President Trump Releases Budget Proposal for Fiscal Year 2018

On Thursday, March 16, President Donald Trump released “America First: A Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again,” the Administration’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2018.

The proposal includes a $54 billion increase in defense spending, countered by reductions to a number of federal agencies including an 18 percent decrease for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), excluding funding for Medicare and Medicaid.  There is a $5.8 billion cut to the National Institutes of Health. The President’s budget includes a six percent increase to Veterans’ programs. 

Like previous Presidents’ budget proposals, the document is a statement of priorities, and may not advance on the Hill.  Congress will propose separate funding legislation in the coming weeks.

Read President Trump’s budget proposal here.