5 Things to Know About Donald Trump's Budget

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Thursday, March 16, 2017

2. $15.1 Billion Spending Decrease for Health and Human Services

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell speaks at a news conference to announce the results of a national Medicare fraud takedown at the Justice Department in Washington June 18, 2015. The U.S. Department of Justice said on Thursday that 243 people have been arrested across the country, charged with submitting fake billing for Medicare, a government healthcare programme, that totaled 2 million. | (Photo: REUTERS/Yuri Gripas)

Health and Human Services, the Department that was the subject of dozens of lawsuits during the Obama Administration over its birth control mandate, gets a substantial decrease in funding compared to fiscal year 2017.

"The President's 2018 Budget requests $69.0 billion for HHS, a $15.1 billion or 17.9 percent decrease from the 2017 annualized CR level," reads page 21 of the Budget.

"This funding level excludes certain mandatory spending changes but includes additional funds for program integrity and implementing the 21st Century CURES Act."

The CURES Act is an Obama-era program for disease research.

Specific cuts include $5.8 billion reduction in National Institutes of Health spending, elimination of $403 million in health professions and nursing training programs, and elimination of $4.2 billion discretionary programs within the Office of Community Services.

The administration argues that these cuts were proposed as a result of the programs either being ineffective or being reorganized for greater efficiency.

"The Budget eliminates programs that are duplicative or have limited impact on public health and well-being," continued the document.

"The Budget allows HHS to continue to support priority activities that reflect a new and sustainable approach to long-term fiscal stability across the Federal Government."