WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today issued the following statement on the administration’s proposed budget for the 2019 fiscal year.

“The president's budget is a statement of the administration’s priorities, and once again it appears that rural America is left behind," said Heitkamp. "Farmers and ranchers suffering from the ongoing drought need a stronger safety net, but this budget would cut crop insurance and put our farm economy at risk. Affordable health care would again be at risk for millions of Americans, as this plan revives dangerous proposals to threaten access to care and weaken protections for those with pre-existing conditions. Rural housing, conservation, rural economic development, and early education would all take a hit.  

“While I’m concerned about cuts to many programs that support rural communities, one bright spot is funding for the modernization of Minot’s B-52s. I’ve long pushed to support B-52s to keep our military installations strong and boost our national security.

“I’ve met with senior administration officials about infrastructure and have consistently pushed for any plan to prioritize rural America. The outline put forward today raises concerns about the burden it would place on rural states and local jurisdictions, but more details and analysis of this infrastructure plan are needed to determine how it would impact North Dakota. I hope to be part of a bipartisan conversation about strengthening our infrastructure and making rural America stronger than ever.”

The president’s budget outlines significant cuts to North Dakota communities by:

• Cutting crop insurance. The budget would reduce the average premium subsidy for crop insurance from 62 percent to 48 percent and put an income cap on commodity, conservation, and crop insurance subsidies

• Threatening affordable health care. The budget would slash the Department of Health and Human Services budget by 21 percent, repeals the health reform law's Medicaid expansion. It would also eliminate funding for health professions and nursing training programs, which are heavily utilized in North Dakota.

• Slashing support for rural housing and economic development. The budget would eliminate the Community Development Block Grant Program, the Indian Community Development Block Grant program, the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, and critical Rural Development housing programs.

• Cutting Army Corps of Engineers construction funding by 54 percent, which would threaten critical flood protection projects.

###