Budget Proposal
Released May 23, 2017

Policy Summary

Trump’s budget proposal that was released on Tuesday, May 23 follows through with the AHCA bill’s $800 billion in cut to Medicaid over the next decade. As anticipated from the budget draft, this reduction would lead to 23 million fewer Americans insured. Along with work requirements for Medicaid eligibility, the administration is also encouraging states to impose stricter work requirements for other anti-poverty programs such as food stamps, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and housing assistance. In Georgia, state work requirements for food stamps reduced the number of recipients by more than half. Federal funding for SNAP would decrease by about $190 million over the next ten years according to the new budget. Republicans tend to support this reduction as it saves federal money and encourages people to get to work while Democrats tend to reject it, saying the federal government is leaving the most vulnerable citizens with no safety net for their basic needs. LEARN MORE

Analysis

This proposal is still in its preliminary stages and has a long way to go before anything actually changes. Although lawmakers are likely to alter or dismiss much of it, the proposal provides insight into the priorities of the administration. Those priorities seem to include slashing programs that help the poor such as Medicaid and Food Stamps while giving tax cuts to wealthy Americans. Budget director Mick Mulvaney claims that many of the changes to anti-poverty programs are to encourage recipients to get jobs. However, SNAP already requires able-bodied, childless adults to find jobs within three months and to work at least 20 hours a week. About 44% of the 42 million people who receive SNAP benefits already have at least one family member working. The problem may not be that recipients are not working, but rather that they are not earning enough at their jobs. LEARN MORE

Engagement Resources

This brief was compiled by Ann Furbush. If you have comments or want to add the name of your organization to this brief please contact Ann@usresistnews.org.


 

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