  Let $M=W\cup_T V$ be an amalgamation of two compact 3-manifolds along a
torus, where $W$ is the exterior of a knot in a homology sphere. Let $N$ be the
manifold obtained by replacing $W$ with a solid torus such that the boundary of
a Seifert surface in $W$ is a meridian of the solid torus. This means that
there is a degree-one map $f\colon M\to N$, pinching $W$ into a solid torus
while fixing $V$. We prove that $g(M)\ge g(N)$, where $g(M)$ denotes the
Heegaard genus. An immediate corollary is that the tunnel number of a satellite
knot is at least as large as the tunnel number of its pattern knot.
