Kevin McCarthy and Social Security and Medicare
McCarthy Voted For The FY18 Republican House Budget That Aimed To Cut And Change Medicare
McCarthy Voted For The FY18 House Republican Budget That Cut Medicare And Sought To Restructure It
McCarthy Voted For The FY18 Republican House Budget, Which Proposed Reducing Spending On Mandatory Programs Such As Medicare And Called For Restructuring Medicare Into A Premium Support System. In October 2017, McCarthy voted for “adoption of the concurrent resolution that would provide for $3.2 trillion in new budget authority in fiscal 2018, not including off- budget accounts. It would assume $1.22 trillion in discretionary spending in fiscal 2018. It would assume the repeal of the 2010 health care overhaul law. It also would propose reducing spending on mandatory programs such as Medicare and Medicaid and changing programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (also known as food stamps). It would call for restructuring Medicare into a ‘premium support’ system beginning in 2024. I would also require the House Ways and Means Committee to report out legislation under the budget reconciliation process that would provide for a revenue-neutral, comprehensive overhaul of the U.S. tax code and would include instructions to 11 House committees to trigger the budget reconciliation process to cut mandatory spending. The concurrent resolution would assume that, over 10 years, base (non-Overseas Contingency Operations) discretionary defense spending would be increased by a total of $929 billion over the Budget Control Act caps and non-defense spending be reduced by $1.3 trillion.” The budget pass 219-206. [H Con Res 71, Vote #557, 10/5/17; CQ Floor Votes, 10/5/17]
It Was Reported That The FY18 Budget Targeted Medicare, It Aimed To Turn It Into A Voucher Program And Cut Funding For It
The Associated Press: The House Budget “Reprises A Controversial Plan To Turn Medicare Into A Voucher-Like Program.” According to the Associated Press, “The House on Thursday passed a $4.1 trillion budget plan that promises deep cuts to social programs while paving the way for Republicans to rewrite the tax code later this year. The 2018 House GOP budget reprises a controversial plan to turn Medicare into a voucher-like program for future retirees as well as the party’s efforts to repeal the “Obamacare” health law. Republicans controlling Congress have no plans to actually implement those cuts while they pursue their tax overhaul.” [Associated Press, 10/5/17]
The Center On Budget And Policy Priorities: The FY18 Budget As Passed By House Budget Committee “Would Cut Medicare Spending By $487 Billion Over The 2018-27 Period, Largely By Shifting More Health Care Costs To Beneficiaries.” According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “The 2018 budget resolution that the House Budget Committee approved this week would end Medicare’s guarantee of health coverage by converting the program to a premium support system. Overall, it would cut Medicare spending by $487 billion over the 2018-27 period, largely by shifting more health care costs to beneficiaries. President Trump’s budget, by contrast, would spare Medicare from cuts.” [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 7/21/17]
The House Budget Called For $5 Trillion In Spending Cuts, Including Slashing Medicaid By $1 Trillion. According to the Associated Press, “The plan, passed by a nearly party-line 219-206 vote, calls for more than $5 trillion in spending cuts over the coming decade, promising to slash Medicaid by about $1 trillion over the next 10 years, repeal the ‘Obamacare’ health law, and force huge cuts to domestic programs funded each year by Congress.” [Associated Press, 10/5/17]
McCarthy Voted Against Attempts To Allow Medicare To Lower Prescription Drug Prices
McCarthy Voted Against A Bill To Allow Medicare To Negotiate With Drug Companies To Lower Prices
McCarthy Voted Against Bill To Allow Medicare To Negotiate With Drug Companies To Lower Prices. In January 2007, McCarthy voted against: “Passage of the bill that would require the Health and Human Services (HHS) Department to negotiate with drug companies the prices of drugs covered under the Medicare Part D prescription drug program. It also would specify that the bill should not be construed to authorize HHS to establish or require a particular formulary.” The bill passed 255-170. [HR 4, Vote #23, 1/12/07; CQ, 1/12/07]
Kevin McCarthy and January 6 and Democracy
McCarthy Echoed Trump’s Claims Of Being Defrauded Out Of The 2020 Election, Yet Reportedly Was Aware Trump Lost
