Saturday, May 27, 2017

Cleaver: Trump's budget is a budget that will hurt America

(From Fifth District Congressman Emanuel Cleaver)

President Trump released his fiscal year 2018 budget and with every line that I read, a sickening feeling began stirring at the thought of all of the Americans who will be harmed by this budget.

The President’s budget hurts American families and particularly hurts rural Americans the most - the very same rural working-class supporters who propelled him into office. The budget calls for $3.6 trillion dollars in cuts, the steepest proposed by any U.S. president.

President Trump proposes to cut SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, by almost one-third. This federal nutrition program helps families stretch their food budget, helping 44 million Americans last year. In previous years in Missouri, over 844,000 people were helped each month by SNAP. In the Fifth District of Missouri alone, 25,000 households receive SNAP benefits. Cuts to this program would leave children in our community hungry and without assistance. The budget also proposes funding cuts to the Meals on Wheels program. How could we intentionally let people go hungry?

President Trump would decimate programs that ensure children get the education and health care they need. The budget would cut rural health programs by 53 percent and cut the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) by 20 percent over the next two years. CHIP provides health insurance for the children of lower-working class families – currently insuring more than 5.6 million children.

The President’s budget would slash Medicaid, which provides health care for mothers with children and many people in nursing homes. Over 10 years, Medicaid funding would be cut by more than $800 billion.

Did I mention how this budget affects our farmers and those in agriculture? The budget calls for a 21 percent cut from the Department of Agriculture and puts crippling limitations on certain farm bill subsidies. It cuts Rural Business Cooperative Service by $95 million and cuts $498 million from Rural Water & Wastewater Program.

This is a budget I cannot support and will do everything in my power to see that Americans aren’t further harmed by this proposal.

3 comments:

Concerned citizen said...

Like what is acceptable for a sustainable republic? Spending others money to enslave others in poverty,illiteracy for politicians to stay in power and get rich...

Harvey Hutchinson said...

Right on, anonymous 8:37

Harvey Hutchinson 303-522-6622 voice&text 24/7

Anonymous said...

The top 1% love this budget. How dare you try to take up for the lowly masses that are underpaid for their work. Go with the religious right on this issue. You actually think Jesus would care for the poor, sick and elderly? What bible are you reading from? Pay them the lowest wages you can get away with and make damn sure they don't have any rights. Business is only for the rich so they can buy more Republicans and write the laws to benefit themselves. That is what your so called president is doing. Hail Caesar!! Or is it Orange Julius? He said he would get rich off being the president and now he is showing it. Total hypocrites. That is the party before country republicans for you. Take a bow. May God have mercy on your souls.