Thursday, March 21, 2013

House passes Ryan budget with big spending cuts, transformed Medicare

NOLA.com | Times-Picayune ^ | March 21, 2013 at 1:57 PM | Bruce Alpert,

The House Thursday approved by a party-line vote a Republican spending plan for 2014 that would balance the U.S. budget in 10 years with substantial cuts in spending and a new Medicare plan for Americans younger than 55.
It passed 221-207 and puts the GOP once again solidly on the side of reduced federal funding and more tax cuts. Democrats said it would devastate programs important to the middle class and poor, while providing huge tax benefits to the wealthy.
The GOP budget would cut the top income tax rate from 39.6 percent, through the closing of loopholes and other deductions. It would also repeal the Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama's health overhaul legislation. The GOP-led House has now voted to repeal the health care legislation more than 30 times.
Medicare would be transformed. Instead of traditional Medicare, Americans turning 65 in the next decade and beyond would get vouchers they could use to purchase private insurance, or enroll in traditional Medicare. Democrats said the vouchers won't come close to covering the cost of coverage, but Republicans insisted it's the only way to insure the health system for seniors remains viable.
Not a single Democrat voted for the bill, drafted by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-WI, who championed the plan as Mitt Romney's vice presidential running mate in last year's presidential race.
"Our approval of the House Republican budget today marks a significant milestone as we work to balance the federal budget and get our economy back on track," said Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson. "This is a responsible budget that balances in 10 years, saves Medicare from bankruptcy, repeals Obamacare, and gets our economy moving again so we can create jobs through pro-growth reforms that establish a fairer and simpler tax code."
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