Progressive Programs Win in Spite of Budget Concerns

The new omnibus budget passed by the Trumpublicans and signed by the Trumpublican President has a few wins we were pleased to see survive the process.

Among them is the simple fact that Planned Parenthood was not defunded as threatened. Millions of women who have secured health care through Planned Parenthood are assured.

Public Broadcasting secured funding in the Trumpublicans’ omnibus bill after months of being threatened with the defunding of everything from National Public Radio to Sesame Street.

The EPA was also slated for deep funding cuts, but the budget ultimately protected funding of some programs that help address the climate emergency. It turns out the sky was not falling after all.

The Trumpublican administration also wanted full funding for the racist and destructive border wall at $25 billion in exchange for temporary protections for DACA recipients. For months preparations have been quietly underway to begin actual wall construction in the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, a 2,088 acre stretch of sub-tropical forest along the Rio Grande near Brownsville, Texas.

Although the omnibus bill egregiously contains no solution for DACA recipients, it allocates only $1.6 billion for border security, none of which may be used to erect the new prototype wall designs, and stipulates that Santa Ana NWR is exempted from any border wall construction. It leaves some 6,000 acres of federal, state, and county parkland and various border communities in South Texas at risk.

Opposition to Trump’s border wall crosses party lines and ideological divides. Two centrist Democrats, Reps. Filemon Vela and Henry Cuellar, worked hard to minimize funding progress on this project, and Rep. Vela vehemently opposed destruction of Santa Ana NWR as the starting point of the project.

Sustained public opposition to this offensive and wasteful symbol in the coming months is needed to defeat the wall project. Celebrate progressive victories today by calling Reps. Vela (202) 225-9901 and Cuellar (202) 225-1640 to thank them for standing against the wall.

Onward, together, to build upon these victories.

Deb and Donna for Mike H., Mike F., Janis, Kimberly, Bryan, Dan, Judy and Dr. Bill, your PDA National Team