Pelosi Statement on Republican Opposition to Jobs Bill

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today in advance of tomorrow's vote to create or save 310,000 American jobs – preserving the jobs of teachers, nurses, firefighters, and police officers, and boosting the private sector – and in response to Republican plans reiterated on the Sunday talk shows yesterday to extend tax cuts for the wealthiest few Americans and protect tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas:

"Taking a page out of the failed Bush playbook, Congressional Republicans want to saddle future generations with nearly $700 billion in debt to extend tax cuts for the wealthiest few, while opposing a fully paid-for jobs bill that reduces the deficit and keeps teachers in the classroom and police officers on the beat. Instead, Congressional Republicans demean our educators and law enforcement officials as 'special interests' – and fight to protect a glaring loophole that encourages corporations to ship American jobs overseas.

"Why wouldn't House Republicans want to keep 310,000 teachers, first responders and private sector workers on the job instead of on the unemployment lines?

"America's workers and families deserve better. Democrats are fighting for the middle class and working to create good-paying jobs here at home and keep America number one around the world.

"Congressional Republicans promise to return to the 'exact same agenda' that cost millions of Americans their jobs, homes, and life savings. We are moving our country forward. And we are not going back to the failed Bush policies that left us with deep deficits, a deep recession, and the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression."

SOURCE Office of the Speaker of the House