Schwartz on Budget Cuts

from the inbox:

As the country begins to see signs of real job growth, U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz, senior member of the House Budget Committee, issued the following statement warning against deep and immediate cuts that could eliminate 700,000 American jobs and slow economic recovery by 2 percent.

The Department of Labor today issued its monthly employment report finding that in the month of February, the economy created 192,000 jobs, with an increase of 222,000 private sector jobs and a drop to an 8.9 percent unemployment rate.

In Pennsylvania, the unemployment rate took a significant dip, as the state compiled its fifth straight month of job gains. The state Department of Labor and Industry estimated that employers increased payrolls by 6,000 jobs.

“Today’s job numbers are an encouraging sign of real economic growth. We are no longer seeing sky high job losses month after month. Instead we are seeing job gains all over the country, including right here in the Commonwealth.

“Our goal should be to continue creating private sector jobs. But instead, Republicans are trying to push through billions of dollars of reckless spending cuts that threaten our economic competitiveness. These are dramatic and irresponsible cuts that would undermine our jobs and our public safety.

“Over 300 economists believe these short-sighted cuts will put 700,000 American jobs at stake, and over 30,000 Pennsylvania jobs.

“Cutting spending is critical to reducing the deficit. This is not about whether to cut or not. This is about where to cut, how much to cut, and how fast to cut. The Republican agenda to immediately slash billions of dollars from our core obligations to our seniors, our safety and our future is not the answer.

“Instead of enacting job destroying cuts, House Republicans should be focused on job creating legislation. Unfortunately, Congress has been in session for over two months and not a single job creating bill has come to the floor for a vote.

“It’s time to get serious about promoting private sector job growth. We cannot afford to move backwards.”

REPUBLICAN SPENDING PLAN WOULD DESTROY PENNSYLVANIA JOBS

Ø Independent, non-partisan analysis has found that H.R. 1 will cut 700,000 jobs through 2012, with Pennsylvania set to lose more than 30,200 jobs.
Ø Nearly 5,000 community health center jobs will be eliminated in Pennsylvania if the House-passed bill is enacted.
Ø A $15 million federal transportation grant to help make improvements to the Dilworth Plaza and Concourse in Philadelphia, creating jobs and boosting the local economy, would be eliminated, as would a $10 million grant for a Central Pennsylvania Rail and Road Expansion project.

REPUBLICAN SPENDING PLAN WOULD HURT EDUCATION IN PENNSYLVANIA, MAKE PENNSYLVANIA’S WORKFORCE LESS COMPETITIVE

Ø Under H.R.1, the average Pennsylvania undergraduate with Pell college tuition assistance will see their assistance cut by nearly $700.
Ø More than 8,000 Pennsylvania children will lose access to Head Start, an early education program that is proven to help students complete high school.
Ø Pennsylvania could lose upwards of $100 million in job training investments under H.R.1, which would impact approximately 207,000 potential Pennsylvania workers.

REPUBLICAN SPENDING PLAN WILL MAKE PENNSYLVANIA LESS SAFE

Ø H.R. 1 reduces Byrne Justice Grants for Pennsylvania by $5 million.
Ø H.R. 1 reduces Pennsylvania’s homeland security investments by more than $3 million, hurting local law enforcement’s ability to keep Pennsylvania families safe.
Ø The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority will lose more than $2 million in Transit Security Grants under H.R. 1, while Pittsburgh’s Port Authority of Allegheny County will lose almost $600,000.
Ø The Port of Pittsburgh Commission will lose over $850,000 in Port Security Grants.