Trump Budget ‘Robs the Poor to Pay the Rich’
Washington, D.C. – Bread for the World today slammed President Trump’s fiscal year 2018 budget as unconscionable and shortsighted. It noted that more than half of the spending cuts would be taken from programs focused on ending hunger and poverty.
“President Trump’s budget robs the poor to pay the rich,” said Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World. “More than half of the spending cuts come from programs focused on ending hunger and poverty in the U.S. and around the world.”
The budget proposes drastic cuts to programs that are critical to helping people living in hunger and poverty in the U.S. It cuts SNAP (food stamps) by $193 billion, refundable tax credits for low-income working families by more than $40 billion, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) by more than $21 billion. Medicaid would receive an additional $610 billion cut above the $880 billion already taken from the program in the American Health Care Act, which passed the House earlier this month.
“The proposed cuts are a double whammy for the 1 in 8 families in the United States who are at risk of hunger,” Beckmann said. “Millions of working families struggling to make ends meet would be pushed into hunger and poverty by this budget. Millions more who are already living in hunger and poverty would find themselves with nowhere to turn.”
The budget also makes severe cuts to international programs during a time of unprecedented need. It eliminates funding for International Food Aid, the McGovern-Dole Food for Education Program, and Development Assistance. Global nutrition programs are cut by almost half. Currently, 20 million people are at risk of starvation in famine or near-famine conditions in Africa and the Middle East.
“The U.S. must continue its leadership during times of global crisis,” Beckmann said. “I urge people of conscience to contact their members of Congress and tell them to vigorously resist these budget cuts.”
In response to Trump’s budget, Bread and its faith partners have launched a nationwide, monthly fast to ask God’s help with their advocacy for hungry and poor people.
Tools
from our Resource Library
For Education
Election Resources
One of the best times to raise the issues of hunger and poverty is during election campaigns. Engage candidates in your state/district on hunger and poverty using our elections resources.Fact Sheet: Expand the Child Tax Credit to Significantly Reduce Child Hunger
Expanding the CTC would do more to reduce hunger and poverty among our nation's children than any single policy has in decades.Racially Equitable Responses to Hunger During COVID-19 and Beyond
Food insecurity and COVID-19 have a reciprocal relationship. Learn more.
For Faith
Finding Hope, Ending Hunger on Both Sides of the Border: A Bilingual Latino Devotional
Devotional writers challenge us to feel the Spirit of God within us and to hear God’s urgent call to demand justice so all can put food on the table.The Bible on Health as a Hunger Issue
“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in faith.” These words from Colossians 2:6 remind us of the faith that is active in love for our neighbors.
The Bible on...
Unity Declaration on Racism and Poverty
A diverse body of Christian leaders calls on the churches and Congress to focus on the integral connection.
Dear Members of Congress,
As the president and Congress are preparing their plans for this year, almost 100 church leaders—from all the families of U.S. Christianity—are...
For Advocacy
Fact Sheet: Coronavirus (COVID-19) and SNAP
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is designed to respond to changes in need, making it well suited to respond to crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fact Sheet: Why We Need $200 Million for Global Nutrition Programs
Bread for the World and its partners are asking Congress to provide $200 million for global nutrition in the fiscal year 2020 budget.
Fact Sheet: Hunger by the Numbers
In 2017, 11.8 percent of households in the U.S.—40 million people—were food-insecure, meaning that they were unsure at some point during the year about how they would provide for their next meal.