GOP Pushing Back Against Democrats' Social Security and Medicare Allegations

Republicans are looking to push back against claims by Democrats that the GOP is looking to cut Social Security and Medicare, the Washington Examiner reports.

President Joe Biden said in his State of the Union address that some Republicans want to put those programs "on the chopping block," a claim that some are hoping to counter.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has promised not to change Social Security or Medicare during negotiations with the White House, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee released a digital ad last Friday accusing Democrats of being the party that's "voting to put Medicare and Social Security at risk."

NRSC Communications Director Mike Berg told the Examiner that "We are fully prepared to hold Democrats accountable for backing policies that threatened Social Security and Medicare. Democrats' reckless spending is the true threat to these two popular programs."

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., hit out at critics in an opinion piece released on Friday rejecting claims made by critics that his plan to sunset federal programs after five years unless extended by Congress is an attempt to cut Social Security and Medicare.

"I have never supported cutting Social Security or Medicare, ever." he wrote. "To say otherwise is a disingenuous Democratic lie from a very confused president."

• Social Security and Medicare: Troubling Math, Tough Politics
• Sen. Rick Scott Excludes Medicare, Social Security From Sunset Proposal