By Annie Acosta, Director of Fiscal and Family Support Policy

The President’s proposed Fiscal Year 2018 budget released last month would make unprecedented cuts to public education, health, transportation, housing, and countless other effective federal programs. These massive cuts would affect most Americans in one form or another, and would be particularly devastating to people with disabilities and their families. The budget is titled “The New Foundation for American Greatness” – but the reality couldn’t be more different. Here are five reasons the President’s proposed budget is anything but great for people with disabilities.

  1. More Cuts to Medicaid
    Under the President’s proposed budget, Medicaid, the primary health insurance and long term services and supports program for people with disabilities, would lose $610 billion over 10 years (on top of the over $830 billion in cuts in the American Health Care Act passed by the House of Representatives in March). The combined cuts roughly halve the program’s federal budget by 2027. Medicaid’s “optional” services, expected to take the brunt of such a drastic cut, include prescription drugs, physical therapy, and all home and community based services under state plan and “waiver” programs. Medicaid, including home and community based services, makes it possible for millions of people with disabilities to survive and to live and work in the community.
     
  2. Breaks the Promise on Social Security
    Despite President Trump’s promises to not cut Social Security, the budget also calls for over $72 billion in cuts to Social Security’s disability programs over the next 10 years, including cuts to Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Social Security and SSI benefits are modest, but absolutely essential for people with disabilities to put a roof over their head, food on the table, and to pay for their out-of-pocket medical expenses and disability related costs.
     
  3. Slashes Community Living Supports
    President Trump’s proposed budget would sharply reduce – or even eliminate – a wide variety of effective federal programs that help to make a life in the community possible for millions of people with disabilities. These include:
    • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides essential nutrition assistance for millions of people with disabilities, would face a 29 percent cut over 10 years. By 2027, over 5 million households that include a person with a disability could lose their SNAP benefit under this cut.
    • Affordable housing programs at the Department of Housing and Urban Development would face a nearly 15 percent cut in 2018. The President’s budget targets the Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities program for a proposed $25 million cut in 2018. This would leave the Section 811 program with insufficient funds to renew all existing project-based rental assistance contracts thereby placing current lease compliant tenants in 811 properties at imminent risk of homelessness.
    • Councils on Developmental Disabilities, independent living services, and traumatic brain injury services would see their funding to states eliminated and replaced with a new “innovation” program with less than half of the funding for the three programs.
       

    Click here to see a listing of discretionary programs and their proposed percentage cuts.

  4. Inadequate, Unworkable Paid Leave
    The President’s budget proposes a new paid leave program that would provide up to 6 weeks of paid leave for mothers and fathers to care for a newborn or newly adopted child. According to the Associated Press, “states would be required to provide leave payments through existing unemployment insurance programs and would have to identify cuts or tax hikes, as needed, to cover the costs.”The proposal has been widely criticized as both unworkable – creating an unfunded mandate to states that would burden and undermine already-fragile unemployment systems and inadequate. It leaves out the 75% of people who take leave in the U.S. for family caregiving and medical reasons – including people with disabilities who need leave to address their own health, and people who need leave to care for a family member with a disability or illness. In addition, 6 weeks often simply isn’t enough – particularly if you have a disability, are caring for a family member, or have a newborn in intensive care. In comparison, the Family and Medical Leave Act provides 12 weeks of unpaid leave. Finally, benefits would likely be insufficient: on average, state unemployment insurance programs presently only cover one third of a worker’s wages.
     
  5. Uses Bad Math and Benefits the Most Prosperous
    President Trump’s proposed budget purports to cut $3.6 trillion in spending to balance the budget in 10 years, while also offering more than $5.5 trillion in tax reductions. The outsized tax cuts come primarily from reducing or eliminating taxes that are paid predominantly by wealthy households. These include the estate tax, the alternative minimum tax, and individual income tax on income earned through “pass-through” entities. The end result is that the budget would overwhelmingly benefit profitable corporations and wealthy individuals.In addition, the entire budget is based on bad math that virtually all independent economic analysts have dismissed.
    • It assumes massive amounts of new revenue from a 50% increase in economic growth resulting from tax cuts, renegotiated trade deals, and deregulation.
       
    • It claims there will be no deficit after 10 years as dramatic economic growth will allow the government to collect about $2 trillion more in tax revenue. However, the budget doesn’t include the cost of the proposed tax cuts, therefore relying on its tax cuts to both pay for themselves and add $2 trillion in additional tax revenue.

Next Steps in the House and Senate

Federal budgets are statement of our nation’s values – and it’s clear to The Arc that this budget simply doesn’t reflect what most Americans value. Fortunately, the President’s budget merely conveys the Administration’s priorities and is non-binding. The House and Senate must each develop their own budgets and reconcile any differences to implement their budget plans.

The House is presently developing its budget and may release it after the July 4 recess and the Senate could take the House’s budget shortly afterwards. The House budget may include many of the harmful provisions in the President’s Budget outlined above.

The Arc and numerous organizations representing civil rights, human services, and other communities are deeply committed to preventing the passage of harmful budgets. We’re working together to put a face on these proposed cuts and to urge Congress to reject the President’s proposed budget.

46 thoughts on “It’s Budget Season in Washington – So Far These are the 5 Worst Things for People with Disabilities

  1. I’m the proprietor of JustCBD Store label (justcbdstore.com) and I am currently planning to expand my wholesale side of business. It would be great if anybody at targetdomain is able to provide some guidance ! I thought that the very best way to accomplish this would be to talk to vape shops and cbd stores. I was hoping if anybody at all could suggest a reliable site where I can purchase Vape Shop Business Data I am currently looking at creativebeartech.com, theeliquidboutique.co.uk and wowitloveithaveit.com. Not exactly sure which one would be the most ideal choice and would appreciate any support on this. Or would it be simpler for me to scrape my own leads? Ideas?

