Trump’s Budget Cuts Funding for Manufacturing Program

President Trump's budget includes a proposal that would eliminate federal funding for a program that supports small manufacturing firms. The proposal would cut budgets for 51 local offices affiliated with the Manufacturing Extension Partnership during fiscal year 2018. Officials that use the program worry it would hamper efforts to help small manufacturers with business planning, employee training, and cyber security protections. The White House says the program was originally intended to operate without the help of the federal government. However, cutting funding for the program could be a long shot as it has good bipartisan support in Congress.