News · Press Release

Vulnerable House Republicans Encourage Cuts to Social Security and Medicare

They encouraged it for years, suggested they would do it if given the majority, and now House Republicans are plotting to leverage must-pass bills to actually gut Social Security and Medicare. While plans range from raising the Social Security eligibility age, privatizing Social Security, flat cuts to Medicare, and gutting Social Security programs all together – one thing is certain: Republicans are coming for seniors’ earned benefits.

Here is a list of just a few vulnerable Republicans who have voiced support for making cuts to essential programs that seniors depend on:

  • The Republican Study Committee – which represents nearly 75% of the House Republican Conference – has a plan that would raise the Social Security eligibility age, delaying when seniors can access their hard-earned benefits. Multiple Republican candidates have said they sign onto this plan. RSC Chairman Kevin Hern claimed “We have no choice but to make hard decisions.”

  • Don Bacon (NE-02) – Bacon has called for raising the Social Security eligibility age multiple times. Bacon said in a townhall that he wants to consider raising the eligibility age and “examine the caps

  • David Schweikert (AZ-01) – Schweikert has voted for legislation that threatened Social Security and Medicare. He suggested last June that people should delay their hard-earned retirement because America needs workers.

  • Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-27) – Maria Elvira Salazar believes that Americans who receive assistance from the government are “parasites.”

  • Mike Garcia (CA-27) – Garcia said he only supported Medicare “at some levels.”

  • Ashley Hinson (IA-02) – Hinson has said she is open to raising the Social Security retirement age and pledged that a Republican House majority would be “making some tough decisions” about Social Security.

  • Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01) – Miller-Meeks has wanted to cut Medicare and Social Security going back to her first campaign in 2008. Miller-Meeks blamed rising health care costs on seniors overusing Medicare. She repeatedly supported raising the retirement age and supported privatizing Social Security.

  • Monica De La Cruz (TX-15) – Despite more than 70,000 retired workers in TX-15 relying on the Social Security payments they’ve paid into, Monica De La Cruz is an opponent of protecting Social Security. De La Cruz supports privatizing Social Security, risking American seniors’ guaranteed retirement benefits on the stock market.

  • George Santos (NY-03) – George Santos said he would “enact major reforms” to Social Security including “a private option for social security” that would leave earned benefits at risk to market fluctuations.

DCCC spokesperson Tommy Garcia:
“House Republicans have said they would gut Social Security and Medicare for years, and they are now rallying around legislation to make their dreams a reality. House Republicans’ eagerness to strip Americans of their hard-earned benefits is not just unpopular, but it sends a clear message to voters that Republicans will not stand up for everyday families.”

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