8 Ways The Trump Administration’s 2020 Budget Could Affect You

By Christianna Silva


President Donald Trump’s administration released its $4.7 trillion proposed financial range for 2020 on Monday, March 25, and it’s rife with cuts for programs that specifically aim to help marginalized groups. At the same time, the financial range reflects a five percent increase from the 2019 financial range, will increase the national debt, and aims to increase spending for defense and distribute an added $8.6 billion for funding for the controversial border wall, Bloomberg reports. Last year, Democrats blocked the President’s push for increased border wall funding in a standoff that led to a five-week federal government shutdown; here the administration is trying again to push its xenophobic policies through Congress.


At present, the financial range is just a proposal and will still have to create its way through Congress before being made law. However politicians are already voicing their disapproval, in the plainest terms. “President Trump has somehow managed to produce a financial range request even more untethered from reality than his past two,” Democratic Representative Nita Lowey, chairwoman of the Home Appropriations Committee, mentioned in a statement, according to Reuters.


Right now that the Home of Representatives is controlled by Democrats, the policies recommended by the financial range will probably have an even more tough time making their way through Congress. Although, the proposal serves as a blueprint of the ways in which the President and his administration prioritizes its spending, a fact that has always been hiding in plain sight. Here’s what you have got to know about how some of the most aggressive recommended cuts.


1. The Environmental Protection Business would receive a 31 percent cut


The EPA, an organization tasked with protecting human and environmental health, is facing cuts for the third year in a row. EPA cuts tend to affect poor communities of color, which already suffer more from toxic pollution than their prosperous white counterparts, according to the Guardian.


The discrepancy is indicative of the environmental racism inherent in climate change; addressing the stressors placed on communities like Flint, Michigan, and the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation is an essential component of adequately combating global warming, which the Trump Administration has routinely denied. The Environmental Defense Fund also says these cuts could lead to “more lead, toxic chemicals, and contaminated water — jeopardizing the health and safety of all Americans.”


2. The financial range slashes funding for Medicare


Throughout his presidential election campaign, Trump famously promised that Medicare, the primary medical coverage provider for people older than 65 who are living with a disability, would remain untouched. Nevertheless, his offered budget cuts the program by $845 billion this year, and $1.5 trillion over the next decade. Tellingly, the article on his campaign website that asserted the stance, is no longer obtainable — but the URL, ending in "why-donald-trump-wont-touch-your-entitlements," is still there


3. All government funding for The unique Olympics is at risk


Trump’s financial range offered cutting funding to education for the third year in a row, leading Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to propose a complete elimination of all grant money — which equates to $17.6 million — for The individual Olympics in 2020. She claims that the nonprofit can simply run on private contributions alternatively opposed to being federally funded.


“Given our current financial range realities, the federal government cannot fund every worthy program, particularly ones that appreciate robust support from private donations,” DeVos mentioned in a statement Wednesday, March 27, according to CNN. Once asked by a Home of Representatives subcommittee on Tuesday, March 26, DeVos did not know how several children could be affected by the cut.


For context, $17.6 million is roughly 0.2 percent of the $8.6 billion Trump offered for the border wall, which experts mention will not work. It is also far less than half the cost of the $40 million yacht owned by Betsy DeVos that was set adrift on Lake Huron in July 2018, one of her fleet of 10 boats total.


4. Native American scholarships could potentially be defunded


For the second year in a row, the Trump administration offered defunding a federal grant program that provides college scholarships to Native American students. Such a move would slash nearly $40 million from the Bureau of Indian Education.


“The Higher Education Grant is an enormous benefit for thousands of Navajo students a year and for the future of the Navajo Nation,” Navajo Country President Jonathan Nez mentioned in a press release. “It’s very disappointing that these funds continue to come under threat by this administration. We'll look to our leaders in the Residence and Senate to restore these funds throughout the financial range process.”


5. Social Security is getting cut, too


According to the Center for Financial range and Policy Priorities, Social Security assists the more Residents of the United States escape poverty than any other program, yet the proposed financial range still aims to cut $25 billion from Social Security over 10 years. This includes cuts to disability insurance.


6. Funding for food stamps is in danger


The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps, is facing a $220 billion cut over the next 10 years. According to the Center for Financial range and Policy Priorities, SNAP, which provides dietary support for low-wage working families, low-income seniors, and people with disabilities, is the “most responsive federal program issuing added assistance while in economic downturns” soon after unemployment insurance. There really are currently around 38 million people who use SNAP.


7. Short-term Assistance for Needy Families faces a $21 billion cut


The planned financial range would cut $21 billion from the Short-term Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), a program that provides grant funds to states that permits them to supply families with money assistance and other support services like child care assistance, job preparation, and work assistance, according to benefits.Gov. It cooperates with the the lowest-income people in the country.


8. Student cash advance programs would be cut


It’s already incredibly hard for non-wealthy Americans to afford college. The new financial range proposes cutting $207 billion from student cash advance programs, and wants to eliminate the Public Service Cash advance Forgiveness program altogether. The plan would also torch the practice of subsidized student loans, which assists the lessen the load for students who are currently enrolled, or people with cash advances facing some group kind of economic hardship. Basically, if you’re seeking a higher-education degree, the new financial range would require you to either buy your way into college, or take on so much debt that you may never pay it off.