Pelosi praises Obama budget — silent on spending cutbacks.

Clyburn: "This budget has a positive vision for the future, and puts our country back on a responsible fiscal path that focuses on living within our means."

Pelosi Statement on President Obama’s Budget Proposal

Washington, D.C. – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today on President Obama’s budget request for fiscal year 2012:

“Our federal budget must be a statement of our values as a nation, reflecting the best interests of the American people, and making the tough choices necessary to keep our country strong, our communities secure, and our economy growing.

“The President’s budget takes critical steps forward toward fulfilling these goals, while helping us live within our means and reducing the deficit. We must do more to expand economic opportunities that create jobs, grow our economy, strengthen innovation, and keep America competitive.

“Democrats stand committed to work with the President and Congressional Republicans to get our fiscal house in order, attack waste, fraud, and abuse in the budget, and invest in jobs and economic growth.”

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CLYBURN STATEMENT ON THE PRESIDENT’S FY ‘12 BUDGET

“President Obama’s reflects the stark realities before this nation—we’re beginning to recover from the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression and this budget makes the targeted investments necessary to build upon the 11 months of economic growth put in place by this president and the last Congress. However, it also begins to put our fiscal house in order, by tightening our belt and reducing the deficit by $1.1 trillion. I believe this budget has a positive vision for the future, and puts our country back on a responsible fiscal path that focuses on living within our means.

“House Republicans by contrast have put forward a budget for the remainder of this fiscal year that reaches back to the failed policies of the Bush administration, and would return our fragile economy to recession. Instead of a forward-thinking plan that puts America in position to out-educate, out-innovate and out-build our competitors in a global economy, it indiscriminately slashes certain programs to the bone, almost to score rhetorical political points. It hits the people who are struggling the most—students, seniors, veterans and the middle class.

“I look forward to the debate ahead over budgeting priorities. Democrats will continue to measure each proposal on whether it strengthens the middle class, creates jobs and reduces debt.”