A group representing the majority of House Republicans, including Congressman Ted Budd and every other U.S. House Republican from North Carolina, just released their proposed agenda for next year – and North Carolinians aren’t going to like it. The plan, which gives a preview of what Republicans would try to do if they controlled Congress, includes cuts to Social Security and Medicare. Which raises the question: Do North Carolina Republicans in Congress agree with these proposed cuts – or will they disavow their caucus’ agenda? 

• Mother Jones: “A little-noticed budget document, the Blueprint to Save America, released in June by the Republican Study Committee, details the group’s priorities. Since nearly 75 percent of Republican House lawmakers are RSC members, these priorities are shared by a majority of the GOP caucus. The 122-page manifesto, containing a laundry list of longstanding conservative desires, calls for significantly reducing the size of America’s social safety net, drastically limiting abortion access nationwide, effectively throwing in the towel on combatting climate change, raising the age requirement to receive full Social Security benefits, cracking down on transgender rights, and making it easier for Americans to carry concealed weapons.” 
• Mother Jones: “The RSC calls for raising the retirement age by three months per year through 2040, at that point the new age requirement to receive full Social Security benefits for people born after 1978 would be 70.”

“As Republicans keep saying they want to put North Carolinians’ hard-earned Social Security and Medicare benefits at risk, ban abortion, and more – North Carolina families deserve to know where Congressman Budd and the rest of the Republican U.S. House delegation from our state stand on the latest GOP agenda. While Democrats are laser-focused on lowering costs and protecting the right to abortion, North Carolina Republicans need to answer how far they’ll go in taking away North Carolinians’ benefits and reproductive freedom,” said NCDP Spokesperson Ellie Dougherty. 

This proposal is just the latest threat to Social Security and Medicare from Republicans in Congress. Earlier this year, Rick Scott, the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, put forward a plan that was supported by RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel and other prominent Republicans that could put North Carolinians’ Social Security and Medicare benefits on the chopping block. If Republicans get their way and Medicare and Social Security benefits are cut, it would have a significant financial toll on the over two million North Carolinians who rely on Medicare for their health coverage and over two million North Carolinians who receive Social Security benefits each month to help cover everything from rent to putting food on the table. 

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