Proposed Trump Budget through A Gender Lens

Proposed Trump Budget through A Gender Lens

Our work at Chrysalis involves helping decision-makers take into account how their decisions may disproportionately affect girls and women.  In this light, I’d like to share a few thoughts on the proposed budget received by Congress last week so that you gain an understanding of this “gender lens.”

If the proposed 2018 budget would pass as it stands:

  • Women may face more discrimination in the workforce, as cuts in the Department of Labor and Justice may lead to less compliance on equal pay laws, fewer job training programs available (including STEM training), and stalled efforts for paid family leave
  • Older women may lose assistance provided by the Senior Community Service Employment Program, which is to be eliminated
  • Reduced funding for the Department of Health and Human Services, in addition to change proposed by the American Health Care Act would significantly affect women by eliminating all funding to Planned Parenthood, which provides a significant amount of women’s health and reproductive care for low-income and uninsured women (in many areas of the country, it is the only source of reproductive health care, including 7 counties in Iowa), and effectively eliminate eligibility for Medicaid and children’s health programs for millions of low-income families
  • Cuts in the Department of Housing and Urban Development would reduce Meals on Wheels, which helps elderly, disabled, and poor persons (more women than men), reduce the Low Income Energy Assistance Program, and eliminate many affordable housing programs
  • Elimination of programs that help care for children,  seniors, and persons with disabilities will cause women to take time off or lose jobs in order to care for family
  • Billions of dollars will be cut from teacher training, after-school and summer programs, and aid to low-income minority students
  • Work-study aid to college students will be markedly reduced
  • Job training programs for vulnerable youth will be cut
  • Funding will be reduced for the supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children (known as WIC)
  • Funding would be eliminated for the Legal Services Corporation, National Endowment for the Arts, Center for Public Broadcasting, National Endowment for the Humanities, Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, United States Interagency Council on Homelessness

The Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Agriculture face tremendous and unprecedented cuts, while the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, and the National Nuclear Security administration gain significant amounts of funding.

 

To see a Bloomberg report on the federal agencies most effected:  https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2017-trump-budget/

 

As with many broad and public decisions, we keep a close eye on how the decision may effect girls, women, and families in an unanticipated or disproportionate way, and try to encourage lawmakers to do so as well.  We do this by building public awareness, providing educational information, and being represented when policies, ordinances, or laws are discussed.  It’s not lobbying – it’s advocacy.