House Republicans are cutting the FDA and USDA budgets under a plan released by Budget Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI). The proposal cuts an additional $5.3 trillion from Health and Human Services (HHS) over the next 10 years. Both the FDA and USDA are part of HHS.
As part of that plan, Republicans want to cut $33.2 billion in agriculture spending over the next 10 years, but they don’t include details over which discretionary programs should be slashed.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities stated that if this plan is accepted, by 2050 food inspections and medical research would cease to exist.
Steven Grossman, the executive director of the Alliance for a Stronger FDA, said that these new spending levels could force Congress to “cut more programs and more deeply.”
According to the Alliance for a Stronger FDA, the appropriations to the FDA amount to about $8.00 per year for every American.
Dr. Margaret Hamburg, the FDA Commissioner, warned last year that cuts to the FDA will be problematic. “Not every function of government can be cut to the same degrees using the same tools. I think we should proceed with real care. It should be recognized if we can’t do our job and do it well there isn’t any other entity that will backstop behind us. What we do really matters to health.”
