Washington— Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today released the following statement on the damaging effects President Trump’s initial budget request would have on critical federal support for local communities and infrastructure:

“This is the most draconian budget I’ve ever seen proposed by a president. It’s an absolute travesty for California and every state or community that thought they had a true partner in the federal government. President Trump has betrayed the numerous promises he made to invest in our nation’s communities and infrastructure.

“What’s worse is that for all of his talk of reducing the national debt, the president’s budget goes after the only category of federal spending that has been shrinking in recent years—non-defense discretionary spending. The president does not seem to understand that cutting vital investments in our communities and our economy will never lead to a balanced budget. Today’s proposal simply defies basic math and logic.

“On the campaign trail, President Trump promised to take care of the average American. Instead, this budget arbitrarily increases defense spending while capriciously cutting domestic programs that local governments and many of his supporters rely on. I will actively oppose any effort to increase defense spending at the expense of essential domestic programs.

“Instead of making America great again, President Trump is using his first budget to direct the federal government to turn its back on the American people.”

Cuts to California

• Permanently denies federal funding for new transit projects anywhere in the country, including the Caltrain Electrification project in the San Francisco Bay Area, Phase 3 of the Purple Line Subway Extension in Los Angeles and Phase 2 of the BART Extension to Silicon Valley.

• Eliminates funding for the Community Development Block Grant and the Community Services Block Grant, which local governments rely on for infrastructure development and critical services. California received more than $400 million from these programs last year.

• Eliminates funding for the HOME Investment Partnership program, which helps local governments build new affordable housing. California received $129.5 million from this program last year.

• Slashes key economic growth and workforce development programs by eliminating funding for Community Development Financial Institutions Fund grants and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program, reducing Department of Labor job training grants and eliminating the Economic Development Administration and the Minority Business Development Agency.

• Eliminates funding for EPA’s geographic water quality improvement programs, which help improve the San Francisco Bay and water infrastructure along the border with Mexico and reduces funding for EPA’s collaboration with local governments to clean up contaminated land.

• Eliminates funding for EPA’s Targeted Airshed Grants, which help improve air quality in the Central Valley and around the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

• Eliminates funding for TIGER grants, which have allowed state and local governments to partner directly with the federal government to improve transportation infrastructure.

• Slashes funding for rural development programs funded through the Department of Agriculture, particularly water and waste disposal infrastructure assistance that is critical to low-income rural communities.

• Eliminates funding for critical homeland security grant programs focused on supporting state and local law enforcement and reducing the risk of damage and loss of life from natural disasters.