The Hill News

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) lambasted House Republicans on Monday for opposing a $26 billion package of aid to states while supporting an extension of President George W. Bush's tax cuts.

Pelosi said the state aid legislation â€" which would prevent teacher layoffs, among other goals â€" would save American jobs without adding to the deficit. She contrasted that with the tax cuts, which are not paid for with equivalent spending cuts.

"Congressional Republicans want to saddle future generations with nearly $700 billion in debt to extend tax cuts for the wealthiest few, while opposing a fully paid-for jobs bill that reduces the deficit and keeps teachers in the classroom and police officers on the beat," Pelosi said.

Republicans have characterized the bill as a gift to Democratic interest groups. Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) called the legislation "a payoff to union bosses and liberal special interests," also pointing out that part of th! e legislation is paid for with a tax increase on multinational corporations.

Pelosi said Republicans' support for tax cuts while opposing the jobs package was reminiscent of the "failed Bush policies that left us with deep deficits, a deep recession, and the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression."