Sallie Mae Student Loans 6-4-25

Sallie Mae became a private company in 2004. The privatization process began in 1996 when Congress enacted the SLMA Reorganization Act. This act established the SLM Corporation, a holding company, and made Sallie Mae's GSE status its wholly-owned subsidiary. In late December 2004, SLMA dissolved, and the SLM Corporation (Sallie Mae) became a fully private-sector company without GSE status. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=what+year+did+sallie+mae+became+private 

Sallie Mae had approximately 2,995 employees as of May 2025, according to their LinkedIn page. Additionally, LeadIQ indicates Sallie Mae has around 3,000 employees located across 5 continents, including North America, Asia, and Europe. 

Sallie Mae's operating costs in 2025 are not directly available in the search results. However, the results do provide information about their loan products and financial performance. For example, Sallie Mae reported $108M in provisions for credit losses in Q4 2024, according to their website. They also reported 3.68% delinquencies as a percentage of loans in repayment, down from 3.90% in Q4 2023. Sallie Mae's student loans have variable APRs ranging from 4.37% to 14.71% and fixed APRs from 5.49% to 14.83%, according to their website https://www.salliemae.com/. 

The US Department of Education's budget for fiscal year 2025 is estimated at $82.4 billion, which is a $3.1 billion or 4.0 percent increase from the previous year. This budget proposal prioritizes funding for early childhood education, K-12 schools, and higher education. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=us+education+department+budget+2025

In March 2025, the U.S. Department of Education reduced its workforce by nearly half, resulting in a headcount of approximately 2,183 employees. This reduction followed the Trump administration's plan to dissolve the agency, which had previously employed around 4,133 workers. The cuts included both voluntary resignations and involuntary layoffs. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=us+education+department+headcount+2025

Sallie Mae was not directly moved from the U.S. Department of Education in 2025. Sallie Mae (now Aidvantage) was a private company that provided private student loans and loan servicing, but they have been largely separate from the federal government's student loan programs for several years. 

Elaboration:

Sallie Mae's Role: Sallie Mae was a major player in the student loan market, particularly in the early years of private student lending. However, in 2010, they stopped originating federal student loans and focused on private loans. 

Navient (Aidvantage): In 2014, Sallie Mae spun off its loan servicing operation into a separate company called Navient, which is now known as Aidvantage. This entity primarily services federal student loans on behalf of the Department of Education. 

Current Situation: Sallie Mae (now Aidvantage) is not a direct part of the U.S. Department of Education. They primarily serve as a servicer for federal loans, but they are also a private lender offering private student loans. 

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

Privatizing Mortgage Loans 6-3-25

Published May 21, 2025 9:27pm EDT By Louis Casiano FOXBusiness 

Trump considers taking mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac public.

President says mortgage giants 'throwing off a lot of cash' as admin weighs major housing market shift.

Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae Chair Bill Pulte discusses the state of the housing market under President Donald Trump during an appearance on 'Mornings with Maria.'

President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he was giving "serious consideration" to bringing government-sponsored mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac public.

In a Truth Social post, Trump said he would speak with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Federal Housing Finance Director William Pulte about doing so.

"Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are doing very well, throwing off a lot of CASH, and the time would seem to be right. Stay tuned!" he wrote. 

AMERICA'S HOUSING CRISIS: REALTOR.COM SAYS THERE IS A WAY TO SOLVE IT

The move would be a massive one for the housing market, which backs trillions of dollars in mortgages. 

In February, Bessent said the release of Fannie and Freddie from government control would depend on mortgage rate implications.

"The priority for a Fannie and Freddie release, the most important metric that I'm looking at, is any study or hint that mortgage rates would go up," he told Bloomberg.

The Trump administration has considered issuing an executive order on housing that could include directing departments to study the privatization of Fannie and Freddie, the Journal reported.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/trump-considers-taking-mortgage-giants-fannie-mae-freddie-mac-public 

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

US Student Loans 6-3-25

Yes, the US government does have a student loan agency: the Federal Student Aid (FSA). FSA is an office within the U.S. Department of Education and is responsible for administering various federal student aid programs, including loans. They oversee and manage a large federal student loan portfolio, providing billions of dollars in loans to students.  

The U.S. federal government took over student lending in 2010 by eliminating the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) and transitioning all new federal student loans to the Direct Loan Program. This switch, enacted through the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act, ensured that the government directly lent to students, rather than through private lenders. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=what+year+did+the+us+federal+government+take+over+student+loans&

How Trump’s Spending Bill Could Impact Student Loans—Including Higher Payments And More Restrictions

By Alison Durkee, Forbes Staff. May 23, 2025.

President Donald Trump’s sweeping domestic policy bill, which goes to the Senate now after passing the House, proposes a major overhaul of student loan programs and repayment plans in order to fund the bill’s tax cuts—with critics saying it could force some toward taking out private loans and increase monthly payments for others.

The domestic policy bill—referred to as the president’s “One Big Beautiful Bill”—passed the House in a 215-214 vote Thursday, and will now be debated in the Senate, where further changes could be made.

It would extend the 2017 tax cuts passed in Trump’s first term and direct billions of dollars toward major priorities of the president’s policy agenda, like renewing funding for a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico.

As a way to offset its tax cuts and Trump-friendly spending, the bill also includes controversial cuts to Medicaid and food assistance—and broadly overhauls federal student loan programs, affecting both people who take out loans and those still paying off loans.

The version of the bill passed by the House abolishes most loan repayment plans and only gives borrowers—including current borrowers—two options for paying their loans off, either through a standard repayment plan (paying the same amount every month) or a new plan based on annual income. It also imposes limits and restrictions on new loans and Pell Grants.

Student borrower advocates have strongly decried the bill’s provisions, with the Student Borrower Protection Center (SBPC) projecting it would disqualify many borrowers who now receive Pell Grants, force more borrowers to take out private loans due to the new federal limits, and increase monthly payments for many existing borrowers who are paying down their loans.

The bill proposes changing the formula for how much the federal government grants borrowers. Loans would now be calculated based on the median cost of all similar college programs, rather than the cost to attend the specific school or program the student is attending. (It is unclear how that number will be calculated.) That means students attending higher-priced schools will receive less money, because the rate will take into account other schools that are less expensive.

The bill places new caps on the amount of federal student loans that both parents and students can take out, limiting it to $50,000 in total undergraduate loans that a student can take out and $100,000 or $150,000 for graduate and professional programs, based on the type of program. Parents are also limited to only taking out $50,000 total in federal loans to pay for their children’s education, which applies even if parents are taking out loans for multiple children. Students and their parents cannot borrow more than $200,000 in total—including both undergraduate and graduate loans—under the bill, with those limits set to take effect in July 2026.

Lawmakers propose limiting some federal loans, including restricting graduate students and parents from receiving Federal Direct PLUS Loans starting in July 2026.

If passed, the bill would abolish most of the current options that borrowers have to repay their student loans, instead giving borrowers—including those who have already been paying off loans—the choice of only a standard repayment plan or a new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) based on annual income. The standard repayment plan means borrowers will pay back their loan at a fixed rate each month. Loans of up to $25,000 will be paid over the course of 10 years, loans of up to $50,000 will be paid over 15 years, loans of up to $100,000 will be paid over 20 years and loans over that amount will be spread out over 25 years. RAP replaces existing income-driven repayment plans, but still allows borrowers to make their monthly payments based on income. Borrowers pay rates based on their annual income, which range from $120 per year for those making less than $10,000 (divided up into $10 monthly payments) to 10% of gross annual income for those making over $100,000. Unlike previous income-based plans, RAP allows borrowers’ remaining loans to be forgiven after 30 years of making payments—up from 20 or 25 years under current plans—and has a minimum payment of $10 each month, while low-income borrowers can now qualify for $0 repayments.

Trump’s policy bill gets rid of current rules that allow borrowers to temporarily have their loan payments deferred due to unemployment or economic hardship, which will apply to borrowers who take out loans starting in July 2025. It also places new limits on forbearance—a temporary pause on loan payments—which states loans can’t be in forbearance for more than 9 months during any 24-month period. The bill does help borrowers by allowing them to now rehabilitate their loans twice, rather than once. That refers to when borrowers can get out of being in default on their loans by making a certain number of on-time payments under a rehabilitation agreement.

The new provisions on loan repayments will apply to all borrowers who are still repaying their debt, though existing borrowers can still defer payments due to economic hardship, and count those months in which payments were deferred toward their 30 years of payments before loans are forgiven. The bill text states RAP would take effect on July 1, 2026, though it also directs the Secretary of Education to start transitioning to the new payment policies within nine months of the bill being enacted into law.

The restrictions on new federal student loans could force more students and parents to turn to private lenders, which currently make up less than 10% of all student loans issued. Private loans have many disadvantages as compared with federal ones, as they typically have higher interest rates, are not eligible for income-based repayment plans and don’t offer forgiveness programs. Medical experts have also warned the $150,000 cap on loans for professional schools could further exacerbate the U.S.’s doctor shortage by making it more expensive for students to attend medical school. When it comes to paying off loans, SBPC projects RAP will broadly increase borrowers’ payments as compared with previous Biden-era income-based payment plans designed to help borrowers make lower payments. The average borrower with a college degree will pay $2,928 more per year than under the Biden-era SAVE plan, SBPC estimates, and the bill also means borrowers will spend longer paying off their loans than they would under current rules.

The policy bill states students can’t receive Pell Grants if they’re enrolled in school less than half time and raises the necessary number of credits taken per year from 24 to 30. It also disqualifies students from Pell Grants if their student aid index—a number demonstrating a student’s financial need, based on their families’ financial resources and expenses—is at least twice the maximum Pell Grant given that year. These changes could mean more than 61% of recipients could lose their grants or have them reduced, according to SBPC, noting that it will affect many low-income students who are attending school in their spare time, and families that might have a high aid index, but have higher expenses from putting multiple children through school. The bill also establishes a new Pell Grant program for short workforce training programs, which must be less than 15 weeks long and either lead to a postsecondary certification or is recognized by a state’s governor as aligning with a “high-skill, high-wage” or “in-demand” job or industry

Big Number

42.5 million. That’s the number of borrowers with outstanding federal student loan debt as of the second quarter of 2025, according to the Department of Education.

Key Background

Student loan debt has become a key political issue over the past few years, as Democrats have fought for loan forgiveness and the Biden administration sought to provide sweeping debt relief, only to have Republicans challenge it in court and the Supreme Court strike it down. While the Biden administration still made numerous piecemeal moves to forgive Americans’ debt, the Trump administration has not followed suit, with Education Secretary Linda McMahon saying in April that “American taxpayers will no longer be forced to serve as collateral for irresponsible student loan policies.” Trump has ordered the student loan portfolio to move under the Small Business Administration as he seeks to abolish the Department of Education, and he has also sought to restrict loan forgiveness for public servants so that it excludes employees working at organizations that are opposed to his policy agenda. Most notably, the Trump administration resumed debt collections May 5 for borrowers who have defaulted on their student loans, after collections had previously been on pause since the COVID-19 pandemic. The move is expected to impact millions of borrowers who haven’t paid their loans for approximately nine months, and the Trump administration intends to garnish a portion of workers’ wages if their loans remain unpaid.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2025/05/23/how-trumps-spending-bill-could-impact-student-loans

In 2025, the total student loan debt in the US is estimated to be around $1.77 trillion, held by roughly 42.7 million borrowers. 

Here's a breakdown of key student loan balance statistics:

Overall Debt:

Total student loan debt: $1.77 trillion, making it the second-largest consumer debt category after mortgages.

Average debt per borrower: $38,883.

Average debt for bachelor's degree recipients: $29,300.

Average household debt: $55,777. 

Federal Student Loan Debt:

Total federal student loan debt: $1.64 trillion.

Average federal student loan debt: $38,375.

Number of federal student loan borrowers: 42.7 million. 

Private Student Loan Debt:

Total private student loan debt: $134.19 billion.

Percentage of total student loan debt: Roughly 7.6%. 

Factors Contributing to High Student Loan Debt:

Rising cost of education: Tuition and fees have steadily increased over the past two decades, forcing students to borrow more to finance their education.

Interest accrual: For unsubsidized loans, interest accumulates while the borrower is in school, adding to the overall debt burden.

Borrowing for graduate and professional degrees: Graduate students, particularly those pursuing professional degrees, tend to accrue significantly higher debt levels. 

Challenges and Considerations:

Student loan delinquency and default: Millions of borrowers are struggling to repay their loans, leading to rising delinquency and default rates.

Impact on credit scores: Missed or late payments can negatively affect credit scores, limiting access to other forms of credit.

