Senator Cantwell Supports Defense, Security Priorities, but Opposes Worker Cuts
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) today released the following statement on President Bush's proposed budget:
"Clearly, defense and homeland security are key national priorities. We must win the war on terrorism and protect ourselves from future attacks, whether they are conventional, biological, or nuclear. However, at the same time, we must not lose sight of the other key priorities for our nation and our region.
"As President Bush has said in his State of the Union Address, this nation is in a recession. At 7.1 percent, Washington state's unemployment rate is the second highest in the nation. People who have been laid off are struggling to make ends meet - to pay the mortgage and utilities, and to put food on the table.
"The Administration's cut of $900 million from federal worker assistance and retraining programs is a step in the wrong direction. I strongly disagree with the decision to slash these vital programs for workers.
"I am also deeply troubled by the proposed cut of $262 million from Hanford clean-up funding. The federal government is obligated by the Tri-Party Agreement to meet clean-up milestones. A cut of this magnitude undermines the federal government's promise to the people of the Tri-cities and Washington state to clean up Hanford."
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