Shaheen on Trump Budget Outline: A Blueprint for Undermining the Health and Well-Being of Granite Staters, Particularly Seniors

Statement

Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) released the following statement after reviewing the budget outline released by the Trump administration for fiscal year 2018:

"The Trump administration should immediately go back to the drawing board," said Shaheen. "This budget is a blueprint for undermining the health and well-being of Granite Staters and would be particularly devastating for seniors. It's needless and cruel to drastically cut programs that so many people in New Hampshire depend on like Meals on Wheels and heating assistance. It also makes no sense to cut clean air and water programs, coastal protection, and economic development to struggling rural communities.

"This budget outline also makes us less safe by decimating our nation's diplomatic corps and underfunding airport security. I've always sought bipartisan cooperation to find savings across the federal government but this can done without disproportionately targeting programs that are so important to New Hampshire. Republicans and Democrats agree that there should be continued investments in these programs and President Trump should expect broad bipartisan opposition to this mindless proposal."

The following are some of the devastating proposals included in the Trump administration's budget outline:

Eliminating the Northern Border Regional Commission, which has invested millions in economic development projects in Coos, Grafton, Carroll and Sullivan counties;
Eliminating the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which provides heating assistance to New Hampshire families and seniors during winter months;
Eliminating the Weatherization Assistance Program, which helps lower the cost of energy for low-income families by making energy efficiency modifications to their homes;
A 31 percent cut to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), including grant programs that have helped New Hampshire fight air pollution, improve water quality, as well as a major cut to Superfund cleanup efforts.

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