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AGENCY TESTIMONY
Federal budget impact on DSS programs
0:15:21
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159 sec
Commissioner Park discusses the potential impact of proposed federal budget cuts on critical DSS programs and the New Yorkers they serve.
- Current congressional proposals aim to cut $2 trillion in spending to extend tax cuts for affluent Americans
- Proposed cuts target SNAP ($300 billion over ten years) and Medicaid ($715 billion)
- Additional cuts proposed for housing and community development programs, including public housing and Section 8 rental subsidies
- Potential elimination of the Community Development Block Grant and Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- Commissioner warns that these cuts would be catastrophic for New Yorkers and the city's economy
Molly Wasow Park
0:15:21
This slide shows an image of the Manhattan skyline and presents the title of the next portion of our presentation, Federal Budget Impact on DSS.
0:15:29
As I have already highlighted in my testimony, DSS, HRA, and DHS budgets are significantly reliant on federal dollars, but more importantly, the 3,000,000 people we serve receive significant benefits directly from the federal government.
0:15:43
We are seeing increasing demand for these services at the same time that they are a threat.
0:15:48
The current congressional reconciliation proposal contemplates cuts which they deem necessary to reach their goal of extending $2,000,000,000,000 tax cuts for the most affluent Americans.
0:15:59
Key to reaching that $2,000,000,000,000 goal are targeted cuts to the agriculture and energy and commerce committees which oversee SNAP and Medicaid respectively.
0:16:08
Earlier this week, the House Agricultural Committee released their markup bill which proposes cutting 300,000,000,000 in SNAP funding over ten years.
0:16:16
One point eight million New Yorkers rely on SNAP to feed their families.
0:16:20
That includes approximately a third of whom are older adults and a third who are children.
0:16:25
The House Energy and Commerce Committee markup was also released which targets $715,000,000,000 in Medicaid cuts through a variety of amendments to eligibility, and there are 4,000,000 New York City residents who rely on Medicaid for health care.
0:16:39
In both programs Congress envisions work requirements and shifting costs to the states among other changes.
0:16:46
In addition to the reconciliation plan, the White House released their skinny budget proposal at the beginning of the month.
0:16:52
Although the 163,000,000,000 in proposed cuts is silent on SNAP, Medicaid, and TANF, it would be equally devastating to low income New Yorkers.
0:17:00
For example, the skinny budget proposes 28,000,000,000 cuts to housing and community development programs impacting public housing and Section eight rental subsidies specifically.
0:17:10
Tens of thousands of New York households rely on affordable housing subsidies to survive in our high cost city.
0:17:16
The skinny budget also proposes eliminating the Community Development Block Grant which supports housing maintenance and planning and a 12% reduction to continuum of care and housing opportunities for people with AIDS.
0:17:30
It proposes eliminating Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, LIHEAP, which is a $4,000,000,000 cut nationally which thousands of New Yorkers rely on for heating and cooling in their homes.
0:17:41
All of these cuts impact vital programs that the city and state do not have the budget capacity to replace.
0:17:47
We encourage all impacted New Yorkers to make your voices heard because if any of these cuts come to fruition, it would be catastrophic for New Yorkers, not only for low income households but for the overall economy of the city and the region.
0:17:59
Next slide.