President Donald Trump’s coming budget plan proposes a massive 25 percent cut in food stamps, a move that could impact millions of Americans.
The plan is part of the 2018 budget blueprint for Congress, set for publication on Tuesday. Trump’s aim is to balance the federal budget within 10 years with the implementation of cuts to assistance to low-income families, Medicaid, farm subsidies, and federal pensions.
The cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program comes as part of a wider so-called welfare reform initiative worth $274 billion over the next decade.
Cuts to food stamps would be significantly larger than any previously attempted by House Republicans, amounting to $193 billion, and would achieve that goal through limited eligibility criteria and conditional work requirements. Around 42 million Americans are currently on the program.
Medicaid would see $800 billion in funding cuts over the decade.
Once the White House’s budget suggestion goes out on Tuesday it will be down to Congress, who appropriate the funds, to decide whether to back it or not. According to the Washington Post, however, some party Republicans may refuse to approve such enormous cuts to programs for low-income Americans.
The budget also proposes taxpayer funding of the promised Mexico border wall, requesting $1.6 billion to build it and a further $300 million for additional border security programs.