On March 16, President Trump submitted to Congress an outline of his FY2018 budget request. The budget would allocate $1.15 trillion in discretionary funding for FY2018. The summary below provides an overview of funding levels for programs important to women and their families.
Department of Agriculture
The budget proposes $17.9 billion in discretionary spending for the Department of Agriculture, a $4.7 billion decrease from the amount allocated in the FY2017 Continuing Resolution (CR) (P.L. 114-254) (see Other Publications, 12/10/16). This amount includes $6.2 billion for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The budget request would eliminate funding for the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education Program, which provides food and educational assistance to countries in need.
Department of Defense
The administration’s request for the Department of Defense (DOD) proposes $639 billion in discretionary funding, a $52 billion increase over FY2017 (CR). This amount includes $574 billion for the base budget and $65 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations. Funding for military personnel, family housing, and the Defense Health Program is provided within the DOD budget.
Department of Education
The Department of Education budget would receive $59 billion in discretionary funding in FY2018, a $9 billion reduction from the FY2017 CR level, and includes $13 billion for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which provides funding for special education programs.
Department of Health and Human Services
The budget proposes $69 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services, a $15.1 billion decrease below the CR. This amount includes funding to implement the 21st Century Cures Act (P.L. 114-255), support health care services that provide assistance to low-income populations, and would allocate funds to create a new emergency response fund to combat public health outbreaks, such as Zika. The National Institutes of Health would receive $25.9 billion, a reduction of $5.8 billion from FY2017.
Department of Housing and Urban Development
The administration’s FY2018 request for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides $40.7 billion in discretionary funding, a $6.2 billion decrease from the FY2017 CR level. Funding for Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS and Family Self-Sufficiency programs are housed within HUD.
Department of Justice
The budget proposes $27.7 billion for the Department of Justice, a $1.1 billion decrease below the CR. Programs to address violence against women are administered by the Office on Violence Against Women within the Justice Department.
Department of Labor
The Department of Labor would receive $9.6 billion, a $2.5 billion decrease below FY2017 (CR). This would include a reduction in funding for job training programs. The Labor Department houses the Women’s Bureau and administers the Women in Apprenticeships program.
Department of State
The administration proposes $25.6 billion for the Department of State, a $10.1 billion decrease below the CR level. This request would maintain the federal government’s commitments to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, and would allocate $1 billion to provide vaccinations for children in low-resource countries. However, the budget would reduce funding to the United Nations and affiliated agencies.
Department of Veterans Affairs
The administration’s FY2018 request would provide $78.9 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs, a $4.4 billion increase over the CR. The VA administers several programs to address the health of women veterans. The request includes $7.3 billion to allow veterans to seek private health care.
Other Agencies
The budget request includes funding for the Small Business Administration, which would receive $826.5 million, a decrease of $43.2 million from the FY2017 CR. This amount includes $28 million for Microloan Technical Assistance.
The administration’s request also would eliminate funding for the Legal Services Corporation, which provides legal assistance for low-income citizens.