McCarthy Falsely Claimed Trump Won The 2020 Election
McCarthy Said Trump Won The 2020 Election And Supporters Should Not “Allow” Biden To Claim Victory. According to the Washington Post, “While states were counting votes on Nov. 4, McCarthy told reporters that he would accept the election results once they the states certified them. Two days later, while states were still counting, McCarthy falsely told Fox News Channel that Donald Trump had won the election and that his supporters should ‘not be silent about’ Joe Biden’s victory. ‘We cannot allow this to happen before our very eyes,’ he said.” [Washington Post, 1/15/21]
McCarthy Reportedly Acknowledged Trump Lost The 2020 Election
Wasserman: “A Few Weeks After The Election, House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy Acknowledged Trump’s Clear Loss To Me.” According to Wasserman’s Twitter, “A few weeks after the election, House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy acknowledged Trump’s clear loss to me and I asked him if the president’s refusal to concede would lead the country down a dangerous road. His response: ‘Maybe.’” [Twitter, @Redistrict, 1/6/21]
McCarthy Tried To Overturn Biden’s 2020 Victory By Voting Against State Electors And Signing Onto Lawsuits
McCarty Voted Against The Electors From Arizona And Pennsylvania
McCarthy Voted Against The Electors From Arizona And Pennsylvania. “According to Wasserman’s Twitter, “And hours after the pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol, McCarthy voted to reject the certified election results from Arizona and Pennsylvania.” [Washington Post, 1/15/21]
McCarthy Voted Twice Against Certifying Biden’s Win
January 6, 2021: McCarthy Voted In Support Of Agreeing To A Motion To Object To Biden’s Win. [Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, 117 Congress Roll Call 10, Accessed 5/14/23]
January 6, 2021: McCarthy Voted In Support Of Agreeing To A Motion To Object To Biden’s Win. [Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, 117 Congress Roll Call 11, Accessed 5/14/23]
McCarthy Signed On To Texas Lawsuit To Overturn Biden’s Victory
McCarthy Signed On To A Texas Lawsuit That Aimed To Overturn Biden’s Win In Four States That Biden Won. According to the Washington Post, “One month later, McCarthy signed on to a Texas lawsuit to overturn the election results in four states that Biden won, even though each of those states had certified their election results weeks before.” [Washington Post, 1/15/21]
- The Texas Lawsuit Challenged The Election Results Of Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, And Wisconsin Due To Pandemic Era Changes To Election Procedures In Those States. According to the Texas Tribune, “Texas sued this week to challenge the election results in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin on the basis that those states implemented pandemic-related changes to election procedures that, Texas claimed, were illegal and cast into question the election results.” [Texas Tribune, 12/11/20]
Kevin McCarthy and Abortion
McCarthy Was An Anti-Abortion Advocate And Supported Federal Abortion Bans
McCarthy Was Reported To Be A Staunch Anti-Abortion Rights Advocate
The Washington Post Called McCarthy “A Staunch Anti-Abortion-Rights Advocate” As He Voted To Cut Funding For Planned Parenthood. According to the Washington Post, “McCarthy is also a staunch anti-abortion-rights advocate. Most recently, he voted to cut some $500 million in federal funds for Planned Parenthood after a controversy with the organization’s use of fetal tissue.” [Washington Post, 9/25/15]
McCarthy Said He Would “Support” A 15-Week Abortion Ban
McCarthy Said He Would “Support” A 15-Week Abortion Ban
McCarthy Reportedly Responded, “I’d Support That” When Asked About Backing A 15-Week Ban On Abortion. According to Raju’s Twitter, “House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy told me he backs legislation to codify a 15-week ban on abortion, saying: ‘I’d support that.’” [Twitter, @mkraju, 7/24/22]
McCarthy Celebrated Roe v. Wade Being Overturned
McCarthy Celebrated After The Supreme Court Officially Overturned Roe V. Wade
June 2022: The Supreme Court Overturned Roe v. Wade
June 24, 2022: The Supreme Court Overturned Roe v. Wade. According to the New York Times, “The Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade, eliminating the constitutional right to abortion after almost 50 years in a decision that will transform American life, reshape the nation’s politics and lead to all but total bans on the procedure in about half of the states.” [New York Times, 6/24/22]
