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The 2017 US federal budget was presented in front of the Congress on Tuesday and for the third consecutive time it is announced that Obama wants less funding for Great Lakes Protection Program.
In a bid to minimize the federal budget deficit, which the country has been struggling with for some time, the president attempts to cut back the spending when it comes to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
The Obama Administration has requested this year only $250 million, much less than the $300 million spent in 2017. The proposal, however, did not pass, as Congress decided to maintain the original budget for the program.
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative started in 2010 and is responsible for dealing with the impact caused by environmental threats, such as pollution, habitat loss, invasive species and algae blooms.
So far, it has resulted in almost 3,000 projects that have helped tackle these issues. Its efforts have managed to protect to a large degree the Great Lakes, which represent the widest system of fresh surface water in the world.
Mr. Todd Ambs, head of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, believes that downsizing the funding of this program would be a catastrophical move, since these projects are responsible for protecting the nation’s water safety and jobs related to it.
The environmental group run by Ambs will continue to lobby in order to maintain the budget intact and to convince politicians of the necessity of this program.
The final $4.1 trillion spending budget proposed by the White House has been met with great skepticism by the Republican side, which are dismissing its reliance on tax hikes in order to meet domestic objectives.
The Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, Paul Ryan, calls it “a manual for growing the federal government at the expense of hardworking Americans.”
Since the presidential administration envisions a $503 billion deficit for the fiscal year 2017, they are attempting to reduce the loss by $2.9 trillion within the next 10 years through a series of measures focused on promoting economic growth.
The President has included in his proposal investments in education, infrastructure, job growth and cyber security. One of the largest objectives they wish to support is the fight against Islamic State militants, with over $11 billion invested in the Departments of Defense and State.
In a statement released yesterday, the President explains how this new budget plan will advance the security and stability of the nation over the next few years.
Image Source: Wkow