Economic impact: High levels of student loan debt can hinder borrowers' ability to save, invest, and contribute to the overall economy. 

The average federal student loan debt held as of March 2025 is $39,075. Black Americans hold an average (median) of $26,000 in student loan debt, while white Americans have $25,000. Sixteen percent of Americans with student loans are behind on their payments.

https://www.google.com/search?q=us+student+loan+balance+2025

In 2025, interest rates for federal student loans are fixed and vary depending on the loan type and the borrower's status (undergraduate, graduate, or parent). Here's a breakdown of the interest rates for the 2024-2025 academic year:

Federal Student Loan Interest Rates (2024-2025):

Direct Subsidized Loans (Undergraduate): 6.53%

Direct Unsubsidized Loans (Undergraduate): 6.53%

Direct Unsubsidized Loans (Graduate or Professional): 8.08%

Direct PLUS Loans (Parents and Graduate/Professional Students): 9.08% 

Important points to consider about federal student loan interest rates:

Fixed Rates: All federal student loans disbursed since July 1, 2006, have fixed interest rates, meaning the rate stays the same for the life of the loan.

Annual Adjustment: The interest rates for federal student loans are set annually by the U.S. Department of Education, typically based on the 10-year Treasury note auction in May, plus a fixed add-on percentage.

Slight Decrease Expected for 2025-2026: Based on the May 2025 Treasury auction, some experts anticipate a slight decrease in federal student loan interest rates for the 2025-2026 academic year. 

Private Student Loans:

Variable Rates: Private student loans often have variable interest rates, which can fluctuate over time based on market conditions.

Credit-Based Rates: Private lenders determine interest rates based on factors like credit score, income, and the chosen loan term.

Potentially Higher Rates: Private student loan interest rates can be higher than federal loan rates, especially for borrowers with lower credit scores. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=us+student+loan+interest+rates+2025

Changes in 2025: While there were proposals to move the administration of federal student loans from the Department of Education to another agency (like the Small Business Administration or the Treasury Department), these changes did not directly impact Sallie Mae's (Aidvantage) role. The focus was on how the federal government would manage the student loan portfolio, not on the role of private lenders like Sallie Mae. 

Executive Order and Dismantling the DOE: President Trump did sign an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education and propose moving federal student loan administration to other agencies, but this proposal did not directly involve Sallie Mae. According to an article from NPR, the student loan portfolio was slated to move to the Small Business Administration. 

Sallie Mae's Focus: Sallie Mae's current focus is on private student lending and college planning resources. According to Seeking Alpha, they are seen as a leader in private student lending. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=was+sallie+mae+moved+from+the+US+DOE+2025

Comments

Student loans should be granted to “credit-worthy” applicants to fund their “professional” education that will enable them to pay back their loans on schedule. This includes students to Medical School, Dental School and Engineering School.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

Nuclear Energy Agenda 6-2-25

Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Reinvigorates the Nuclear Industrial Base

The White House, May 23, 2025 

EINVIGORATING THE NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to expedite and promote the production and operation of nuclear energy, which is necessary to power the next generation technologies that secure our global industrial, digital, and economic dominance, achieve energy independence, and protect our national security.

This Order tasks the Secretary of Energy, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), to report on a recommended national policy to support spent nuclear fuel management, an evaluation of policies regarding commercial recycling and reprocessing of nuclear fuels, and recommendations for the efficient use of nuclear waste materials.

The Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Director of OMB, will develop a plan to expand domestic uranium conversion capacity and enrichment capabilities to meet projected civilian and defense reactor needs.

This Order directs the Secretary of Energy to create a program to dispose of surplus plutonium by processing and making it available for advanced reactor fuel fabrication, stopping the surplus plutonium disposition program other than with respect to existing legal obligations.

President Trump is leveraging the Defense Production Act to seek voluntary agreements with domestic nuclear energy companies for the procurement of enriched uranium and for consultation regarding methods to enhance domestic capability to manage spent nuclear fuel.

The Secretary of Energy is authorized to support the establishment of nuclear industry consortia by ensuring offtake for newly established domestic fuel supply across milling, conversion/deconversion, enrichment, fabrication, and recycling and reprocessing.

ACCELERATING NEW NUCLEAR ENERGY PRODUCTION: President Trump is leveraging the full suite of Federal financial resources to support the restart, completion, uprate, and construction of nuclear plants.

