Pallone: Trump’s Skinny Budget Is a Blueprint for Disaster

Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) issued the following statement today after President Trump released his “skinny” budget for fiscal year 2026:

“This is a blueprint for disaster. Trump doesn’t believe in government, and this budget continues his relentless assault on the federal agencies whose mission it is to protect the health and well-being of the American people.

“At a time when Trump is plotting with Congressional Republicans to take health care away from millions of Americans, his 26 percent budget cut to the Department of Health and Human Services will have a devastating impact on our nation’s health care system and the health of the American people. These drastic cuts would threaten the ability of our health agencies to conduct medical research for new lifesaving treatments, ensure our food is safe to eat, assist those struggling with mental health and addiction, and so much more.

“Trump’s budget continues his attack on cheaper and cleaner renewable energy, which will drive up home electricity prices at the same time he’s proposing eliminating the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Without this assistance, Americans will die when they cannot afford heating and air conditioning during extreme weather.  

“The President’s 54 percent cut to the Environmental Protection Agency puts polluters in the driver’s seat to the detriment of every Americans’ health. These drastic cuts, coupled with an expected reorganization, threaten our air, water, and land, while also killing jobs at a time that Americans are already struggling to make ends meet.

“There’s no doubt Trump is going to continue to illegally do whatever he can to dismantle federal agencies so he can consolidate power in the White House. It’s time for Republicans to grow a spine and join us in opposing these dangerous actions.”

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