Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) confronted a top Biden administration official on Wednesday over President Joe Biden's repeated claims that Republicans want to cut Social Security.
In recent months, the president has argued without evidence that Republicans want to slash the social safety net.
Republicans have denied the charges vehemently. The only evidence that Biden and Democrats cite is Sen. Rick Scott's proposal in which all federal spending would sunset after five years unless Congress renews it.
At a Senate Budget Committee hearing, Romney confronted Shalanda Young, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, over Biden's narrative about Republicans and Social Security.
What followed was an intense back-and-forth in which Romney cornered Young into making a critical admission.
At first, Romney fought Young over whether current members of Congress have proposed cutting Social Security. She claimed that "current members have well-known policies out there to cut Social Security and Medicare." She did not, however, name any specific lawmakers.
"That is simply wrong, and it's not honest to say that to members of Congress. That is simply wrong," Romney chided.
It's dishonest to claim that Republicans want to cut Social Security. www.youtube.com
The Utah Republican followed up by examining Biden's budget proposal for fiscal year 2024.
"Do you recognize that, in the next 10 years or so, that the trust fund on Social Security is going to run out, and under the law, benefits would be cut dramatically — like 25%. You're aware of that?" Romney asked.
"I'm aware," Young acknowledged.
"That's a problem, right?" Romney followed up, to which Young responded affirmatively.
"Well, why is it, then, that in the president’s budget, there’s no effort to address that whatsoever?" Romney then asked.
The point of Romney's question is clear. Biden falsely claims Republicans want to cut Social Security. But his own budget does not address insolvency issues with Social Security and Medicare, effectively slashing them, because if funding issues are not addressed, the money dries up. But Young did not answer, instead returning to Romney's previous question.
"While we clearly disagree on this, there are some who have policies on websites — I'm happy to print them and send them to the committee — whether they have changed their position is another thing — who want to cut –" Young began before Romney cut her off.
"I'm sorry, that was not the question," Romney interjected. "I'm sorry, you've got to answer the questions, as opposed to change the topic."
Young, however, refused to answer the question.
"This president believes the biggest threat to Social Security are those who want to cut it," she said. "His budget says no."
"There's nobody in this committee that wants to cut it," Romney corrected. "I know of no Republican or Democrat in the House or the Senate who is proposing cutting Social Security benefits, and it's dishonest to keep saying it. It's offensive and dishonest and not realistic."
The question then becomes, according to Romney, is why Biden is not taking steps to "protect" Social Security from its insolvency issues.
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President Joe Biden's nominee for deputy budget director, Shalanda Young, believes that abortion is "a matter of economic and racial justice."
News of Young's position on abortion was made public after her nomination was advanced out of the Senate Budget Committee and Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee down party lines last week.
Despite having earned general bipartisan support on Capitol Hill, 15 of the 18 Republicans who sit on both committees ultimately voted against advancing Young's nomination.
According to the New York Post, the Republican senators who voted against Young cited her perspective toward the Hyde Amendment, the law that prohibits federal tax dollars from funding abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother.
Young told senators that eliminating the Hyde Amendment is necessary to promote "racial justice."
"The President has spoken in favor of Congress ending the Hyde Amendment as part of his commitment to providing comprehensive health care for all women," she said, the Post reported.
"Further, eliminating the Hyde Amendment is a matter of economic and racial justice because it most significantly impacts Medicaid recipients, who are low-income and more likely to be women of color," Young added.
Ohio Sen. Rob Portman (R) said he initially supported Young's nomination. But that changed after he became aware of her perspective of the Hyde Amendment.
"I had planned to support Ms. Young based on her testimony before the committee," Portman said, Roll Call reported. "In reviewing her answers to the committee's questions for the record, though, I've got to say I was really troubled by her responses, particularly her strong advocacy for eliminating the Hyde amendment."
Meanwhile, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), the ranking member of the Budget Committee, voted to advance Young's nomination, but sought reassurances that she would not support regulation that "changes Hyde or chips away at it."
Senate Homeland Security Chairman Gary Peters (D-Mich.), however, voiced concern over sudden opposition by Republicans, and called Young's perspective "fact."
"In her written responses, Ms. Young stated that ending the Hyde amendment is a matter of economic and racial justice because its impact is felt most among low-income women of color. This is simply a statement of fact," Peters said, Roll Call reported. "But she also confirmed that she will follow current law, which includes the Hyde amendment. So I have a hard time following the objections of my Republican colleagues."
Young's position on important issues like abortion found new prominence after reports indicated that top Democrats want Biden to nominate Young as director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.
Biden's previous nominee for the job, Teera Nanden, withdrew her nomination amid bipartisan scrutiny.
John Kelly has done a disservice to the nation by being dishonest and insubordinate, quitting on the job, and now smearing Trump to help elect perhaps the worst presidential candidate in history.
The House Oversight Committee is threatening to force the White House to comply if it doesn't quickly turn over Bidenbucks documents.
The Biden administration is poised to force every recipient of federal grants into transgender policies.
More than half of the nation says Congress should stop financing Ukraine, a country plagued by corruption.
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