Summary of Impacts
Project 2025 suggests reducing fossil fuel production regulations, which will accelerate climate change. Reduced regulations will reduce air quality and increase negative public health outcomes. Over-reliance on fossil fuels will jeopardize future energy security and stability, and increase American dependence on foreign oil sources.
Key Quotes
“Eliminate the Clean Energy Corps by revoking funding and eliminating all positions and personnel hired under the program.”
(McNamee 418)
“Eliminate energy efficiency standards for appliances.”
(McNamee 411)
“Make the design, development, and deployment of new nuclear warheads a top priority.”
(McNamee 430)
Impacts on the Department of Health and Human Services
The potential impacts of Project 2025 on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) include extensive structural and policy changes aimed at reducing bureaucracy and enhancing efficiency. Key reforms would involve privatization and deregulation to foster competition and innovation, substantial restructuring of Medicaid and Medicare to cut federal spending and increase state-level control, and an emphasis on free-market principles and individual responsibility in healthcare. The project proposes eliminating unnecessary mandates and streamlining processes for providers, while shifting the management of Medicaid program oversight largely to the states. There would also be a focus on welfare reform, faith-based initiatives, conservative approaches to bioethics, and a reduction in federal regulations to lower costs and administrative burdens. Enhanced transparency in policy-making and more state autonomy in healthcare program implementation are expected, which could significantly impact healthcare providers, insurers, and patients by changing service delivery and access.
Critical Analysis
The document uses conservative rhetoric to frame policies in terms of protecting life, conscience, and traditional family values. – It criticizes the Biden administration’s focus on equity and inclusion, labeling it as “identity politics” and “social engineering.” – The language often portrays progressive policies as harmful and divisive, while promoting conservative values as the solution to societal issues.
Detrimental Impacts
The proposed policy for the Department of Health and Human Services stands to affect the following:
AFFECTED GROUPS
The document recommends repealing policies that support LGBTQ+ rights, including gender identity and sexual orientation protections. This will lead to discrimination and reduced access to healthcare and other services for LGBTQ+ individuals.
The focus on traditional family structures and opposition to equity initiatives will disproportionately harm racial and ethnic minorities who may benefit from these programs.
The document’s emphasis on reducing regulatory burdens and promoting market-based healthcare will lead to reduced access to necessary services and government support for people with disabilities.
The proposed changes to Medicaid and other social safety net programs will reduce access to healthcare and other essential services for low-income individuals and families.
The strong anti-abortion stance and opposition to reproductive rights will limit access to safe and legal abortion services.
General Public
Limiting healthcare availability for marginalized groups will negatively impact the health of the general population.
Future Consequences
Policies that deny gender-affirming care and protections for LGBTQ+ individuals will lead to increased discrimination, mental health issues, and reduced access to necessary healthcare services. This will lead to higher suicide rates and a lower quality of life for LGBTQIA+ individuals.
Rolling back equity initiatives will exacerbate existing disparities in healthcare, education, and economic opportunities for racial and ethnic minorities.
Reducing regulatory oversight and promoting market-based healthcare will limit access to essential services and support for people with disabilities, leading to poorer health outcomes and reduced quality of life.
Cutting back on Medicaid and other social safety net programs will increase financial strain on low-income families, reduce access to healthcare, and perpetuate cycles of poverty.
Restricting access to abortion and reproductive healthcare will result in unsafe abortions, increased maternal mortality, and negative physical and mental health outcomes for women.
Limiting the power of the government to act during public health emergencies will lead to worse outcomes.
Conclusion
In summary, the policies proposed in this section of Project 2025 prioritize short-term energy dominance and deregulation at the expense of long-term sustainability, public health, and social equity. These policies will disproportionately harm marginalized communities, increase energy costs, and exacerbate environmental and public health risks.
Quotes from the Mandate
Page numbers refer to the Mandate for Leadership PDF
In August 2022, President Biden issued an Executive Order that urged the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary to extend Medicaid funding to assist patients travelling out-of-state to receive abortion care. In response, the Department of Health and Human Services issued an “Action Plan to Protect and Strengthen Reproductive Care” that included new Medicaid provisions and the Department of Justice Office of Legal Council (DOJ OLC) issued an opinion stating that the Hyde Amendment only applied to abortion procedures, and as such, federal funds could be used to assist patients with abortion travel costs.
Project 2025 aims to eliminate abortion at a federal level. By withdrawing the current interpretation of the Hyde Amendment, abortion care would be even more difficult to access as more states pass legislation to criminalize it. This would be particularly harmful to low-income individuals who would lose out on one of the few existing forms of monetary abortion assistance.
The author calls for withdrawing all related guidance and waivers, which would make it far more difficult for women (particularly low-income women) to access reproductive healthcare. While this policy would likely lead to more women’s (preventable) deaths, abortion bans make data analysis difficult.
An interesting subtlety in this section is the mention of Heckler v. Chaney, a court case where the Supreme Court ruled that federal agencies that refuse to enforce rules are not subject to judicial review unless there are other laws stating otherwise. Put simply, the next conservative administration will do nothing to protect the LGBTQ+ community from discrimination, and the courts won’t help.
This policy is terrifying for the LGBTQ+ community. Anyone will be able to legally refuse them any kind of healthcare (not just healthcare related to gender and sexual orientation). Transgender people are particularly affected by discrimination – 40% of trans respondents reported postponing or avoiding preventive screenings because of discrimination in a 2020 survey. This policy will lead to preventable deaths of our LGBTQ+ community.
Withdrawing this guidance would mean that abortion records (and other reproductive healthcare) would be unsealed and the women within the records could be subject to legal action. As states criminalize abortion, women could be subject to felony charges, incarceration, steep fines and potentially lose civil rights such as voting. Additionally, with the criminal cases, women would stand to lose employment, housing and general day-to-day security in their lives.
Eliminating this guidance will make it far more difficult (or impossible) for transgender individuals with HIV to access the care they need. This policy will very likely lead to death and further health disparities in this vulnerable population. See this resource page for more information.
While the elimination of Ella would have far-reaching consequences for all women, it will be especially detrimental in cases of sexual assault. Due to trauma and stigma, it may take several days for victims of sexual assault to seek medical services. Eliminating access to Ella will result in many more unwanted pregnancies.
