Capitol Correspondence - 06.25.18

Sweeping Trump Proposal Seeks to Shrink Government, Merge Agencies

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According to Politico:

“The Trump administration issued an ambitious proposal Thursday to shrink government and reorganize how services are delivered to citizens, a plan that touches on nearly every corner of American life.

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Much of [White House Office of Management and Budget Director Mick] Mulvaney’s ambitious plan is likely to die a swift death in Congress, which currently lacks the bandwidth and bipartisan geniality required to push complex reforms.”

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Further detail of the plan can be found on Politico Pro:

 “HHS would become the Department of Health and Public Welfare, in charge of several public assistance programs now overseen by the Department of Agriculture, including the $70 billion Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

HHS should be renamed as a result ‘to more accurately reflect the mission of the agency and raise the profile of non-health related programs,’ according to OMB’s reorganization plan. HHS already oversees Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, which provides cash assistance to low-income households, and Medicaid, which provides health coverage for more than 70 million low-income Americans. Under the plan, SNAP, the supplemental nutrition program for Women, Infants and Children, and other food programs would be housed within HHS’ Administration for Children and Families.”

In response to this plan, Congress has scheduled a hearing on the administration’s government-wide regulation plan for June 27, 2018 at 10:00am in room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building. Regardless, media reports suggest that many of the proposals are unlikely to pass Congress.

While more details are not yet available, please visit the hearing page for more witness statements on the day of the hearing. If the hearing will be filmed, the video will also be shared on that page.