January 4th 2024.
As Congress scrambles to prevent another government shutdown, House Republicans have proposed budget cuts to a range of programs that would disproportionately affect Black Americans. According to Reuters, Chairwoman Kay Granger announced the group has “crafted the most conservative appropriations bills in history,” which includes the termination of the Healthy Start program and a 67% cut to funds for low-income housing units.
National Urban League leader Marc Morial believes these cuts are “a large list of politically and racially motivated special interest initiatives” and accused Republicans of blaming the poor and minorities for financial woes. Meanwhile, the proposed reduction of food stamps would largely affect White people, who make up nearly half of its recipients.
Although the Republican-proposed budget includes some spending increases, like a $96 million hike in homeless assistance grants, the Biden administration says that the programs would diminish under the proposal. Charles Kieffer, a former Democratic budget and appropriations aide, explained that “virtually every bill has riders blocking the ability of the Biden administration to focus on social justice and diversity.”
With the current stopgap funding bill set to expire on Jan. 19, it’s unclear if Congress will be able to come to an agreement on the budget before the government shuts down. Unfortunately, the proposed budget cuts have the potential to disproportionately hurt Black communities, who have already been hit hard by the pandemic.
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