The Department of Energy will prioritize the facilitation of 5 GW of power uprates to existing nuclear reactors and construction on 10 new large reactors by 2030.

Federal loans and loan guarantees will be prioritized to support increased nuclear energy, including restarting closed nuclear power plants and completing construction of prematurely suspended plants.

The Order tasks the Secretary of Energy, in coordination with the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, to prioritize funding for companies with potential for near-term deployment of advanced nuclear technologies.

EXPANDING THE AMERICAN NUCLEAR WORKFORCE: President Trump is taking action to expand pathways for Americans to gain employment in the domestic nuclear workforce.

Nuclear engineering and nuclear energy-related careers will be considered priority areas for actions directed pursuant to Executive Order 14278.

The Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Education will increase participation in nuclear energy-related registered apprenticeships and career and technical education programs.

The Secretary of Energy will increase access to R&D infrastructure, workforce, and expertise at Department of Energy National Laboratories for college and university nuclear engineering students.

STRENGTHENING THE DOMESTIC NUCLEAR FUEL SUPPLY CHAIN: To enable the long-term expansion of nuclear energy, the Federal government shall pursue policies to maximize the value of nuclear fuel and expand the domestic nuclear fuel supply chain.

The Nation’s nuclear fuel cycle infrastructure has severely atrophied, with domestic fuel sources supplying only about 5% of the fuel used in U.S. reactors. In addition to permitting challenges in mining the relevant minerals, in 1977 the Federal government introduced a policy that did not allow reprocessing of used fuel for commercial reactors, leaving the United States heavily dependent on foreign sources of uranium as well as uranium enrichment and conversion services. 

The United States possesses ample deposits of uranium and thorium that can power advanced nuclear reactors. The President has already taken decisive action to advance mining activities relevant to these minerals pursuant to his Executive Order “Immediate Measures to Increase Domestic Mineral Production.”

This Executive Order supplements the Administration’s actions on mineral production to ensure that we can not only mine, but also process and refine, nuclear fuel domestically. This is crucial for energy independence and national security.

Treatment of nuclear waste is one of the most difficult problems in the nuclear supply chain, and this Order brings together all relevant Federal agencies to develop implementable solutions.

60% of the nuclear workforce is between the ages of 30 and 60, and this Order takes decisive action to generate a pipeline of workers to supply the demand for this crucial industry.

UNLEASHING AMERICAN ENERGY: President Trump believes in supporting all forms of reliable, dispatchable energy, harnessing nuclear, fossil fuels, and emerging technologies to secure American energy independence and fuel economic growth.

On Day One, President Trump declared a National Energy Emergency to eliminate bureaucratic barriers, unleash innovation, and restore America’s position as the world’s leading energy producer.

Unleashing American energy will create jobs and economic prosperity, improve the United States’ trade balance, help our country compete with hostile foreign powers, strengthen relations with allies and partners, and support international peace and security.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/05/fact-sheet-

Comments

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

Portable Nuclear Reactors 6-2-25

Portable nuclear reactors, like microreactors and small modular reactors (SMRs), are designed to be small, easily transportable, and capable of generating power in various locations, including remote areas, military installations, and disaster recovery zones. They offer a combination of reliability and operational flexibility, and are often fueled by TRISO fuel (a type of ceramic-coated uranium) for enhanced safety.  

Types of Portable Nuclear Reactors:

Microreactors: These are very small reactors, often designed to be portable and capable of generating up to 20 megawatts of thermal energy. 

SMRs: These are nuclear fission reactors that are built in factories and then assembled on-site. They are about 1/10 to 1/4 the size of traditional nuclear power plants, and offer advanced safety features. 

Examples: Companies like Radiant Nuclear and X-energy are developing and deploying portable nuclear reactors for various applications, Radiant Nuclear with their Kaleidos microreactor and X-energy with their Xe-Mobile reactor. 

Benefits of Portable Nuclear Reactors:

Portability: They can be easily transported to remote areas, military installations, or disaster zones. 

Flexibility: They can be used for power generation, process heat, desalination, or other industrial applications. 

Reliability: Microreactors are designed to operate for years without refueling, and SMRs can be deployed incrementally to match increasing energy demand. 

Safety: Advanced safety features, such as TRISO fuel and passive cooling systems, are incorporated into many portable reactor designs.

