1. United States
2. Mo.
3. Letter

I am writing as your constituent to express serious concern about President Trump's fiscal year 2027 budget proposal, released on April 3, 2026. The proposal requests $1.5 trillion in defense spending — a 42% increase and the largest military budget in U.S. history — while simultaneously cutting non-defense programs by $73 billion, or approximately 10%. I understand the argument for a strong national defense, but I am troubled by the trade-offs this budget requires of ordinary Americans. Specifically, I am concerned about the following proposed cuts: • $5 billion from the National Institutes of Health, which funds critical medical research that saves American lives • Elimination of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a $4 billion program that helps low-income families afford heating and cooling • A 12% reduction to the Department of Health and Human Services • A 13% cut to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, including reduced rental assistance programs • A 19% cut to the Department of Agriculture, which impacts food assistance and rural programs • Cuts to the EPA's budget by roughly half, affecting clean water programs • Cancellation of $15 billion in infrastructure funding already allocated under bipartisan law I also note that the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget has estimated this defense increase would add approximately $6.9 trillion to the national debt over the next decade when interest costs are included — at a time when our national debt has already surpassed $39 trillion and annual interest payments are projected to exceed $1 trillion. I do not believe that protecting our country requires gutting the programs that protect our most vulnerable citizens at home. I urge you to carefully scrutinize this proposal and push back on cuts that would harm working families, seniors, and communities across Missouri. Congress holds the power of the purse. I ask you to use that power responsibly. I welcome your response.