House GOP 2019 Budget Takes a Swing at Social Security, Medicare

House Republicans have introduced a 2019 budget whose goals include eviscerating Social Security and Medicare and repealing the Affordable Care Act, reports ThinkAdvisor . The budget aims to save $5.4 trillion on mandatory programs that include Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid and impose reconciliation instructions on 11 House authorizing committees to secure at least $302 billion in deficit reduction over the next 10 years. Republicans claim mandatory spending "consumes approximately 70 percent of all federal spending. Without action, the Congressional Budget Office projects that mandatory spending will increase from $2.8 trillion in FY 2018 to $4.9 trillion in FY 2028." Social Security's costs are forecast to climb from $984 billion in FY 2018 to $1.8 trillion in FY 2028, while Medicare spending is expected to rise from $707 billion to $1.5 trillion in that same timeline. "This level of growth is not only unsustainable but threatens each program's solvency," the GOP states. "In fact, CBO projects Social Security and Medicare will be insolvent by 2030 and 2026 respectively." Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget President Maya MacGuineas notes the committee is "glad that the proposed budget sets a fiscal goal that would put the debt on a downward path relative to the economy and includes reconciliation instructions to reduce projected deficits ... over the next decade." However, Rep. John Yarmouth (D-Ky.) has blasted the plan, warning, "its repeal of the Affordable Care Act and extreme cuts to healthcare, retirement security, anti-poverty programs, education, infrastructure, and other critical investments are real and will inflict serious harm on American families."