Jaycee Greenley ’20
Contributing Writer
Many Americans anticipated great changes in budgeting under the Trump Administration. However, did they expect them to be this large? The New York Times reports that under the Trump Administration, the proposed budget would cut funding for the EPA, State Department, Department of Education, Housing and Urban Development, Department of Health and Human Services and much more. There would also be a substantial increase in funding to Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security and Defense. When the Trump administration’s budget was released the public was taken aback. Personally, my first thought was along the lines of “What will happen to low-income people, communities of color, and, of course, people who are oppressed by gender?” It has been evident in Trump’s budget proposal and pieces of legislation that low-income people will be disproportionally impacted by his administration.
Entering a Trump Era, Americans were aware that Planned Parenthood would be targeted in some form. During Trump’s first day in office, he reinstated the Global Gag Rule that withdrew any U.S. funding to international health organizations that even say the word “abortion,” let alone actually performing this health service. Here in the United States, many are aware that Planned Parenthood provides healthcare for millions of people annually. Title X provides funding for family planning programs to organizations such as Planned Parenthood. Title X funding comes from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Office of Population Affairs by the Office of Family Planning. Twenty-five percent of Title X funding goes to Planned Parenthood. According to Business Insider, Title X funds go toward services such as “cervical and breast cancer screenings, birth control, STI treatment and well-woman exams.” Under the Hyde Amendment, Title X funding cannot be used to provide abortions. Therefore, low-income people are disproportionately restricted from abortion access. Recently, Trump signed a piece of legislation that would allow states to withhold Title X funds from clinics that provide abortions. Again, this disproportionately affects low-income people who are unable to access abortions through other means. It also promotes a sense of distrust between people and their healthcare providers. Recipients of health services are brought to question if their clinic’s doors will be able to stay open if funding is withdrawn.
The Trump administration has taken a myriad of hits at funding for low-income people. Access to health care should never be tampered with. People who rely on health services that are primarily funded under Title X must be able to rely on their ability to access proper and safe health care. A change in administration should never impact someone’s ability to dictate what happens to their body.
