Fact Check Team: Breaking down the Republican Study Committee's new budget proposal

WASHINGTON (TND) — Earlier this month, the Republican Study Committee (RSC), the largest Republican caucus in the House, introduced its budget proposal, dubbing it the "Blueprint to Save America."

The plan, put forth by RSC Chairman Kevin Hern, aims to cut spending by $16.6 trillion over the course of 10 years while reducing taxes by $3.9 trillion.

The RSC, which counts around two-thirds of all House Republicans a members, annually puts forth its own budget proposals for the following fiscal year around this time of the legislative calendar, as both House and Senate Budget Committees prepare official budget resolutions.

While neither the Republican-controlled House Budget Committee or Democratic-controlled Senate committee have yet to produce such a resolution, House Budget Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, has promised his committee will produce a budget resolution for fiscal year 2024.

In the meantime, the Study Committee's proposal has sparked discussions about the potential impact on various programs, with White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre calling it a " hardcore MAGA budget" that "amounts to a devastating attack on Medicare, Social Security, and Americans’ access to health coverage and prescription drugs."

The plan includes numerous cuts including slashing spending on public relations activities, which currently costs approximately $1.5 billion annually according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Additionally, it seeks to eliminate the Justice Department's Community Relations Services program, which had a budget request of $25 million in fiscal year 2023. The office, created in the wake of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and is intended to provide conflict resolution for community conflicts that arise around issues of identity like race, religion, gender and diabilities.

Lawmakers are also pushing for the removal of the Catfish Inspection Program, deeming it a redundant program that should fall under the FDA rather than the USDA.

Democrats have expressed concerns regarding the latest budget proposal put forth by Republicans, as it could have implications for Social Security and Medicare—two major programs projected to become insolvent by 2033 and 2031, respectively.

The RSC’s proposal suggests gradually raising the full retirement age to ensure the long-term solvency of Social Security. The proposal does not intend to cut or delay retirement benefits for seniors near or in retirement. According to Rep. Ben Cline, R-Va., who is chairman of the group’s Budget and Spending Task Force, the changes would only affect individuals aged 59 and younger who would see an increase in the retirement age of three months per year starting in 2026, thereby necessitating a longer working period for those individuals.

When addressing Medicare, the budget proposal asserts that it does not cut benefits or increase premiums for Medicare beneficiaries. However, it does include proposals to lower Medicare costs, such as eliminating coverage for debts that cannot be repaid, commonly referred to as bad debt. According to accounting and advisory firm FORVIS, hospitals claim roughly $3 billion of Medicare bad deb per year, the federal government reimburses 65% of that amount, or $1.95 billion annually.

With a slim majority in the House and Democrats strongly opposing the plan, the RSC is unlikely to advance the proposal. The ongoing debate surrounding the budget proposal and the debt ceiling persists, with Republicans wanting to spend less than what was agreed upon in a previous deal with the White House.