- On Tuesday, House Republicans voted to pass a budget blueprint that includes trillions of dollars in cuts to mandatory federal spending.
- Step one of the republican budget plan is in effect.
- Watch the video above to hear from political science professors and Southwest neighbors on how the budget could impact those here in the Big Bend.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT
We've reached step one for the budget blueprint President Trump's agenda.
"Theoretically, they're going to try and move this within the next month or two."
I'm Terry Gilliam your Southwest Tallahassee neighborhood reporter.
I look into what this recently passed Republican budget is and how some neighbors see it affecting them.
"So, it's reform? Yes, cuts? No."
Sylvia Hubbard is a retired Southwest Tallahassee neighbor. She was giving me her opinion on a new bill centering around the Trump administrations agenda.
On Tuesday, House Republicans voted to pass a budget blueprint that includes trillions of dollars in cuts to mandatory federal spending.
Some lawmakers and neighbors like Hubbard say it could most likely cut entitlement programs like social security and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Hubbard has worked with many neighbors on government assistance programs. She says it could be in jeopardy.
"I am very concerned because it just hurts people that need it the most. The poor people."
But GOP congressional leaders say it's not so. I spoke with UCF political science professor, Dr. Aubrey Jewett, about what this bill means.
"This is the first step in the budget process. The house blueprint puts big targets for how much they want to cut taxes, how much they want to cut spending and in broad policy areas; how much they plan on spending."
I also asked Dr. Jewett if neighbors who are on government programs should be concerned.
"I don't think you have to worry about social security or Medicare being cut. The fact is there's bipartisan agreement that those programs are really important."
"Having said that, both programs are expected to run out of money in six or seven years and so there's additional problems. Just saying you're not going to cut them right now is not enough, you have to find a way to fund them more heavily if you want to pay the benefits that's required. That might be something people could worry about."
And for neighbors like Hubbard, she says what she hopes to see as more bills progresses.
"I just hope people are praying people and pray for a big change."
This Blueprint also has new spending on immigration enforcement and the military. In Tallahassee, Terry Gilliam, ABC27.
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