WASHINGTON — President Trump delivered his first budget under a divided government Monday. Democrats who control the House of Representatives have made it clear the President's budget is already dead on arrival.

  • Proposal includes $8.6 billion to build border wall, boost in defense spending
  • Also asks Congress to fund Space Force, cuts funding to Dept. of Education by more than 10 percent
  • More Politics stories

The budget is essentially a White House wish list that even Republicans see merely as a starting point for negotiations.

“This isn’t necessarily the budget that will pass through the Congress, but it’s an indicator of where he wants to go," said Rep. Michael Waltz (R-6th District).

What it includes

The proposal includes a request for $8.6 billion to build more than 700 miles of structural barriers along the southern border and a boost in defense spending to more than $750 billion. 

“The number one job of the federal government is to keep us safe, and that’s what the President is looking to do," Waltz said.

Democratic leaders say the President won’t get that wall money. Some experts like Sharon Parrott, a fellow with the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, say they're concerned about the steep cuts to domestic programs.

“The budget doubles down on policies that take away food assistance and health coverage and housing from struggling people," Parrott said.

Cuts to Environmental Protection, Energy

Amid cuts to basically every government department, it slashes funding for environmental protection and energy.

“I think that is reflective of the policies he’s pursued, where he has walked away from important climate agreements and pushed back against attacking climate change head on," Parrott explained. 

Waltz adopted a more cautious tone in regards to the cuts, saying he's still looking for more clarity from the Administration on where the cuts are going to come from within the agency.

“I think what you’re going to see from the Florida delegation, bipartisan consensus on doing what we need to do for clean water," he explained. "Let me look at exactly how they’re looking to tinker with EPA and other regulations."

Space Force HQ in Florida?

The proposal also asks Congress to fund a new Space Force within the Air Force. It's expected to cost $72 million in fiscal 2020 with a 200-person headquarters, which most in the delegation would like to see in Florida.

“There’s no better place to have it than Florida, where space is truly in our DNA." Waltz added.

In addition, the proposal would cut funding for the U.S. Education Department by more than 10 percent. However, the White House is asking for $700 million for the Federal Commission on School Safety to help prevent violence in schools.

The commission was formed after the Parkland school shooting last February. 

"We protect things that are important to us," Waltz said. "Protecting our schools, I think, is critical." 

This is just the beginning of a long spending fight expected to last through the fall.  

“There are many proposals in this budget that Congress has rejected in the past and will reject in the future," Parrott said. 

Also this week, Congress is expected to reject Trump’s national emergency that allows him to use military funds to build the wall. The President is also expected to veto that and send it right back to Capitol Hill, where they don’t have enough votes to override him.