McCarthy Called Roe v. Wade Being Overturned A “Victory” Then Said Their Work Was “Far From Done”
McCarthy Said There Was A “Victory” When Roe V. Wade Was Overturned, He Called It “The Most Important Pro-Life Ruling In American History.” According to Spectrum News NY1, “McCarthy hailed Friday’s decision as ‘the most important pro-life ruling in American history’ and said that ‘the court affirmed that the power to protect unborn life has returned to the people and their elected representatives.’ ‘The people have won a victory,’ McCarthy said.” [Spectrum News NY1, 7/24/22]
McCarthy Said, “The Right To Life” Was “Vindicated,” But That Their “Work Is Far From Done.” According to Spectrum News, “‘The right to life has been vindicated. The voiceless will finally have a voice. This great nation can now live up to its core principle, that all are created equal, not born equal, created equal.’ ‘As encouraging as today’s decision is, our work is far from done,’ McCarthy said.” [Spectrum News NY1, 7/24/22]
McCarthy Supported Measures To Limit Access To Abortions
McCarthy Was A Co-Sponsor Of The So-Called “Ultrasound Informed Consent Act” Which Forced A Woman To View An Ultrasound Of The Fetus
110th Congress: McCarthy Co-Sponsored The Ultrasound Informed Consent Act. [H.R. 5032, Co-Sponsors, accessed 5/14/24]
The Ultrasound Informed Consent Act Required Abortion Providers To Show And Describe To A Woman An Ultrasound Image Of The Fetus And Called For Penalties If The Provider Did Not Comply. According to H.R. 5032, “Ultrasound Informed Consent Act – Amends the Public Health Service Act to require abortion providers, before a woman gives informed consent to any part of an abortion, to perform an obstetric ultrasound on the pregnant woman, explain the results, display the ultrasound images so the woman may view them, and provide a medical description of the ultrasound images, including the dimensions of the embryo or fetus and the presence of external members and internal organs, if present and viewable. Provides for: (1) civil penalties for willful failure to comply; and (2) a medical emergency exception.” [H.R. 5032, accessed 5/14/24]
McCarthy Was A Co-Sponsor Of The So-Called “Born-Alive Survivors Protection Act,” Which Criminalized Doctors
McCarthy Co-Sponsored The So-Called “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act” Twice
117th Congress: McCarthy Co-Sponsored The So-Called “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.” [H.R. 619, Co-Sponsors, accessed 5/14/24]
116th Congress: McCarthy Co-Sponsored The So-Called “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.” [H.R. 962, Co-Sponsors, accessed 5/14/24]
So-Called “Born-Alive” Legislation Would Unnecessarily Criminalize Doctors
Vox: “Reproductive Rights And Physician Groups Say The Bill Could Criminalize Doctors And Is Unnecessary.” According to Vox, “The Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday is hearing testimony on a bill that would put in place requirements for the care of infants born after failed abortions — and could send doctors to prison if they fail to comply […] But reproductive rights and physician groups say the bill could criminalize doctors and is unnecessary — not only because a live birth after an abortion attempt is an extremely unlikely scenario but also because laws already exist to protect an infant in this instance anyway. ‘The bill maligns and vilifies providers and patients to push a false narrative about abortion later in pregnancy,’ Dr. Kristyn Brandi, a board member of Physicians for Reproductive Health, told Vox in an email last year.” [Vox, 2/25/19]
Abortions Later In Pregnancy Were Very Rare, And Were Not Requested By Patients In Labors. According to Vox, “Abortions in the third trimester are very rare: Just 1.4 percent of all abortions take place at 21 weeks or beyond, according to Planned Parenthood. The situation described in the Virginia committee hearing simply doesn’t come up, Brandi said — ‘patients do not request abortion when they are in labor and doctors do not provide it.’” [Vox, 2/25/19]
Protections Existed For Babies Born After An Attempted Abortion. According to Vox, “Even if a child were to be born after an abortion attempt, she said, laws already exist to protect the baby. In 2002, Congress passed the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, which guaranteed full legal rights to infants born at any stage of development. That bill, which passed with bipartisan support, did not include criminal penalties for doctors and did not impose specific requirements on medical care.” [Vox, 2/25/19]