May 01, 2023
Party: If a budget reflects a party’s values, then the GOP should not value seniors
Republicans in the United States House approved a bill Wednesday to slash federal spending and undo many of President Biden’s recent economic gains, combining those provisions with a plan to raise the debt ceiling through 2024.
HR 2811, dubbed the “Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023” by the Republican Party, cuts numerous important programs and services that older Americans depend on. He vote count it was 217-215, with Democrats not voting on the legislation.
“Today, House Republicans voted on their so-called debt ceiling plan. A political party’s budget reflects its values, and clearly the Republican Party does not value older Americans,” said Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance, immediately after the bill passed.
Fiesta also stressed that the Republicans threaten to unleash a national and global financial crisis if their demands are not met and issued a dire warning about what the bill entails.
“This dangerous bill cut 22% of the Social Security Administration budget, forcing local Social Security offices to close and lay off their staff. That means seniors will have to wait even longer for answers to questions about benefits earned,” she said.
The bill also:
- cuts food assistance for more than 1 million low-income seniors — many of whom depend on government food programs for their only meal of the day;
- cut supervision of nursing homesputting thousands of the most vulnerable older people at risk of living in alarming and unsanitary conditions;
- jeopardizes the multi-employer pensions of millions of Americans that are guaranteed by the Pension Benefits Guarantee Corporation; and
- would do lead to the eviction of at least 430,000 low-income families from Section 8 housing, 80% of which are headed by seniors.
“Retirees are watching these developments closely. They will remember who values them and who does not”, concluded Fiesta.