9/11: Trump’s Proposed Budget


Suggested Member Script: “Hi, my name is . . . . , and I live in Durango, CO 81301.  I object to President Trump’s Proposed Budget because it’s cutting domestic programs we need the most, while giving the wealthiest corporations and families a big tax cut, and increasing defense spending by $30 B, a 10% increase.  

Since you will probably get a voicemail for your MOC, pick one or two of the following topics and tell them how these cuts would affect you, your family and/or your community.  It’s often strongest to “speak their language”, for example, indicate how money invested now saves money later, or gives the US a better future.   America ‘became great’ through our technological & health care innovations, namely “American Ingenuity”: let’s keep it great!   

  1. Strengthen the future of the U.S. economy by investing in research and development: support business innovation and job creation.Don’t eliminate the Economic Development Administration, the US Trade & Development Agency, the Rural Economic Development Program, or the Advanced Research Projects Agency (energy efficiency innovations).  

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/26/us/politics/trump-tax-cut-plan.html?_r=0

  1.  Likewise, support health care research, don’t make these cuts:
  • National Cancer Institute: $1 B cut.  1/3 of all Americans will get a cancer diagnosis in their lifetimes, a big healthcare cost.  
  • National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: $575 M cut.
  • National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases: $838 M cut.
  • National Institute of Health: $5.8 B cut, (18%)

https://www.indivisibleguide.com/resource/trumps-budget-need-know/

  1. Reduce natural and man-made disaster costs by protecting our natural resources and the environment:
  • Don’t cut the EPA budget $2.6 B, 31%; this endangers the Gold King Mine Spill disaster clean up funds for local water well owners.  
  • The EPA budget would slip lower than it’s been in four decades. Proposed cuts include the scuttling of more than 50 EPA programs and the elimination of 3,200 staff positions (over 20 percent of the department).
  1.  Keep funding programs that ensure basic living standards for families.

Human Services budget proposed to be cut by 18%, including:

  • Medicaid: $800B cut, 17%.  Medicaid health coverage reduces expensive E.R. visits, which some hospitals debate if they can afford to treat. Save human lives.   
  • Social Security Disability benefits: $72B cut
  • SNAP (food stamps) 29% cut
  • Don’t eliminate the CDBG, Community Development Block Grant.  CO would lose $33.7 M/year for Meals on Wheels, senior centers.    
  • These programs help families with children, who are our future, also seniors, who deserve security, as well as the most vulnerable Americans.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/trump-budget-benefits-cuts/?utm_term=.b2def90f20a3

  1. 5. Continue education for our current and future workforce:
  • Education Programs: nearly $5B cut, including Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) nearly 40% cut, $14.6M in Colorado.
  • Don’t eliminate: 21st Century Community Learning, Effective Instruction State Grants, and Comprehensive Literacy Development Grants, among others.
  • “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.”   

http://cclponline.org/a-better-budget/

  1.  Protect job training and preserve fair labor practices.
  • 6% cut to Nat’l Labor Review Board, which pursues unfair labor practices such as restricting employee rights to criticize mgmt. including by social media comments etc., by cutting 275 FTE positions.

https://www.bna.com/labor-board-funding-n73014451456/

  • ELIMINATES Senior Community Service Employment Program ($434M cut) which helps low income seniors find work with non-profits & public agencies.
  • SHRINKS Job Corps – workplace training for disadvantaged youth.

https://www.nationalskillscoalition.org/news/blog/trump-fy-2018-budget-slashes-funding-for-key-workforce-education-human-services-programs

  • merges EEOC (ALL discrimination cases) with the Federal Contract Compliance Program – 2 different issues

http://www.politico.com/tipsheets/morning-shift/2017/05/24/everything-you-need-to-know-about-trumps-budget-220486

  1.  Protect funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Many of our local public radio station programs rely on this funding.  Access to high quality, non-biased news is one of the pillars of our democracy.

WHO TO CONTACT:

Senator Cory Gardner, (R): Durango Office (970) 259-1710, Washington DC (202) 224-5941

www.gardner.senate.gov

Representative Scott Tipton, (R): Durango Office (970) 259-1490, Washington DC (202) 225-4761

https://tipton.house.gov/contact-me