Kevin McCarthy pledges to explore 'uncomfortable' cuts to Medicare and Social Security

United States Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy (R-California) revealed to Fox News host Harris Faulkner on Wednesday that he will "announce a commission" to explore cuts to "mandatory spending" once the debt ceiling debacle is settled.
"I was elected to help lead this nation. So the first thing we did, opened the House up. The bills, you now get to see 'em before you ever vote on 'em. And now we're cutting. And you know what? I'm gonna make some people uncomfortable by doing that, but I'm not gonna give up on the American people. And this isn't the end. This doesn't solve all the problems. This is the first step," McCarthy said.
"I'm gonna announce a commission coming forward from the speaker from bipartisan on both sides of the aisle. We only got to look at eleven percent of the budget to find these cuts. We have to look at the entire budget. The Congress has done this before," the speaker continued.
READ MORE: 'This scam is a non-starter': Dems blast McCarthy’s latest call for painful cuts
"Why didn't you see the whole budget?" Faulker asked.
"Because the president walled off all the others. The majority driver of, of the budget is, is mandatory spending. It's Medicare, Social Security, and interest on the debt," McCarthy replied.
"He wouldn't let you see?" Faulker reiterated.
"So you only have eleven percent to look at this budget," McCarthy responded. "But we were able to increase our defense to protect us, take care of our veterans, but you know that non-defense with veterans out, we are now gonna spend less than we spent in 2022. That's a major victory."
READ MORE: 'Unconscionable': Republicans demand more Pentagon spending as US teeters toward default
Watch below or at this link.
\u201cBreaking: Kevin McCarthy announces a \u201ccommission\u201d to \u201clook at\u201d cutting Social Security and Medicare: \u201cI\u2019m going to make some people uncomfortable.\u201d\n\nHe attacked Biden for \u201cwalling off\u201d cuts to Social Security and Medicare during debt ceiling negotiations. \u201d— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen) 1685555721
READ MORE: The Pentagon's budget from Hell
- The GOP is coming for your Social Security and Medicare ›
- ‘Threatening to crash the economy on purpose': GOP to gut Social Security and Medicare if it wins House ›
- GOP planning 'catastrophic default' if Democrats refuse to cut Social Security and Medicare ›
- Kevin McCarthy floats impeaching Merrick Garland - Alternet.org ›
- Watch: Dem rep. confronts DOD official over Pentagon’s annual $41.6 million Viagra budget - Alternet.org ›
- 'Five-alarm fire' as GOP adds over 200 poison pills to House spending bills - Alternet.org ›
- McCarthy can’t keep tap-dancing - Alternet.org ›
- 'Powerless' Kevin McCarthy held hostage by 'far-right bomb throwers' as shutdown looms - Alternet.org ›