Madison Aument
For 91.9 KVCR News, I’m Madison Aument. This is Economics IE.
Last week, Congressman Pete Aguilar, who represents parts of southwestern San Bernardino County, joined Meals on Wheels and the Family Service Administration to deliver meals to seniors in Fontana and San Bernardino. Aguilar says he wants to highlight how important programs like these are—especially amid the confusion surrounding President Trump’s executive order to freeze federal spending. Two judges ruled the Trump administration must pause its federal spending freeze, but uncertainty remains.
I spoke to Congressman Aguilar about the freeze and his role on the Appropriations Committee.
First, this pause on federal funding is being held up in court. What do you think is going to happen?
Rep. Pete Aguilar
Well, look, I think the chaos and the confusion is the problem here… I mean, this is a Republican-induced rip-off, and what they're trying to do is to reduce expenditures so they can pay for tax cuts for billionaires and wealthy corporations. That's the goal. That's Donald Trump's stated goal. And so we want to continue to talk about the importance that these programs play in the lives of our seniors. I think the goal for Donald Trump and House Republicans who have enabled him is to reduce expenditures, to reduce the cost that the federal government is spending. And unless people make their voices heard, they're going to try to find every bit of savings they can to pay for this tax cut that goes to the wealthiest 1% in our country. We need to show the importance of these programs and how they're affecting people's lives, you know, each and every day. And so that's why it's important that we talk about these programs and lift up the important work that these people do.
Madison Aument
So you're heading back to DC next week. You're on the Appropriations Committee in a Congress that's now majority Republican. What is the plan to stop some of these cuts?
Rep. Pete Aguilar
Well, look, we've got a lot of ideas and plans. I've served in Congress long enough that I remember when Donald Trump was president the first time and Republicans had unified control of government. Nothing is permanent. We're going to continue to highlight this dysfunction and the fact that they're trying to rip off taxpayers and seniors, whose tax dollars should be coming back to this area, by the way. You know, California spends $80 billion more in tax revenue than we receive. So these are programs that our residents are entitled to, and it's important that we highlight them. So I'm going to work with my colleagues. I'm going to work with Democrats and reasonable Republicans—because there are a few—to ensure that we have vital, vital funding for these programs.
Madison Aument
Well, thank you so much for your time, Congressman.
Rep. Pete Aguilar
Thank you. I appreciate it. Thanks a lot. Good to see you.
Madison Aument
Join us again next Monday for Economics IE. You can find this segment at kvcrnews.org/econie. Support for this segment comes from the Nowak Family. For KVCR News, I'm Madison Aument.
