McCarthy: Social Security, Medicare cuts ‘off the table’ in upcoming meeting with Biden
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- House Speaker Kevin McCarthy will meet with President Joe Biden on Wednesday to discuss the spending reductions in exchange for raising the debt limit.
- McCarthy said Medicare and Social Security cuts were “off the table.”
- The White House has maintained that raising the debt limit is non-negotiable, citing the risk to the nation’s economy from a default.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy will have an upcoming talk with President Joe Biden on Wednesday to discuss the debt ceiling. McCarthy said on Sunday that cuts to Medicare and Social Security were “off the table.”
In an appearance on the CBS program “Face the Nation,” the House speaker said that while the Republican party wanted spending cuts as part of a deal to raise the debt limit, the GOP did not want to target those two specific programs.
“Let’s take those off the table” he said. “If you read our Commitment to America, all we talk about is strengthening Medicare and Social Security. So — and I know the president says he doesn’t want to look at it, but we’ve got to make sure we strengthen those.”
McCarthy also said during the interview that he wanted to come to an agreement with Democratic leaders on a budget. He added that GOP leaders would be looking at everything in assessing spending levels — including defense-related programs.
“I want to make sure we’re protected in our defense spending, but I want to make sure it’s effective and efficient,” the speaker said. “I want to look at every single dollar we are spending, no matter where it is being spent. I want to eliminate waste wherever it is.”
Meanwhile, the White House has been saying that it would not negotiate spending cuts as it relates to the debt ceiling, but the House speaker remained optimistic.
“Now, I know his staff tries to say something different, but I think the President is going to be willing to make an agreement together,” he said.
Earlier this month, the U.S. hit its debt limit of roughly $31.4 trillion, prompting the Treasury Department to take steps to fund the government’s financial obligations until June.
Source: Reuters
Paul
January 31, 2023 at 4:35 pm
Take the cap off of social security, tax all income. Make a million, pay SS on a million or what ever amount they make. Let the rich pay their fair share and that would include congress, Wh, and over paid bureaucrat.
Fred Calim
February 1, 2023 at 7:08 pm
The idiot’s in Washington forget who pays into social security & Medicare. They think that’s their money to do whatever they want to do with it. If it was invested into a interest bearing fund, instead of government borrowing from it yearly; honest taxpayers wouldn’t have to worry about their future income.