On April 10, the House passed the Budget Resolution for Fiscal Year 2015 by a vote of 219 to 205. The proposed budget, introduced by Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) the previous week, sets federal spending and revenue priorities for the next decade. The budget calls for reducing spending by $5.1 trillion over 10 years and cutting individual and corporate taxes. Below is a summary of key disability-related elements:
- Block grants the Medicaid program and cuts federal spending for the programs by $810 billion.
- Privatizes Medicare by turning it into a voucher program.
- Reduces spending for non-defense discretionary programs to pre-2008 levels and freezes it there for five years. Many important disability-related programs fall under this category, such as housing, education, employment, protection and advocacy, and transportation.
- Repeals the Affordable Care Act.
- Calls for a bipartisan process to develop reforms for Social Security.
The Senate is not expected to take up the measure.