1. The Budget Outlook: What it Means for Women of Color
Tazra Mitchell Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
April 29, 2017

2. Potential Threats
Health “reform” that results in loss of coverage/access
Tax “reform” that results in large loss in revenues and/or bad policy
Underfunding of non-defense discretionary programs
Cuts in key low-income entitlements

3. The Budget has Two Major Parts
Mandatory
Spending occurs without annual action by Congress
Also known as entitlement spending, such as Social Security, Medicaid, and SNAP
Discretionary
Congress sets funding levels each year
●Defense spendingssss
●Non-defense spending

4. Non-Defense Discretionary Spending, FY2016

5. Skinny Budget Targets Non-Defense Discretionary Programs for Deeper Cuts

6. Trump Budget Harms Those He Promised to Help
His budget cuts NDD programs by $54 billion in FY18, shifting the funds to defense. Some programs that he would cut include:
Student aid and work-study programs that help needy students afford college
Job training that helps workers upgrade their skills
Housing aid for hard-pressed families struggling to pay the rent
His budget would eliminate 4 discretionary block-grant programs: 
LIHEAP, CDBG, the HOME program, and CSBG. These cuts alone total $8.0 billion, or nearly half of discretionary block grant spending. 
These cuts would come on top of a 37% drop in funding for block grants targeted on low- and moderate-income people since 2000*
* Adjusted for inflation and population

7. Congressional Budget Resolution Could Pave the Way for Harmful Tax Reform
Budget Resolution could include “reconciliation instructions” that would allow Congress to pass tax reform with simple majority in Senate
Big question: will budget resolution allow tax reform bill to lose trillions in revenue?

8. Low-Income Entitlements May Ultimately be Targeted for Cuts
If deficit reduction is the goal, then low-income entitlements are the likely target
They are “what’s left” if you are:
Unwilling to raise taxes (or worse, cut taxes),
Don’t want to cut discretionary further, and
Social Security and Medicare are off-the-table

9. What Can You Do? Join our email list to receive updates
Download and share materials from CBPP’s website or social media accounts
Reports, factsheets, blog posts, etc.
Tell the story of how these programs affect your work and community
Contact your Congressional delegation — call, write, or even better, meet with them