BACKGROUND
  • Last week, Senate Republicans passed a partisan budget resolution that would make drastic cuts to vital programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, to give giant tax breaks to wealthy corporations and the 1% – all at the expense of working Americans. This week, House Republicans are expected to follow suit.
  • As they did with health care, Republicans are working in secret to write tax legislation because they know how damaging and unpopular their proposals will be to middle-class families.
  • To make matters worse, the Republican tax cuts aren’t paid for. The Senate budget would increase the budget deficit by at least $1.5 trillion, forcing even deeper cuts to programs that help American families.
MEDICARE
MEDICAID
  • The Senate budget calls for more than $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid – an even deeper cut than Republicans proposed in their health care repeal bills.
NUTRITION & INCOME SECURITY PROGRAMS
  • The Senate budget calls for deep cuts to programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, and Social Security.
  • SNAP helps 381,000 of Iowa families and workers stay out of poverty and keep healthy food on the table.
    • 69 percent of SNAP participants in Iowa are in families with children.
    • 52 percent of SNAP participants in Iowa are in working families.
    • 25 percent of SNAP participants in Iowa are in families with members who are seniors or have a disability.
  • In 2016, SNAP benefits added $508 million to Iowa’s economy, because families spend their SNAP benefits at local grocery stores and other retailers.
  • 86,829 Iowans rely on Social Security Disability Insurance, which workers pay into so they can support their families if they develop a severe disability.
TAX CUTS FOR WEALTHY
  • The richest one percent of Iowa residents would receive 50.2 percent of the state’s total tax cuts in 2018. These households are projected to earn at least $440,800 next year and would see an average tax cut of $50,050 in 2018.
  • In stark contrast, middle-class Iowans would only receive 6.8 percent of the state’s total tax cuts. These households would only get an average tax cut of $240 in 2018.
  • Millionaires alone would get 42.6 percent of the state’s total tax cuts.
  • 12.5 percent of Iowa households would face a tax hike if the GOP tax plan was in effect in 2018.
  • SOURCE: ITEP State-by-State Impact of GOP tax plan and attached spreadsheet.
THE FUTURE
CUTS TO EDUCATION AND TRAINING: Nationwide, the Senate budget cuts close to $200 billion from services like Pell Grants and student loan assistance over the next decade.