Examples of Applications: Remote Power Generation: Providing electricity to remote villages or communities where access to the grid is limited. 

Military Operations: Supplying power to deployed military installations or providing backup power for critical systems. 

Disaster Relief: Providing power to areas affected by natural disasters or other emergencies. 

Industrial Applications: Powering industrial facilities, desalination plants, or other applications that require a reliable and compact power source. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=portable+nuclear+generators

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

Trump Agenda 2026 Budget 6-1-25

The White House Office of Management and Budget Releases the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 Skinny Budget

The White House, May 2, 2025 

Washington, D.C.–Today, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) sent President Trump’s topline discretionary Budget request for fiscal year 2026 to the U.S. Congress.

The Budget, which reduces non-defense discretionary by $163 billion or 23 percent from the 2025 enacted level, guts a weaponized deep state while providing historic increases for defense and border security.  The Budget also provides support for air and rail safety as well as key infrastructure and our Nation’s veterans and law enforcement.

This is the lowest non-defense spending level since 2017.  Savings come from eliminating radical diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and critical race theory programs, Green New Scam funding, large swaths of the Federal Government weaponized against the American people, and moving programs that are better suited for States and localities to provide. 

Defense spending would increase by 13 percent, and appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security would increase by nearly 65 percent, to ensure that our military and other agencies repelling the invasion of our border have the resources they need to complete the mission.  These increases will be made possible through the passage of President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, which will be enacted with a simple majority in the Congress, and not be held hostage by Democrats for wasteful spending increases that have been the status quo in Washington.

“For decades, the biggest complaint about the Federal Budget was wasteful spending and bloated bureaucracy.  But over the last four years, Government spending aggressively turned against the American people and trillions of our dollars were used to fund cultural Marxism, radical Green New Scams, and even our own invasion.  No agency was spared in the Left’s taxpayer-funded cultural revolution.  At this critical moment, we need a historic Budget—one that ends the funding of our decline, puts Americans first, and delivers unprecedented support to our military and homeland security.  The President’s Budget does all of that,” said Russ Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

Highlights of the President’s key priorities include the following:

End Weaponization and Reduce Violent Crime.  The Budget ends the previous Administration’s weaponization of the Government by eliminating programs like the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s disinformation offices that targeted and censored Americans, eliminating so-called Fair Housing programs that waged war on America’s suburbs, ending the Environmental Protection Agency’s unfair harassment of citizens over “environmental justice” directives, and halting the ATF’s criminalizing of gun-owning Americans and instead, focusing on stopping illegal firearms traffickers and violent gang members.

The Budget prioritizes Department of Justice (DOJ) key functions—restoring law and order to America’s communities, fighting crime, and supporting America’s men and women in Blue.  To that end, the Budget proposes to eliminate more than 40 DOJ grant programs that fund things like a “feminist, culturally specific nonprofit” to address “structural racism and toxic masculinities” and training Fa’afafine advocates—an organization of biological men that describes themselves as a “third-gender” in Samoa.  The Budget also reflects the President’s priority of reducing violent crime in American cities and protecting national security by getting Federal Bureau of Investigation agents into the field. 

Defund the Harmful Woke, Marxist Agenda.  Every single agency across the Federal Government was engaged in funding and advancing DEI and other radical, harmful ideologies such as:  $315 million for grant programs to push “intersectionality,” “racial equity,” and LGBTQIA+ programming for preschoolers; housing grants that funded activities such as an “Equity Audit” to reverse “land use patterns that have roots in systemically racist policies in L.A. County; and “addressing White Supremacy in the STEM profession.”  The Budget ends all of that.

Secure the Border.  The Budget request empowers the Department of Homeland Security to implement the President’s mass removal campaign and secure the border.  This funding is in addition to historic investments in border security the Administration proposes to provide through mandatory funding, as part of the congressional Budget reconciliation process.  The discretionary request includes an additional $500 million for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to expedite the removal of illegal aliens through the support of 50,000 detention beds, $766 million to procure cutting-edge border security technology funding, and funding to maintain 22,000 Border Patrol Agents and hire additional Customs and Border Protection officers for a total of 26,383 officers.  The Budget also cuts off the flow of taxpayer funds that have been abused to facilitate migrant caravan invasions.  Departments whose task it was to prevent those invasions allocated billions in funding to non-governmental organizations running “border aid stations” and legal services to criminal aliens—all of which will be eliminated under this new budget.

