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White House eyeing $18 billion in cuts from social programs

Posted at 7:43 AM, Mar 28, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-28 10:38:51-04

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is following up its longshot roster of budget cuts with a wish list of $18 billion in reductions, including cuts to medical research, infrastructure and community development grants.

Like President Donald Trump's initial 2018 budget proposal, which was panned by both Democrats and Republicans earlier this month, the program has little chance to be enacted.

Unlike the budget, the roster of budget cuts doesn't represent official administration proposals. Instead, they are a set of "options" sent to Republican staff aides and lawmakers working to craft a catchall spending bill.

White House budget office spokesman John Czwartacki said the proposals were not being shared with the media. A Capitol Hill aide described the cuts to The Associated Press, but required anonymity to speak because they're not yet public.