Rep. Robin Kelly Votes No on GOP’s Trojan Horse to Destroy Medicare, Medicaid & Social Security

Washington, DC –(ENEWSPF)—April 12, 2018

By: James Lewis, Communications Director, Congresswoman Robin Kelly

Today, Congresswoman Robin Kelly released this statement after voting NO on the Republicans’ so-called “Balanced Budget” constitutional amendment, that’s nothing more than a veiled attack on Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and the Americans who paid into these systems:

“This amendment is nothing short of an attack on seniors and hardworking Americans who have paid into Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security for their entire working lives with an understanding it would be available to them as they age. Now, Congressional Republicans want to break this promise and steal trillions invested by these Americans.

This is simply wrong and I cannot and will not stand idly by as they use this Trojan Horse to raid your Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. I proudly cast a ‘no’ vote and I’m glad this proposal failed.

This proposed amendment is further proof that Congressional Republicans are incapable of governing effectively. They bemoan record deficits and national debt levels that they created. Earlier this week, the independent, non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) showed how the GOP Tax Scam is exploding annual deficits and will increase the national debt to $29 trillion by the end of the next decade.

If this amendment were enacted without tax increases, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates massive impacts for American families, seniors, veterans and children including:

$325 billion in Social Security cuts in 2025 alone, and $2.6 trillion in total reductions through 2028;

$200 billion in Medicare cuts in 2025 alone, and $1.7 trillion in total through 2028;

$150 billion in Medicaid, CHIP and ACA subsidy cuts in 2025 alone, and $1.2 trillion in total through 2028; and

$30 billion in veterans’ disability compensation in 2025 alone, and $250 billion in total through 2028.

Unlike my Republicans colleagues, I will not abandon Illinois’ seniors, veterans and children. I will not steal the hard-earned dollars that you and your family invested into Social Security and Medicare on the promise that it would be there for you.”