Fighting for a Budget that Reflects Our Values

This week, the House debated the Republicans' irresponsible spending proposal – a bill that will shed over 800,000 jobs while harming our families, young adults, seniors, children, and our veterans. Democrats support President Obama’s budget to out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the world. We believe we can live within our means and create jobs, invest in our future, and reduce the deficit, starting with an aggressive attack on waste, fraud, and abuse. We believe that our budget should be a statement of our national values.

Congresswoman Pelosi talks about job creation and keeping our communities safe with her colleagues in the House, police officers, and firefighters.

In contrast, Republican leadership says that if jobs are lost as a result of these spending cuts, “So be it.” The American people – and Democrats – have a different message: “Show us the jobs!”

Is it a statement of our values…

To break our promise to educate the next generation of leaders? Under their proposal, over 1 million students in California will see the maximum Pell Grant award cut by an average of $675, and over 24,000 children will be kicked out of California’s Head Start classrooms.

To diminish our efforts to create green jobs and eliminate funding for the Presidio? Their plan cuts $1.3 billion in investments to spur the clean energy economy of the future and eliminates all federal funding for the Presidio, the successful public-private partnership that transformed a military post into an urban national park in our City.

To slash disease research funding? This bill cuts more than $1.3 billion for cancer and other disease research. UCSF received more research funds from the National Institutes of Health than any other public institution in 2010.

To undermine investments in our roads, schools, and bridges to rebuild America? Tens of thousands of new construction jobs will be lost and 76 projects to upgrade our roads and bridges in 40 states will be cancelled.

To make our neighborhoods less secure? There would have been up to 3,000 fewer cops on the beat and 2,400 fewer firefighters. Fortunately, Democrats fought for and passed an amendment to keep them on the job.

To cut support for homeless veterans? This bill eliminates a successful $75 million initiative that offers housing assistance to homeless vets. San Francisco’s Swords to Plowshares is currently applying for a grant from this program to help fund their supportive housing program for chronically homeless veterans at 150 Otis Street.

To deprive women of basic health care?It cuts all funding for Title X, which provides more than 5 million women with preventive health services.

As we continue to debate this bill, we must and will stay focused on the top priorities of the American people: the creation of jobs now and the growth of our economy with investments in the future.

You’re Invited! Events in San Francisco

Small Business Panel: Best Practices on Accessing Credit
There is still time to RSVP for the small business panel on February 24th. Click here to read more and to RSVP.

Federal Grants Workshop
New to federal grants? Baffled by the process? Don’t know if your organization is qualified? Join the Office of Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi for a Grants.gov presentation. Experts from Washington, D.C., will appear live via satellite to show you how to find and apply for federal grants. Click here to learn more and to RSVP.

Please feel free to forward this information to your family and friends. To learn more about these efforts, to express your views, or to sign up for email updates, please visit my Web site. I am also on Twitter https://twitter.com/NancyPelosi.

Sincerely,

Member of Congress