The Education Department would receive a nearly 41% increase over this year's enacted spending level. wingedwolf / iStock.com
How Much Would Your Agency’s Budget Increase Under Biden’s Fiscal 2022 Request?
All but one major agency would see an increase under the president’s proposal.
President Biden’s fiscal 2022 budget request released Friday would boost discretionary spending for nearly every major federal agency, with the majority seeing double digit percentage increases.
The Biden administration’s goal is to reinvigorate civilian programs it believes have long been underfunded. “This moment of crisis is also a moment of possibility,” wrote Office of Management and Budget acting Director Shalanda Young in a letter to leaders of the House and Senate Appropriations and Budget committees. “The upcoming appropriations process is another important opportunity to continue laying a stronger foundation for the future and reversing a legacy of chronic disinvestment in crucial priorities. Together, America has a chance not simply to go back to the way things were before the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn struck, but to begin building a better, stronger, more secure, more inclusive America.”
The budget proposal would increase overall civilian agency discretionary spending by 16%, with 11 of 15 Cabinet-level departments receiving double digit percentage increases over this year’s enacted spending. The Education Department would reap the biggest percentage increase, at 40.8%, with the Commerce and Health and Human Services departments also receiving over 20% more (at 27.7% and 23.1% respectively).
Non-Cabinet level departments also would fare well. The Environmental Protection Agency would receive a 21.3% increase.
Defense spending would increase 1.6% over fiscal 2021 levels.
The budget proposal marks a big departure from President Trump’s requests. Trump's proposal last year would have cut spending for all but five major agencies. Biden granted some of his smaller increases to the agencies where Trump had traditionally proposed spending hikes. The Homeland Security Department, for instance, would receive a 0.2% increase under Biden and had been slated for a 3.4% increase under Trump’s last budget. The Veterans Affairs Department would have received a 13.3% boost under Trump’s budget and is set for an 8.2% increase under Biden’s proposal.
The chart below shows how much the Cabinet-level and major agencies would receive under Biden’s proposal:
