Alan Lowenthal: “That is exactly right. They think that you can cut these because these are nonessential. These are not nonessential. If…”

“That is exactly right. They think that you can cut these because these are nonessential. These are not nonessential. If you tell a child that his education is nonessential or if you tell a family that public health or health research to those families is discretionary or if you tell those scientists who are trying to find cures for some of the worst diseases that they are just discretionary, we will lose the momentum that this country has, and we will no longer be the world leader in democracy and also no longer in innovation and job creation. No, these are not discretionary programs. These are essential programs that are different than defense programs. To call them discretionary does a great disservice to the great importance and to the centerpiece of our budget that they really occupy and should occupy and that all Americans should understand.”