WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bread for the World warned that the current FY 2018 budget outline drafted by President Donald J. Trump would worsen hunger and poverty in the U.S. and abroad. The cuts to domestic social safety net programs and foreign aid are aimed to boost the Pentagon’s budget by 10 percent.
“President Trump is proposing slashing programs that help hungry and poor people,” said Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World. “These programs include nutrition assistance in the U.S. and aid to poor and hungry people around the world. This comes when 20 million people are at risk of famine in South Sudan and elsewhere in Africa. Everyone should be alarmed by these cuts.”
According to the Office of Management and Budget, the State Department should expect significant budget cuts. Funding for foreign aid and nutrition and development programs comes from the State Department’s budget. These programs help reduce malnutrition and significantly improve the lives of mothers and children.
In his draft budget outline released today, Trump proposes a 15 percent cut across all non-defense discretionary spending. Selected programs are slated for significantly higher cuts. Currently, the US spends less than 1 cent per dollar on foreign aid, but even this could be cut by 30 percent. The Department of Defense would get a $54 billion boost.
“Last year, we saw the number of people suffering from hunger and poverty in this country fall,” said Beckmann. “Cutting funding anti-poverty programs will increase hunger and poverty. We cannot let poor and hungry people suffer further. Americans need to contact their members of Congress and tell them to stop this madness.”
While an outline of the budget was released today, the full details are slated to be available on March 14.
Bread for the World (www.bread.org) is a collective Christian voice urging our nation’s decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad.
