(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden on Thursday will tout the work his administration is doing to bolster Medicare and Social Security, while warning that Republican members of Congress will “continue to push plans that would undermine these programs,” according to the White House.
Biden will travel to Tampa, Florida, on Thursday morning and deliver remarks at the University of Tampa in the afternoon. He will discuss his plan to fortify Social Security and Medicare as well as lower healthcare costs. The president will also “contrast his commitment to protecting and strengthening Medicare and Social Security and lowering prescription drug prices, with Congressional Republicans’ plans to cut these programs,” the White House said.
The White House listed examples of some GOP members of Congress who Biden has said are threatening to make changes or cuts to the federal health insurance and entitlement programs, including Sens. Rick Scott, Mike Lee and Ron Johnson. All three senators were called out by the president during his visit to Wisconsin on Wednesday.
During his second State of the Union address on Tuesday evening, Biden warned that “some Republicans” want to target programs such as Medicare and Social Security, which millions of Americans rely on. The remark prompted audible boos from several Republicans, with populist firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene even heard calling the president a “liar.” But Biden quickly turned the tables.
“So, folks, as we all apparently agree, Social Security and Medicare is off the books now, right? They’re not to be touched?” he shot back. “All right. All right. We got unanimity.”
It’s an issue that Democrats and Republicans have been sparring over for months. Congressional Republicans have demanded spending cuts in exchange for raising the debt ceiling and avoiding default, but they have not laid out exactly what cuts it wants.
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