2018 Federal Budget Proposal: Local Representatives React

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — The Trump administration unveiled Tuesday its proposed budget for the fiscal year 2018, calling it “A New Foundation for American Greatness.” The $4.1 trillion budget proposal increases military spending by 10 percent and asks for more than $2.6 billion for border security, including $1.6 billion to begin building the border wall, the New York Times said.

The proposed budget also includes tax cuts and assumes the resulting growth in the economy will allow the budget to be balanced by 2027, the Times said.

Rep. Eliot L. Engel, D-Bronx, said the proposed budget was disgraceful and a non-starter in Congress.

“To say the cuts in the Trump Administration’s budget proposal would hurt most Americans really doesn’t describe the amount of pain people would feel if it were somehow enacted,” he said in a prepared statement.

“This proposal — save for the very rich — does not discriminate in who it hurts,” Engel said.

He said that, while candidate Trump unambiguously promised not to cut Medicaid, the budget proposed a $193 billion cut over 10 years.

The Community Development Block Grant, which states and municipalities rely upon for funding local development and infrastructure projects, would be completely eliminated, as would a program called HOME, which created affordable housing.

Engel said the National Institutes of Health, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Education Department would see substantial cuts.

“This all amounts to a devastating assault on every American — our housing, health care, safety, education and environment are all put at risk,” he said.

“We need to come up with a budget that works for the American people, not punishes them,” Engel said.

Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-Cold Spring, said the bill was “dead on arrival.”

In a tweet Tuesday, Maloney said, “This budget would devastate veterans, farmers, ppl w/disabilities, ppl living in poverty.”

Rep. John Faso, R-Kinderhook, said the president’s proposed budget makes some welcome recommendations such as balancing the budget in 10 years and increasing defense spending.

“Deep cuts to domestic programs, however, would threaten upstate New Yorkers at a time when a still-struggling regional economy and fragile jobs market have left many families concerned about the future,” he said.

“As a member of the Budget Committee, I intend to thoroughly review the details of this suggested budet plan and offer my support for policies and programs that thoughtfully reform federal spending and protect programs critical to our communities,” Faso said.

Rep. Nita Lowey, D-Harrison, pointed out that the proposed budget would undermine economic growth and job creation.

One example she gave was the proposed elimination of TIGER grants. Lowey helped secure a $10 million TIGER grant to help implement a bus rapid transit system on the New New York Bridge to better connect Rockland and Westchester counties.

She said the budget would prohibit Planned Parenthood from receiving any funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, preventing millions from receiving life-saving screenings and basic health care.

Another direct affect on New Yorkers would be elimination of Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which provided $364.2 million to help more than 1 million New York households afford heating and cooling last year.

“President Trump’s budget proposal is a cruel attack on the prosperity, health and safety of New York families,” Lowey said.

“It would gut critical services and programs secured in the Omnibus, including devastating whiplash for working New Yorkers, hospitals, law enforcement, schools and infrastructure across New York,” she said.

Photo credit: Alex Wong/News/Getty Images.