations. Instead, the lobbyists are helping to write it themselves. Read the Full Story
Elizabeth Warren: Trade talks could weaken bank oversight Sen. Elizabeth Warren raised concerns Tuesday that negotiations over new trade agreements could be used as a backdoor way to water down financial regulations. Read the Full Story
Exclusive: Why I Spoke Out at Obama's Foreign Policy Speech On why Obama's policies themselves, not those who speak out against them, are rude Having worked for years on the issues of drones and Guantanamo, I was delighted to get a pass (the source will remain anonymous) to attend President Obama’s speech at the National Defense University. Read the Full Story
Pivoting From a War Footing, Obama Acts to Curtail Drones WASHINGTON — Nearly a dozen years after the hijackings that transformed America, President Obama said Thursday that it was time to narrow the scope of the grinding battle against terrorists and begin the transition to a day when the country will no longer be on a war footing.       Read the Full Story
New Terror Strategy Shifts C.I.A. Focus Back to Spying WASHINGTON — For more than seven years, Mike — a lean, chain-smoking officer at the Central Intelligence Agency’s headquarters in Virginia — has managed the agency’s deadly campaign of armed drone strikes. As the head of the C.I.A.’s Counterterrorism Center, Mike wielded tremendous power in hundreds of decisions over who lived and died in far-off lands.       Read the Full Story
Boy Scouts End Longtime Ban on Openly Gay Youths GRAPEVINE, Tex. — The Boy Scouts of America on Thursday ended its longstanding policy of forbidding openly gay youths to participate in its activities, a step its chief executive called “compassionate, caring and kind.”       Read the Full Story
PDA, Allies March Against Fracking in Maryland More than 100 "Fracktivists" rallied for clean air and water outside the Democratic Governors Association meeting in Maryland yesterday. Concerned about the controversial practice of extracting methane gas from shale rock formations known as hydraulic fracturing or "Fracking", Progressive Democrats of America, Food and Water Watch, MoveOn, Progressive Neighbors, and Progressive Cheverly members and others gathered to hear speakers and then matched chanting outside the high-level meeting. Read the Full Story
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Responds to President Obama’s Call for AUMF Repeal, Introduces Legislation Creating Greater Oversight of Drones Washington, D.C.— Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) released the following statement in response to President Obama’s speech focusing on drone warfare and national security. In advance of the speech, Congresswoman Lee introduced related legislation, The Drones Accountability Act. Read the Full Story
image A Budget That Tightens Belts by Emptying Stomachs
image Top Democrats React to Low-Wage Federal Workers’ Strike
image The Axe Falls on 50 Chicago Public Schools
image The End of the Perpetual War
image Banks’ Lobbyists Help in Drafting Financial Bills
image Elizabeth Warren: Trade talks could weaken bank oversight
image Exclusive: Why I Spoke Out at Obama's Foreign Policy Speech
image Pivoting From a War Footing, Obama Acts to Curtail Drones
image New Terror Strategy Shifts C.I.A. Focus Back to Spying
image Boy Scouts End Longtime Ban on Openly Gay Youths
image PDA, Allies March Against Fracking in Maryland
image Congresswoman Barbara Lee Responds to President Obama’s Call for AUMF Repeal, Introduces Legislation Creating Greater Oversight of Drones
Tuesday, 14 February 2012 00:25

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Statement on the President’s Budget

Written by  Rep. Barbara Lee - CA 9th District
Congresswoman Barbara Lee Statement on the President’s Budget

Lee Calls on Congress and the President to Invest in Job Creation, Decrease Wasteful Defense Spending

Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) released the following statement this morning regarding the President’s budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2013:

“Today, President Obama presented a budget to Congress that takes important steps to construct an economy that is built to last.  We must work to pass a budget and implement policies that will bring about a strong and sustainable recovery.  As this recovery takes root, Congress must focus on job creation as the best way to reduce the deficit and get the economy back on track.  The President’s proposal for an $8 billion Community Career College to Career Fund is a step in the right direction.  I worked with the President and his Administration to fund this program that would train two million workers for high-demand industries, provide valuable job training opportunities, and break down barriers for many who find the American Dream out of reach. 

“More than 400 days have gone by since House Republicans took the majority, and they still have not put forward a comprehensive jobs plan.  Americans across the country want to be able to get back to work to earn a fair living, yet our country continues to face a time of significant economic turmoil.  I am heartened to see that the President continues to protect the vast majority of critical human needs programs from drastic cuts. While I understand the need for deficit reduction, we should not balance the budget on the backs of the poor by slashing funding to important safety net programs.   We must continue to invest in the American people if we are to pass along our American values of economic mobility and shared prosperity to our children. 

“I am encouraged that the President took some modest steps to trim our defense spending and I am committed to working in a bipartisan way to cut wasteful and unnecessary spending in our defense budget.  As an appropriator, I will work to pass a budget that creates jobs, protects the environment, promotes healthy communities, invests in education for our children, and provides pathways out of poverty.  I will continue to fight any proposal that cuts funding for essential programs, safety net programs, or hurts the most vulnerable among us.” 

Read 3735 times Last modified on Tuesday, 14 February 2012 00:29
Published in Rep. Barbara Lee
More in this category: « Lee: National Strength Tied to Economic Strength Barbara Lee: Republican Budget Plan Undercuts Economic Recovery with Reckless Spending Cuts »
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