Realign Foreign Aid.  The Budget ensures that foreign aid spending is efficient and consistent with U.S. foreign policy under the America First agenda.  The Budget reorganizes the U.S. Agency for International Development into the Department of State to meet current needs and eliminates non-essential staff that were hired based on DEI and preferencing practices.  The Budget also expands the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to support U.S. national security and American interests—generating returns to the taxpayer and reducing reliance on foreign aid.  This includes $3 billion for a new revolving fund to allow DFC to recycle any realized returns from its initial investments.

Rebuild our Nation’s Military.  The Budget request for the Department of Defense builds on the President’s promise to achieve peace through strength by providing the resources to rebuild our military, re-establish deterrence, and revive the warrior ethos of our Armed Forces.  In combination with $119 billion in mandatory funding, the Budget increases Defense spending by 13 percent, and prioritizes investments to strengthen the safety, security, and sovereignty of the homeland, deter Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific, and revitalize our defense industrial base. 

Achieve American Energy Dominance.  The Budget supports the President’s commitment to unleash America’s affordable and reliable energy and natural resources.  The Budget cancels over $15 billion in Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Green New Scam funds provided to the Department of Energy for unreliable renewable energy, removing carbon dioxide from the air, and other costly technologies that burden ratepayers and consumers.  The Budget reorients Department of Energy funding toward research and development of technologies that could produce an abundance of domestic fossil energy and critical minerals, innovative concepts for nuclear reactors and advanced nuclear fuels, and technologies that promote firm baseload power.  The Budget also cancels an additional $5.7 billion in IIJA funding provided to the Department of Transportation for failed electric vehicle charger grant programs.

Make America Healthy Again (MAHA).  The Budget request builds on the President’s MAHA Commission.  The Budget provides resources to the Department of Health and Human Services that would allow the Secretary to tackle issues related to nutrition, physical activity, healthy lifestyles, over-reliance on medication and treatments, the effects of new technological habits, environmental impacts, and food and drug quality and safety.  The Budget also supports the creation of MAHA food boxes, that would be filled with commodities sourced from domestic farmers and given directly to American households.  The Budget includes resources to ensure food safety nationwide, including support for increased production and demand for services.

Support Our Veterans.  The Budget provides increased funding for healthcare services tailored to U.S. veterans’ needs, both at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers and in the community.  Combined with $50 billion in mandatory funding from the Toxic Exposures Fund, the Budget ensures that the Nation’s veterans are provided with the world-class healthcare that they deserve.  In addition, veterans who qualify for access to care with local community providers would be empowered to make the choice to see them, rather than having to drive in some cases hours to access the nearest VA facility.  The Budget includes $1.1 billion in new VA funding to make a down payment on President Trump’s commitment to eradicate veterans’ homelessness, the largest funding increase in the last decade.

Preserve Social Security.  The Budget supports the President’s promise to not touch Social Security benefits.  It also includes sufficient resources for the Social Security Administration (SSA) to improve customer service by expanding and improving online services, and reducing customer wait times in field offices and on the phone.  The Budget also includes investments in program integrity, to reduce fraud and abuse in Social Security programs, and in investments in artificial intelligence to increase employee productivity and automate routine workloads.  These efforts would help ensure that SSA delivers timely and accurate Social Security services to the public.

Streamline K-12 Education Funding and Promote Parental Choice.  The Budget continues the process of shutting down the Department of Education.  The Budget maintains full funding for Title I, that provides Federal financial assistance to school districts for children from low-income families, and special education funding under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  To limit the Federal role in education, and provide States with more flexibility, the Budget creates a new K-12 Simplified Funding Program that consolidates 18 competitive and formula grant programs into a new formula grant, and a Special Education Simplified Funding Program that consolidates seven IDEA programs into a single grant.  The Budget also invests $500 million, a $60 million increase, to expand the number of high-quality charter schools, that have a proven track record of improving students’ academic achievement and giving parents more choice in the education of their children.

Make America Skilled Again (MASA).  The Budget proposes to give States and localities the flexibility to spend Federal workforce dollars to best support their workers and economies, instead of funneling taxpayer dollars to progressive non-profits finding work for illegal immigrants or focusing on DEI.  Under this proposal, States would now have more control and flexibility to coordinate with employers and would have to spend at least 10 percent of their MASA grant on apprenticeship, a proven model that trains workers while they earn a paycheck and offers a valuable alternative to college. 

