President Donald Trump responded Wednesday to questions about concerns about whether legislation that would secure funding for the federal government after the March 14 deadline would include cuts to social security programs such as Medicaid and welfare.
"We're not going to touch those (programs)," Mr. Trump told reporters. "We're going to check for abuse, of course. I'm sure you agree with the measures for those who shouldn't benefit, for those who are here illegally and others who have broken the law."
These potential cuts are one of the issues lawmakers are trying to resolve before a temporary budget bill expires in less than two weeks, A2 reports.
On Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson secured enough votes to pass a budget bill, taking the first step toward cutting taxes and simultaneously cutting government spending. The budget, approved by a vote of 217 to 215, was criticized by Democratic lawmakers, who called it "irresponsible."
"We promised to respect President [Donald] Trump's full agenda, not just part of it," Mr Johnson told reporters earlier on Tuesday.
Before the vote, some Republican lawmakers in the House of Representatives expressed concern about the high level of spending and the increase in the deficit that would be caused by the continuation of the tax cuts. Their concern is related to the fact that the funds missing from the budget due to the tax cuts are almost impossible to compensate without cutting key social programs that help American voters. The Senate, in its version of the budget, proposes that the tax cuts be made at a second time, with another bill, later this year.
"Not only are we working to find savings for American taxpayers, a better and more efficient use of their money, but we also have a moral obligation to reduce the debt," said Congressman Johnson.
President Donald Trump has called on lawmakers to pass "a big, beautiful bill" that would include key parts of his policy agenda.
Despite President Trump's expressed preference for the House version of the budget bill, the Senate on Friday passed a government funding bill that provides $150 billion for defense and $175 billion for border security. The bill also avoids controversial cuts to Medicaid, the health insurance program for the poor, that the House bill calls for.
Republican lawmaker Tony Gonzales led a group of seven House Republicans who have spoken out against cutting the Medicaid health care program, as well as food assistance and other social programs.
"Cutting the Medicaid program would have serious consequences, especially in rural and predominantly Hispanic communities, where hospitals and nursing homes are already struggling to avoid closure," the lawmakers said in a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson last week.
President Trump posted on Truth Social last week that "The House and Senate are doing a SPECTACULAR job, working together as a unified and unbeatable TEAM, however, unlike Senator Lindsey Graham's version, the House bill implements my FULL America First agenda, ALL of it, not just parts of it!"
The House and Senate bills will now need to be unified before being sent to the president for signature.
If lawmakers fail to reach a compromise by March 14, there will be a partial government shutdown, temporarily leaving millions of federal employees without pay and suspending some non-essential government services.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune did not rule out the possibility of another short-term government funding bill to give lawmakers more time to work on the budget bill.
"We are keeping all options open, but there is not much time left," Senator Thune told reporters on Tuesday.
The Senate voted on its version of the budget because it was not sure that the House of Representatives would be able to pass its own version of the budget bill.
Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the vote the first step toward voter harm.
"There is no doubt that this bill will hurt the elderly, children and people with disabilities to increase the wealth of the wealthiest people. This is wrong. We will use every opportunity to raise the concerns we are hearing from our constituents, and we will join and organize with them to fight this tax cut for billionaires," Senator Schumer said Tuesday./ Voice of America (A2 Televizion)
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