GOP Rep. Smith: I Chair Committee with Control over Social Security and Medicare, and We Won't Cut Them

On Thursday’s broadcast of the Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria,” Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO), the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over Social Security and Medicare, stated that Republicans do not plan to cut Medicare and Social Security and vowed that “we will not be cutting Social Security or Medicare in the House Ways and Means Committee.”

Host Maria Bartiromo asked, “Are Republicans planning to cut Medicare and Social Security?”

Smith responded, “Absolutely not, Maria. As Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, we have control, sole jurisdiction over Social Security and most of Medicare. And I can tell you, we will not be cutting Social Security or Medicare in the House Ways and Means Committee. And that is exactly the truth. The problem is, you have all this fear-mongering coming in from the White House to try to distract [from] the real issue at hand, and that is the president needs to come to the table and talk to Speaker McCarthy and House Republicans to address the debt crisis that’s approaching.”

He later added, “Republicans will not default on our debt, Maria. That’s why we are asking President Biden, Chuck Schumer, to come to the table right now so we’re not waiting until June. Let’s take care of the problem now. We need to address the fiscal insanity that’s happening in Washington, and if we don’t, we’re just postponing the next debt crisis.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett