Budget Battle Royale

“One Big, Beautiful Bill???”

President Trump has implored Congress to enact all his legislative priorities in “one big,
beautiful bill”. Despite a momentary setback in the House, the enormous scope and impact of
that bill is starting to take shape. We all need to understand what’s in it and how Republicans
intend to pass it. Budgets are all about priorities, and it’s clear that Republicans are prioritizing
tax cuts over the social safety net.
The bill includes Trump’s dreams of ending programs he does not like, centralizing more power
in his hands, and extending his 2017 tax cuts for the wealthy now set to expire at the end of
2025. And before you say he can’t do that because the Senate Democrats will filibuster the
bill, think again. There is an arcane way he can do it with only a majority vote in the Senate, not
the 60 votes required for most legislation.
For most legislation, Senate Democrats can “filibuster” the most egregious Trump proposals.
Republicans would need to muster 60 votes to pass their bills in a Senate where they currently
hold 53 seats. But the budget process allows for a “Reconciliation” bill to make it easier for
Congress to agree on a budget in a timely manner. A Reconciliation bill requires only a majority
vote in the Senate. And the Republicans intend to take full advantage by stuffing it with
everything Trump wants.
The House proposal, which currently runs over 1,100 pages, will change as it winds its way
through the legislative process. To pay for their massive tax cuts, Republicans are seeking $1.5
trillion in budget cuts to be applied over the next decade. Here is what we know thus far
(although this is a very fluid process and can change quickly):
 Republicans want to extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts which disproportionately lined the
pockets of higher income Americans. (70% of Trump’s tax cuts in the 2025 bill will go to
the top 5% of Americans.) These would cost an estimated $5 trillion over the next
decade. To avoid adding to the deficit, there will have to be major spending cuts. They
will come from domestic programs, not defense. In fact, defense and national security
budgets would be increased by $150 billion.
 To meet their targets, the House plans to cut close to $800 billion from the Medicaid
program which pays for health care services to low income, disabled and elderly
Americans. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 8.6 million people will lose

their health insurance coverage because of this bill. Hidden deep in this proposal is a
provision prohibiting Medicaid from reimbursing community health providers such as
Planned Parenthood that offer family planning and abortion services.
 New requirements imposed on states and recipients will slash $300 billion over the next
decade from the food stamp program (formally known as “SNAP” – the Supplemental
Nutrition and Assistance Program). This represents a 30% cut!

 The bill includes a wholesale attack on climate change initiatives, including repealing
grants for climate justice and clean energy programs and eliminating $6.5 billion in
unspent funds appropriated for climate-related projects.
 Oil and gas drilling permits would be expedited in part by weakening environmental
regulations. At the same time, it would hand the oil industry a big gift by reducing
royalties—money paid to the government for the right to drill on public land which is
owned by the American people.
 Subsidized student loans for undergrads and GradPLUS loans for graduate students
would be eliminated. $330 billion is anticipated in cuts and savings.
 The Education Department would be downsized and there would be massive reductions
in resources for public schools, including cuts of $1 billion in mental health
grants and funding for teacher training. At the same time, the bill provides $5 billion in
tax benefits for private school vouchers (including potentially religious schools).
 $46.5 billion would be allocated for the construction of Trump’s wall along the U.S. –
Mexico border. This is in addition to $4 billion to hire 3,000 new Border Patrol agents
and 5,000 Customs officers (plus $2.1 billion in signing bonuses for the agents) to
further Trump’s goal to remove one million immigrants annually from the U.S. and
house 100,000 in detention centers.

 Hundreds of thousands of acres of public lands in Nevada and Utah would be authorized
for sale. This could mark the beginning of sales of lands owned and managed by the
federal government for the use and benefit of all Americans.

 And the cherry on top: Elimination of the $200 tax on gun silencers which has existed
since 1934.
The five Republicans who voted against the bill last Friday want to reduce the massive
additional deficit this bill will cause. But instead of targeting the tax cuts for the wealthy, they

are looking for more funding cuts. Our goal must be the opposite – to persuade Congress not
to cut the deficit on the backs of ordinary Americans but to delete the tax cuts.
As the budget process plays out, we will alert you to developments. If we are to have any
success in halting Trump’s extremely cruel and ambitious plans, we need to encourage
dissension among Republicans and urge resistance among Democrats. This will happen ONLY IF
all Senators and Representatives—Republican and Democrat– hear from constituents about
the problems and unfairness the bill will create. Silence from constituents will be interpreted
by both Democrats and Republicans as acceptance.
So, don’t be silent, speak right up. Start today and call your Senators and Representatives
every week. And equally important, ask your friends, especially those in states with Republican
Representatives and/or Senators, to start calling too. Here’s a quick message:
 The House budget bill has it all wrong. If the goal is to cut the deficit, don’t do it on the
backs of those most in need. Hunger, lack of health care, and poor education are not
American values.
 Urge them not to extend the 2017 tax cuts, which mostly benefit the wealthy.
 Then pick your issue from the list above – or anything else you are concerned about –
and provide your views on that.
Keep your message short and sweet. Find contact information here for your Member of the
House and, here for your Senators. Call the local office – not the DC office – and let them know
you are a constituent.
This is our chance to limit the damage the Republicans seek to inflict on us.

