Pelosi: 'President's Economic Record No Cause for Celebration'

July 24, 2003

Washington, D.C. -- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today on President Bush's trip to Pennsylvania and Michigan to promote his economic record and to boast about the expansion of the child tax credit. The President will not mention that the child tax credit expansion unfairly left out the working and military families of 12 million children.

"Three million jobs have been lost since President Bush took office, and our country is $3 trillion deeper in debt; the White House has announced that the deficit will reach a record $455 billion this year; the unemployment rate is the highest in nine years; middle-class families are finding it harder to succeed; and Republican Members of Congress are preparing to leave for the August recess without providing an expanded child tax credit to the working and military families of 12 million children.

"This is no cause for celebration. So why does the President think it is time for an economic 'victory' tour?

"The President claims he wants to extend the child tax credit to working families, but his trip today suggests he has no intention of turning his reassuring rhetoric into reality for millions of deserving children.

"Mr. President: be honest. Twelve million children, including 250,000 children of active duty military families, are not getting these checks. They want to know what you are going to do about it besides pose for pretty pictures. They want you to get the House Republicans to expand the child tax credit now."

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