Should the Disadvantaged be Spared from the Budget Axe? A Look at the President’s Budget Commission Findings and How They Could Impact the Poor

The poor, the near-poor, and their children who rely on government benefits to get ahead have more to lose than most if the federal budget implodes. On December 16 the Center on Children and Families and Budgeting for National Priorities Project at Brookings, in cooperation with Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity and the Hudson Institute, convened two panels of experts to examine the recommendations of the President’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform from the perspective of the disadvantaged.

The first panel examined the commission’s recommendations, focusing on how adequate they are for reducing the deficit, whether additional actions will be necessary to bring the deficit down to an acceptable level, and whether the recommendations will make headway in Congress. The second panel provided ideas on how, despite the need to cut spending, the nation can maintain an adequate safety net and robust programs to expand opportunity in America.

After the presentations, speakers and panelists took questions from the audience.