Biden Releases $1.52 Trillion 2022 Federal Budget Proposal

The Biden administration on Friday proposed a $1.52 trillion federal discretionary spending budget for fiscal year 2022. The budget includes a 1.7% increase in military spending and a 16% increase in non-defense spending, marking a substantial shift from previous administrations. News coverage often focused on specific spending proposals, such as a 10.4% increase in the IRS budget, a 12% increase in the State Department’s budget, $1.4 billion for environmental justice initiatives, $1.2 billion for “border security technology,” $0 for border wall construction, $861 million in targeted aid to Central America, $10 billion for global health programs, and $14 billion for fighting climate change. By Friday evening, various parts of Biden’s budget had attracted criticism from both the left and the right, particularly on military spending. Federal discretionary spending totaled $1.3 trillion in 2019 and $1.4 trillion in 2020. Coverage varied widely across the spectrum, with coverage often focusing on specific parts of the budget. There were no major noticeable differences in coverage between left- and right-rated outlets as of Friday evening.