Amid fierce pushback from his fellow Republicans who are currently focused on feigning support for Social Security and Medicare, and criticism from the White House, Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) changed the language of his “Rescue America” plan.
The plan that read, “all federal legislation sunsets in 5 years” now includes exceptions for Social Security, Medicare and other essential services.
“All federal legislation sunsets in 5 years, with specific exceptions of Social Security, Medicare, national security, veterans benefits, and other essential services. If a law is worth keeping, Congress can pass it again. Note to President Biden, Sen. Schumer, and Sen. McConnell — As you know, this was never intended to apply to Social Security, Medicare, or the US Navy,” the proposal now reads, emphasis his.
This comes as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Scott have been sparring publicly over whether Republicans support cuts to Social Security and Medicare.
Last week, McConnell renewed his staunch criticism for Scott’s unpopular 12-step plan.
Scott’s plan — a proposal the Florida senator tried to push as a policy platform ahead of the 2022 midterms — was already widely rejected by many Republicans, including McConnell.
But the Minority Leader renewed his criticism just days after the State of the Union, when President Biden called out some Republicans for their ambitions to cut Social Security and Medicare.
“That’s not a Republican plan. That was the Rick Scott plan,” McConnell said in an interview last week, referring to part of Scott’s proposal that called for all federal legislation to sunset with no exceptions for Social Security and Medicare.
Scott had been standing by his plan insisting it didn’t include sunsetting Social Security and Medicare, despite the language.
The White House quickly came up with a witty response to Scott’s edits.
“We congratulate Senator Scott on joining the post-State of the Union red wave of Republicans acknowledging that they have, in fact, been attempting to put Medicare and Social Security on the chopping block,” said White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates.
