Barbara Lee Says Bush Budget Shows True Cost of Disastrous Policies
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: February 4, 2008
Contact: Cleve Mesidor, (202) 225-2661
(Washington, DC) – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-9) released the following statement regarding the 2009 budget President Bush released:
“President Bush's budget shows the true cost of his disastrous policies and wrong-headed priorities. The ongoing occupation in Iraq and an outdated and bloated military budget coupled with his demand for more tax cuts for the super-wealthy are dragging down our economy and leave little room for spending to address the critical needs of our nation.
“The requested increase in defense spending is the highest since WWII, and fails to provide funding for what the American people have long supported: ending the occupation and bringing our troops and contractors home.
“At a time when our nation's economy is losing jobs, suffering from a foreclosure crisis and is in desperate need of an economic overhaul, it is beyond shameful that President Bush would slash proven programs like Medicare and Medicaid and leave the "least of these" worse off by failing to provide for the critical economic initiatives we need now more than ever.
“As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I will work to stop these cuts that will wreak havoc on the lives of millions of people and provide spending that makes sense for the American people and our true priorities.”
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Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-9) is First Vice-Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and sits on the House Appropriations Committee, where she serves on the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Subcommittee, the State Foreign Operations Subcommittee and is Vice-Chair of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee.