Officials are quick to respond to the release of President Trump's proposed budget.
The 62-page budget , released Thursday, would zero out funding for dozens of program, saving taxpayers billions of dollars but setting up a major clash with members of Congress.
The budget includes a 28 percent spending cut in State Department programs for international aid and development assistance, and a 30 percent cut for the Environmental Protection Agency. It cut clean energy projects, agriculture programs and federal research spending.
The Pentagon, however, would get an increase of over $50 billion, and the Department of Homeland Security would get a 7 percent raise.
To bring the matter close to home, Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz has responded to the budget, stating:
“The Trump budget is an immoral affront to nearly all of our most important priorities: Seniors, children and families and the most important gift we can leave to future generations -- a clean and healthy environment. Aside from the horrific health care cuts that will push tens of millions of people into higher-cost plans, or no coverage at all, this budget proposal sacrifices too many safety, environmental, labor and health protections, all just to ultimately deliver grotesque tax breaks to the wealthy. It weakens or eliminates funding for, among many other things, transportation, clean energy, health research, public education and housing, legal services, national diplomacy, the arts and humanitarian aid. And while Trump’s budget purports to improve our national security, it reportedly starves crucial aspects of it by putting our coasts and airports in dire jeopardy. This budget proposal is a gut punch to America’s families, their needs and their values.”
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi is also slamming the budget. Pelosi told a Capitol briefing today that the budget does not reflect our nation's values. Pelosi says cuts to education spending are "stupid."
On the other hand, supporters of the bill, such as Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, a senior member of the House Budget and Appropriations Committees, believe that the proposal is just and will create opportunity. Diaz Balart has release a statement in reaction, saying:
“I am eager to carefully review the President's budget request. It is clear this budget attempts to focus on our nation's real fiscal challenges, and it is Congress' responsibility to thoroughly examine how and where we allocate the tax dollars of hard working Americans. Further, this budget request presents an opportunity to have a conversation about our national priorities and the need to address the drivers of our debt. I look forward to Congress exercising its oversight role and ultimately making funding decisions.”
The President's fiscal 2018 budget request will be formally delivered to Congress today.