Nancy Pelosi criticizes cuts to diplomacy and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting

House Democratic Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D- California, is continuing her sharp attacks against the President’s first budget proposal for fiscal year 2018. During an interview for “Face the Nation” moderator John Dickerson asked Pelosi to respond to the comments White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney made justifying the steep cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the National Endowment for the Arts saying, “Can we really continue to ask a coal miner in West Virginia or a single mom in Detroit to pay for these programs?”

“For him to use that phrase is something quite appalling.” Pelosi said. “He didn’t say anything about tax reform so that we have fairness in our tax code.” The Democratic Leader went on to defend the Corporation for Public Broadcasting saying that the money directed to funding the corporation “is like the hair on my head compared to the budget.”

In keeping with the president’s promise to “put America first,” the proposal includes steep cuts to diplomatic and development ventures through the State Department, while shifting an additional $54 billion to defense spending. Pelosi argued that the “strength of our country” is measured by a variety of factors.

“They’re taking money out of diplomacy,” Pelosi said and added, “They’re taking money out of areas that are part of our strength. Diplomatic -- soft power. How could they be doing that?”

For more of our interview with Leader Pelosi click here.