2027 Presidential Budget Request Will Make Life Harder
Floor Speech
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Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleagues from the Congressional Progressive Caucus and Assistant Democratic Leader Joe Neguse to call out the many ways that Donald Trump's 2027 budget request will make life harder for our neighbors and constituents.
I will start with the fact that families across the country are already hurting because of Republican policies. Last year, Trump's budget bill made drastic cuts to healthcare and food assistance, and 17 million people will lose healthcare coverage as a result. Yet, that wasn't enough for Trump because his 2027 budget proposal cuts even more.
For example, the President's budget request eliminates $4 billion of affordable housing investments, wiping out programs that help families find housing, stay in their homes, and get back on their feet.
My district has suffered from severe floods over the last 2 years, and some of my constituents were displaced from their homes. As rents rise, Trump wants to cut programs that are designed to help keep a roof over their heads.
The President's budget also eliminates LIHEAP, a program that helps 5 million families afford their utility bills, leaving them unable to cool their homes in the summer or pay heating bills in the winter. When you combine that with surging prices at the gas pump because of Trump's illegal war with Iran, Trump is making the American people suffer twice.
As if this wasn't bad enough, Trump's budget proposal also calls for deep cuts to food assistance like SNAP and WIC. These are programs that help mothers and young children afford fruits and vegetables.
With all of these cuts, what is Trump increasing the budget for? One word: war.
As he proposes to cut $73 billion for housing, food, education, and health, he is asking for $1.5 trillion for the Pentagon, a record- shattering amount that demonstrates just how detached Trump is from our constituents' needs and priorities.
Trump started a cruel, illegal, deeply unpopular war that costs billions of dollars every day, sent gas prices skyrocketing, and triggered a global fuel crisis.
This budget request would enable him to do more destruction with more money, while lining the pockets of his defense contractor friends. This makes us all less safe.
Just last week, Trump said: ``It is not possible'' to help Americans afford healthcare or childcare because ``we are fighting wars.''
Through this budget request, Trump isn't just waging illegal wars abroad. He is waging war on working families here at home.
I thank my colleagues for joining me to talk about how Trump's proposed budget request would make a tough situation even worse for working families.
Mr. Speaker, I now yield the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Neguse), the Assistant Democratic Leader.
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Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I now yield the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler).
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Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I now yield the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano).
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Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Stansbury)
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Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Brown).
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Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Rivas).
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Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Barragan).
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Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. He was here at the beginning of this Special Order hour, waiting patiently to make the case for his district and the people he was sent to fight for here in Washington.
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Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Tlaib).
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Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues who joined us on the floor today, as well as Assistant Democratic Leader Neguse for cohosting this Special Order hour.
We are all elected to bring our constituents' voices here to Congress and to pass policies that help them live better lives. I urge my colleagues to protect housing, education, and healthcare especially; in other words, to prioritize the needs of all of our constituents.
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