  2. Nice post. I learn something new and challenging on blogs I stumbleupon on a daily basis. It will always be helpful to read through content from other writers and use a little something from other sites.

  3. Good post. I learn something new and challenging on websites I stumbleupon everyday. It’s always interesting to read through articles from other authors and practice a little something from their sites.

  4. You’re so awesome! I do not think I’ve truly read something like this before. So good to find someone with some genuine thoughts on this issue. Seriously.. thank you for starting this up. This web site is something that is needed on the internet, someone with some originality!

  5. I’m amazed, I must say. Seldom do I come across a blog that’s both equally educative and engaging, and let me tell you, you’ve hit the nail on the head. The issue is something too few folks are speaking intelligently about. I am very happy that I came across this in my search for something regarding this.

  6. When I originally left a comment I seem to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now every time a comment is added I receive four emails with the same comment. Perhaps there is a means you can remove me from that service? Thank you!

  7. Hello there! I simply want to give you a big thumbs up for the excellent info you have right here on this post. I will be returning to your site for more soon.

  8. I needed to thank you for this fantastic read!! I certainly enjoyed every bit of it. I have you saved as a favorite to check out new stuff you post…

  9. Hi, I do think this is an excellent web site. I stumbledupon it 😉 I may revisit once again since I bookmarked it. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and continue to guide other people.

  10. Howdy, There’s no doubt that your web site may be having web browser compatibility problems. When I look at your website in Safari, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping issues. I merely wanted to provide you with a quick heads up! Aside from that, excellent website!

  11. Hello there, I do believe your website could possibly be having internet browser compatibility issues. When I take a look at your web site in Safari, it looks fine however, if opening in Internet Explorer, it’s got some overlapping issues. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Besides that, excellent website!

  12. Aw, this was an extremely nice post. Taking the time and actual effort to generate a superb article… but what can I say… I put things off a lot and don’t manage to get anything done.

  13. I absolutely love your blog.. Pleasant colors & theme. Did you develop this website yourself? Please reply back as I’m looking to create my very own blog and want to learn where you got this from or what the theme is named. Cheers!

  14. Hello there, There’s no doubt that your web site could possibly be having internet browser compatibility problems. Whenever I take a look at your site in Safari, it looks fine however when opening in Internet Explorer, it’s got some overlapping issues. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Apart from that, great site!

  15. Greetings! Very useful advice within this article! It’s the little changes that produce the most important changes. Many thanks for sharing!

  16. I must thank you for the efforts you have put in penning this website. I am hoping to check out the same high-grade blog posts by you in the future as well. In truth, your creative writing abilities has inspired me to get my own, personal website now 😉

  17. Oh my goodness! Amazing article dude! Thanks, However I am having issues with your RSS. I don’t know why I cannot join it. Is there anybody having the same RSS issues? Anybody who knows the solution can you kindly respond? Thanks!!

  18. Right here is the perfect website for anyone who would like to find out about this topic. You realize so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I really will need to…HaHa). You certainly put a fresh spin on a subject that’s been discussed for decades. Excellent stuff, just wonderful!

  19. Greetings! Very helpful advice within this post! It is the little changes which will make the biggest changes. Thanks a lot for sharing!

  20. Howdy, There’s no doubt that your website might be having web browser compatibility issues. Whenever I take a look at your blog in Safari, it looks fine however, when opening in IE, it has some overlapping issues. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Besides that, great site!

  21. You’re so cool! I do not believe I’ve truly read through anything like that before. So wonderful to discover another person with original thoughts on this subject. Really.. thank you for starting this up. This website is something that’s needed on the internet, someone with some originality!

  22. I’d like to thank you for the efforts you’ve put in writing this site. I’m hoping to check out the same high-grade blog posts by you later on as well. In truth, your creative writing abilities has inspired me to get my very own blog now 😉

  23. The very next time I read a blog, I hope that it doesn’t fail me as much as this particular one. I mean, I know it was my choice to read through, however I truly thought you would probably have something interesting to talk about. All I hear is a bunch of crying about something you can fix if you weren’t too busy looking for attention.

  24. Do you mind if I quote a few of your articles
    as long as I provide credit and sources back to your
    webpage? My blog is in the very same area of interest as yours and my visitors would really benefit from a lot of the
    information you present here. Please let me know if this alright with you.
    Thank you!

  25. I blog frequently and I really thank you for your information. Your article has really peaked my interest. I’m going to take a note of your blog and keep checking for new information about once per week. I opted in for your RSS feed too.

  26. After looking over a number of the articles on your web site, I truly appreciate your technique of writing a blog. I added it to my bookmark webpage list and will be checking back in the near future. Take a look at my website too and let me know what you think.

  27. Oh my goodness! Awesome article dude! Thanks, However I am experiencing difficulties with your RSS. I don’t know why I can’t subscribe to it. Is there anyone else having identical RSS issues? Anybody who knows the answer will you kindly respond? Thanx!!

  28. Spot on with this write-up, I honestly believe this amazing site needs a great deal more attention. I’ll probably be returning to read through more, thanks for the info!

  29. An impressive share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a colleague who had been doing a little homework on this. And he actually bought me dinner simply because I found it for him… lol. So allow me to reword this…. Thanks for the meal!! But yeah, thanks for spending time to discuss this subject here on your site.

  30. An intriguing discussion is worth comment. I do believe that you need to write more about this topic, it may not be a taboo subject but generally people do not speak about such topics. To the next! Kind regards!!

  31. I blog often and I really thank you for your information. This article has truly peaked my interest. I’m going to take a note of your website and keep checking for new information about once per week. I subscribed to your RSS feed as well.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *