(PartiallyPolitics.com) – Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) questioned Shalanda Young, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), about Social Security during a Wednesday hearing.
The hearing was focused on President Biden’s fiscal 2024 budget proposal. During the questioning, Romney inquired whether Young was away from any cuts that lawmakers had proposed on the program. This question came after Biden repeatedly accused the Republicans of trying to cut the entitlement programs.
Young in response stated that she had indeed heard of current Senators or congressmen who had been looking at cuts to the program, but she also stated that maybe some of them had indeed changed their position. However, Romney specified whether she knew of anyone who had proposed cuts “in the last several months or the last year.”
In response, Young claimed that there were “current members who had suggested policies that would cut Social Security and Medicare.
Romney proceeded to argue and call her “wrong” to say that. Romney then proceeded to ask whether she recognized that the program is expected to “run out” within the next decade.
Young acknowledged that this was a funding problem that would need to be addressed.
Romney then questioned whether the president’s budget in any way helped address this problem.
Young proceeded to say that “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 our position, is another thing — who want to cut.” However, Romney once again cut her off and redirected her to the question regarding the President’s budget and how it would help protect Social Security benefits.
In response, Young said that the President considered those who want to cut Social security the biggest threat to the programs.
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