“One Big, Beautiful Bill???”

The bill includes Trump’s dreams of ending programs he does not like, centralizing more power in his hands, and extending his 2017 tax cuts for the wealthy now set to expire at the end of 2025. And before you say he can’t do that because the Senate Democrats will filibuster the bill, think again. There is an arcane way he can do it with only a majority vote in the Senate, not
the 60 votes required for most legislation.

For most legislation, Senate Democrats can “filibuster” the most egregious Trump proposals. Republicans would need to muster 60 votes to pass their bills in a Senate where they currently hold 53 seats.

But the budget process allows for a “Reconciliation” bill to make it easier for
Congress to agree on a budget in a timely manner. A Reconciliation bill requires only a majority vote in the Senate. And the Republicans intend to take full advantage by stuffing it with everything Trump wants.

The House proposal, which currently runs over 1,100 pages, will change as it winds its way through the legislative process. To pay for their massive tax cuts, Republicans are seeking $1.5 trillion in budget cuts to be applied over the next decade.

Here is what we know thus far (although this is a very fluid process and can change quickly):

Republicans want to extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts which disproportionately lined the
pockets of higher income Americans. (70% of Trump’s tax cuts in the 2025 bill will go to the top 5% of Americans.) These would cost an estimated $5 trillion over the next
decade. To avoid adding to the deficit, there will have to be major spending cuts. They
will come from domestic programs, not defense. In fact, defense and national security budgets would be increased by $150 billion.
To meet their targets, the House plans to cut close to $800 billion from the Medicaid
program which pays for health care services to low income, disabled and elderly
Americans. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 8.6 million people will lostheir health insurance coverage because of this bill. Hidden deep in this proposal is a provision prohibiting Medicaid from reimbursing community health providers such as Planned Parenthood that offer family planning and abortion services.
New requirements imposed on states and recipients will slash $300 billion over the next decade from the food stamp program (formally known as “SNAP” – the Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program). This represents a 30% cut!
The bill includes a wholesale attack on climate change initiatives, including repealing grants for climate justice and clean energy programs and eliminating $6.5 billion in unspent funds appropriated for climate-related projects.
Oil and gas drilling permits would be expedited in part by weakening environmental regulations. At the same time, it would hand the oil industry a big gift by reducing royalties—money paid to the government for the right to drill on public land which is owned by the American people.
Subsidized student loans for undergrads and GradPLUS loans for graduate students
would be eliminated. $330 billion is anticipated in cuts and savings.
The Education Department would be downsized and there would be massive reductions in resources for public schools, including cuts of $1 billion in mental health
grants and funding for teacher training. At the same time, the bill provides $5 billion in tax benefits for private school vouchers (including potentially religious schools).
$46.5 billion would be allocated for the construction of Trump’s wall along the U.S. – Mexico border. This is in addition to $4 billion to hire 3,000 new Border Patrol agent and 5,000 Customs officers (plus $2.1 billion in signing bonuses for the agents) to further Trump’s goal to remove one million immigrants annually from the U.S. and house 100,000 in detention centers.
Hundreds of thousands of acres of public lands in Nevada and Utah would be authorized for sale. This could mark the beginning of sales of lands owned and managed by the federal government for the use and benefit of all Americans.
And the cherry on top: Elimination of the $200 tax on gun silencers which has existed since 1934.
The five Republicans who voted against the bill last Friday want to reduce the massive
additional deficit this bill will cause. But instead of targeting the tax cuts for the wealthy, they are looking for more funding cuts. Our goal must be the opposite – to persuade Congress not to cut the deficit on the backs of ordinary Americans but to delete the tax cuts.
As the budget process plays out, we will alert you to developments. If we are to have any success in halting Trump’s extremely cruel and ambitious plans, we need to encouragedissension among Republicans and urge resistance among Democrats. This will happen ONLY IF all Senators and Representatives—Republican and Democrat– hear from constituents about
the problems and unfairness the bill will create. Silence from constituents will be interpreted by both Democrats and Republicans as acceptance.

So, don’t be silent, speak right up. Start today and call your Senators and Representatives every week. And equally important, ask your friends, especially those in states with Republican
Representatives and/or Senators, to start calling too. Here’s a quick message:

The House budget bill has it all wrong. If the goal is to cut the deficit, don’t do it on thebacks of those most in need. Hunger, lack of health care, and poor education are not American values.
Urge them not to extend the 2017 tax cuts, which mostly benefit the wealthy.
Then pick your issue from the list above – or anything else you are concerned about –
and provide your views on that.
Keep your message short and sweet. Find contact information here for your Member of the House and, here for your Senators. Call the local office – not the DC office – and let them know you are a constituent.

This is our chance to limit the damage the Republicans seek to inflict on us.