Support Space Flight.  The Budget refocuses the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) funding on beating China back to the Moon and on putting the first human on Mars.  By allocating over $7 billion for lunar exploration and introducing $1 billion in new investments for Mars-focused programs, it ensures that America’s human space exploration efforts remain unparalleled, innovative, and efficient.  To achieve these objectives, the Budget would streamline the NASA workforce, IT services, NASA Center operations, facility maintenance, and construction and environmental compliance activities.  The Budget also eliminates “green aviation” and other climate scam programs as well as failing space propulsion projects.

Maintain Support for Tribal Nations.  The Budget preserves Federal funding for the Indian Health Service and supports core programs at the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education, sustaining the Federal Government’s support for core programs that benefit tribal communities.  The Budget also weeds out radical woke grants and programs and streamlines other programs for tribal communities that were ineffective.

Address Drug Abuse.  The Administration is committed to combatting the scourge of deadly drugs that have ravaged American communities.  The Budget prioritizes Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) resources on traffickers of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs that are driving America’s overdose crisis.  This includes redirecting DEA’s foreign spending to regions with criminal organizations that traffic significant quantities of deadly drugs into the United States—Mexico, Central America, South America, and China. 

Support Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Research.  The Budget amply funds research in artificial intelligence and quantum information science at key agencies to ensure the United States remains on the cutting edge of these critical technologies’ development and responsible use.

Improve Wildland Firefighting.  Federal wildfire responsibilities currently are split across five agencies in two departments.  The Budget would consolidate firefighting responsibilities into a new Federal Wildland Fire Service at the Department of the Interior that would coordinate with non-Federal partners to combat the wildfire crisis.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/05/the-white-house-office-of-management-and-budget-releases-the-presidents-fiscal-year-2026-skinny-budget/

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

US Economy 6-1-25

The closest thing to normalcy we’ve seen in the US economy occurred in 2018 and 2019. Trump lowered taxes in 2017, increased oil and natural gas production, removed unnecessary federal regulations so businesses could expand jobs.

In 2018, the U.S. nominal GDP was $20.6565 trillion. In 2019, the U.S. nominal GDP was $21.540 trillion

In 2018, U.S. federal spending totaled $4.1 trillion, with the budget deficit reaching $779 billion. In 2019, the federal budget saw total expenditures at $4.4 trillion, resulting in a deficit of $984 billion. 

In 2018, the US government paid $357 billion in interest on the debt held by the public. This amount increased to $404 billion in 2019. 

In 2018, the median household income in the United States was $63,179, and in 2019, it was $68,703, an increase of 6.8%. This represents the highest median household income recorded in the US at that point. 

In 2018, the US unemployment rate was 3.9%, and in 2019, it fell to 3.7%. These rates were at historically low levels. The labor market continued to improve in both years, with unemployment rates decreasing for most demographic groups. 

In 2018, the US inflation rate, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), was 2.4%. In 2019, the inflation rate decreased to 1.8%. 

In 2018, the national average gasoline price was $2.72 per gallon. In 2019, the average price was slightly lower, at $2.60 per gallon. This represents a decrease of 11 cents per gallon, or 4%, compared to 2018. 

In 2018, the average transaction price for a used car in the U.S. was $20,079. In 2019, this price rose to $20,618. This represents an increase of $538 year-over-year, according to an Edmunds report.

In 2018, the average price of a dozen eggs in the US was around $1.74, and in 2019, it was roughly $1.40.

The US had offshored manufacturing from 1990 to 2016 and the economy was still growing.

The US border was secure. Trump issued sanctions and there were no wars.

In 2021, Biden opened the border to 20 million unvetted illegals, squandered tax dollars on Climate Change and EV subsidies and restricted US oil and natural gas production. Cumulative Global Inflation soared by 30%. Biden lifted all sanctions and war broke out in Ukraine and Israel. Biden botched the Afghan withdrawal.

Biden’s government overspending produced an increase in the US National Debt . The US national debt rose significantly between 2021 and 2024, increasing from $28.43 trillion in 2021 to $35.46 trillion in 2024.

In 2025, Trump returned to fix the mess and put the US on the path to prosperity and peace. 

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader