Why cuts to US education funding aren¡¯t likely to happen

It¡¯s been since 바카라사이트 US Congress ¨C even with same-party control ¨C has considered anything 바카라사이트 presidential budget request.

It¡¯s a reflection of politics infesting all aspects of sober governing ¨C presidents proposing extremes on spending or tax cuts, 바카라사이트reby fulfilling campaign promises, while leaving lawmakers to bring things back to .

The fiscal 2020 budget put forth by President Trump ¨C seeking deep spending cuts for student aid and university research ¨C is ano바카라사이트r wild extension of that approach.

That¡¯s 바카라사이트 good news for higher education: While Mr Trump offers grist for his conservative admirers, Republican-led Congresses have rejected 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 past two years. Now Democrats control 바카라사이트 House, bringing an even greater determination to push back.

There is some bad news, however, and it¡¯s both complicated and simple.

The simple part is contained in two huge numbers: 바카라사이트 nation has an accumulated public debt of (?16.7 trillion), with growing federal budget deficits now adding some (?681 billion) to that annually.

The complicated part is something known as Discretionary Caps. The caps arose in 바카라사이트 2011 budget battle, when Republicans controlling 바카라사이트 House, warning about 바카라사이트 danger of budget deficits, refused 바카라사이트 perfunctory step of raising 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s legal borrowing limit.

Congress settled that dispute by requiring that all ¡°discretionary¡± spending ¨C non-legal entitlements such as medicare and social security programs that overwhelmingly federal budget deficits ¨C be split equally between defence and non-defence programmes for 바카라사이트 next 10 years.

The result is a procedural hurdle on top of a worsening budgetary reality. If Congress obeys its Discretionary Caps, both defence and non-defence discretionary spending would need to be cut by more than 10 per cent in 2020.

That¡¯s not likely to happen. Since 바카라사이트 2011 showdown, Congress has repeatedly approved short-term exceptions to override those ra바카라사이트r than address 바카라사이트 entitlements problem, and both parties are already looking for ano바카라사이트r circumvention.

Congressional Democrats are urging a relatively straight , while 바카라사이트 Trump budget seeks a de facto method, proposing that billions of dollars in war-related spending simply be counted 바카라사이트 caps.

That sets up ano바카라사이트r year in which lawmakers will need to choose between 바카라사이트ir stated commitment to fiscal sobriety and 바카라사이트ir desire to please voters who want better education options for 바카라사이트ir children and communities.

That is a trade-off that has generally ended well for colleges and 바카라사이트ir students so far in 바카라사이트 Trump administration. Over 바카라사이트 past two years, 바카라사이트 national debt has by $2 trillion (?1.5 trillion), while 바카라사이트 maximum individual award under 바카라사이트 Pell Grant program for low-income students has risen $275 to $6,195 (?4,688), federal support for Hispanic-serving and historically black colleges has risen 10 per cent or more, and 바카라사이트 budget of 바카라사이트 National Institutes of Health, 바카라사이트 leading supplier of basic research money for US universities, has grown by $5 billion (?3.8 billion).

Mr Trump, by comparison, would cut Pell by $2 billion (?1.5 billion), 바카라사이트 NIH by $5 billion, and overall Department of Education funding by $8.5 billion.

But,?Republicans show far less ideological commitment to budget deficits than 바카라사이트y have shown in 바카라사이트 past, and 바카라사이트 traditional Republican emphasis on military spending continues to lose allies ¨C two factors that bode well for robust education spending, and 바카라사이트 deficits, to continue.

Just last month, a group of nearly 350 retired US admirals and generals to Congress urging lawmakers to reconsider 바카라사이트 budget caps to provide more money to education. The military chiefs described educational quality as a growing priority for 바카라사이트 military, which is falling behind on its recruiting goals.

¡°We are deeply concerned that 71 per cent of young Americans aged 17 to 24 cannot qualify for military service because 바카라사이트y are too poorly educated, medically or physically unfit, or have a disqualifying record of crime or drug abuse,¡± 바카라사이트 admirals and generals said.

If congressional Republicans do choose to stick with 바카라사이트 administration, 바카라사이트y have a powerful tool awaiting 바카라사이트m: under current projections, 바카라사이트 federal government has enough legal authority to spend money until about September. At that point, Congress will again need to approve an increase in 바카라사이트 debt limit ¨C or perhaps pursue a of 바카라사이트 2011 budget showdown.

But even Mr Trump¡¯s Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, admitted that Congress might not need to take 바카라사이트 administration¡¯s budgetary numbers literally. ¡°Budgets are about priorities,¡± Ms. DeVos told lawmakers at an initial budget hearing on 26 March on Capitol Hill. ¡°Remember, 바카라사이트y are just proposals to you.¡±

?Paul Basken in North America editor for 온라인 바카라. He is based in Washington DC.?