[NFBMT] Federal Budget Cuts

[Jim Marks]

I just received the following information from the Council of State
Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation.  It says that the proposed
federal budget cuts will severely damage public VR programs, including
Montana Blind and Low Vision Services.  Other important government programs
are on the same chopping block.  The current federal budget expires on
December 8, so there is very little time to provide our input.  We should
each contact Senators Daines and Tester asking them to oppose this
frightening development.  Joy, would you once again send out their contact
information?  Calls and e-mails are best.  Here is the info:

 

This evening, Hill staff shared with us that if the Senate tax bill is
passed as is with the PAYGO, VR and many, many other programs will all be
zeroed out. The link below has a list of programs that will be gone but we
are asked to ignore  the numbers and percentages as they are old, which we
learned tonight:
<https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/sequestration_rep
orts/2018_jc_sequestration_report_may2017_potus.pdf/>
https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/sequestration_repo
rts/2018_jc_sequestration_report_may2017_potus.pdf/. Hill staffer says it is
pretty unlikely the Senate tax bill passes as even with the elimination of
every program on the list, OMB will still be short the money necessary to
cover the deficit. It is also absolutely possible this could happen but
unclear how it would actually be implemented. Again, VR isn't eliminated in
the tax bill itself, but the PAYGO would be devastating to just about every
program in the country - including financial aid for higher education,
Centers for Disease Control, Department of Justice, etc.

 

CSAVR staff will be drafting a letter tomorrow to the House and Senate
leadership,  but we also think it is time for State Agencies to write
letters and to have your advocates write letters, just to be on the safe
side. We will be reaching out to other disability advocates in the beltway
tomorrow to see if we can join forces to respond. Stay tuned. More to come!

 

 

 

 

 

Jim Marks

Blind.grizzly at gmail.com <mailto:Blind.grizzly at gmail.com> 

(406) 438-1421