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| | Wednesday, March 22, 2017
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Trump's proposed budget
President Donald Trump’s budget proposes to eliminate the federal-state partnership that has benefited rural residents throughout the Appalachian region, for 52 years. The Appalachian Regional Commission has helped with infrastructure projects throughout the region, but the president’s proposal, "to Make America Great Again,” would eliminate the ARC’s $120 million appropriation and $3 billion for the Community Development Block Grant program. It is used by rural communities to provide housing, build infrastructure and stimulate job growth. At the same time, the proposal adds more than $50 billion to the military buildup. U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn., likes the Trump budget 10 percent increase for national defense and believes the programs benefiting rural Appalachia will continue. "The Appalachian Regional Commission, which does tremendous good for rural Appalachia, has bipartisan support in Congress and I don’t expect it will be eliminated," the congressman said this week. The budget also would cut the Meals on Wheels program and slash grants for low income students to go to college. The American Health Care Act, being promoted by congressional Republicans, would not require everyone to have health insurance, leaving healthcare providers with no payments, but would allow insurance companies to charge 30 percent higher premiums to people a year after no coverage. The bill would keep the federally run exchanges, through 2019 but would eliminate essential health benefits, People who have a chronic disease or a recent illness could be charged more than a healthier person, and Insurers would be able to charge up to five times more for older people. Right now, TennCare covers pregnant women, children and some people who are are disabled, but AHCA would allow states to decide who is covered. The bill also includes tax breaks for the wealthy. The amount of money promised to Tennessee, is $10 billion spread over five years but is far less than what the state would have received had it expanded Medicaid during 2014-16, as most states did.
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Return to Today's News Stories - Front PageThursday, April 29, 2021
US 411 Project News
Mill Creek Wildfire Update
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