FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 15, 2011
Contact:
Jackeline Stewart
(202) 785-1670
NCLR urges Congress to invest in the Latino community to strengthen our nation’s recovery
Washington, DC—Yesterday, President Obama released his budget for fiscal year 2012. The President’s budget begins a process on Capitol Hill that NCLR (National Council of La Raza) hopes will be a serious and thoughtful approach to dealing with our budget deficits today, while maintaining our nation’s competitiveness in the future.
The following is a statement from Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR:
“Like all Americans, Latinos are concerned with the increasing deficit and are looking to lawmakers to develop real solutions to prevent our nation’s children from shouldering tomorrow’s debt. In the midst of this economic crisis, there is no doubt that lawmakers must approve measures that address our nation’s deficits and debt. Latinos share the president’s interest in maintaining America’s competitive edge and view the federal government’s investments in Latinos as a key element to achieving that important goal. The president’s budget includes critical savings measures that should be part of a comprehensive policy to prevent our children from bearing the burden of mounting debt. However, it does not adequately address the causes of today’s significant debt, such as tax measures that have depleted our treasury over the last decade.
“Though the plan includes increased funding in many areas that are important to Latinos, such as strong support for workers’ rights and increased funding for programs that promote citizenship, it falls short in others. We are disappointed with the administration’s effective elimination of programs that support student success—including the William F. Goodling Even Start Program—and that the proposal only provides marginal funding for academic programs that serve English language learners.
“Lawmakers must also continue to invest in foreclosure prevention programs. The proposed cuts would undo our progress toward recovery. Rescue scams remain rampant, particularly among communities of color. More than one million Latino homeowners are at risk of losing their homes or have already lost their homes to foreclosure. More funding will allow housing counseling programs to continue helping families with foreclosure prevention, rental, and financial counseling that contributes to a successful recovery.
“The president’s budget blueprint is a better approach than what is under discussion in the House of Representatives this week. For one, the president’s plan recognizes that while we must balance our budget, we must also invest in making our country stronger and more globally competitive. The plan being considered in the House of Representatives, in contrast, fails to demonstrate a strategy to achieve serious deficit reduction, presents no rationale for specific budget cuts, and risks weakening American competitiveness. The president’s plan is a good starting point for Congress, and NCLR looks forward to working with lawmakers to develop a federal budget that ensures a stable future for our country.”
More information on Latino priorities in the president’s fiscal year 2012 budget proposal is available here.
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