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Kelly Ayotte Needs To Reveal What She Plans To Cut

We Already Know Ayotte Has No Problem Balancing The Budget On The Backs Of Seniors

As the Budget Committee begins marking up the Republican budget, one thing is already clear – the new majority and Senators like Kelly Ayotte are working as hard as they can to be intentionally vague about how they plan to achieve their savings. Budget Committee member Kelly Ayotte has already been on record supporting the dangerous Ryan budget that would gut Medicare and increases costs for seniors as well as a dangerous plan that would force cuts to Social Security.

Kelly Ayotte needs to own up to the cuts she plans to make and stop hiding her record from New Hampshire voters.

“If Kelly Ayotte thinks she can hide her record of voting to cut Medicare and Social Security from New Hampshire voters, she is wildly mistaken,” said Sadie Weiner, DSCC National Press Secretary. “A vague budget with big promises and no details won’t change the fact that Kelly Ayotte has already voted for a budget that would dismantle Medicare and a plan that would force cuts to Social Security. Kelly Ayotte won’t be able to pull the wool over the eyes of New Hampshire voters when it comes to her dangerous plans for balancing the budget on the backs of seniors.”

BACKGROUND:

AYOTTE HAS REPEATEDLY SUPPORTED THE RYAN BUDGET…

Ayotte Voted For The Ryan Budget Three Times. [CQ, 3/21/13; S.Amdt. 433 to S.Con.Res. 8, Vote 46, 3/21/13; CQ, 5/16/12; H.Con.Res. 112, Vote 98, 5/16/12; CQ, 5/25/11; H. Con. Res. 34, Vote 77, 5/25/11]

…WHICH WOULD END MEDICARE AS WE KNOW IT AND INCREASE COSTS

Wall Street Journal: The Ryan Budget “Would Essentially End Medicare.” “The budget has been prepared by Rep. Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican and the new chairman of the House Budget Committee […] The plan would essentially end Medicare, which now pays most of the health-care bills for 48 million elderly and disabled Americans.” [Wall Street Journal, 4/4/11]

Reuters: The Ryan Plan “Calls For An End To The Guaranteed Benefit In Medicare And Replaces It With A System That Would Give Vouchers To Recipients To Pay For Health Insurance,” Which Could Increase Costs For Seniors.  “Ryan’s plan calls for an end to the guaranteed benefit in Medicare and replaces it with a system that would give vouchers to recipients to pay for health insurance. The risk in such a plan is that if healthcare costs rise faster than the value of the vouchers, seniors would have to pay the difference.” [Reuters, 8/12/12]

AYOTTE SUPPORTED RADICAL CUT, CAP & BALANCE BILL THAT WOULD FORCE DEEP CUTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY & MEDICARE

Ayotte Voted For Cut, Cap, and Balance Bill That Would Force Deep Cuts to Social Security and Medicare. In July 2011, Ayotte voted for a radical Cut, Cap, and Balance budget plan.  According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: “The measure does not cut Social Security or Medicare in 2012.  And it does not subject them to automatic cuts if its global spending caps are missed.  It is inconceivable, however, that policymakers would meet the bill’s severe annual spending caps through automatic across-the board cuts year after year; if they did, key government functions would be crippled. Policymakers would have little alternative but to institute deep cuts in specific programs. […] Reaching and maintaining a balanced budget in the decade ahead while barring any tax increases would necessitate deep cuts in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.”  [Vote 116, 7/22/11; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 7/16/11]

  • AARP Opposed Cut, Cap And Balance Because It Did Not Shield Social Security and Medicare From “Arbitrary Reductions.”  “In addition, the Cut, Cap and Balance Act requires that a balanced budget amendment to the United States Constitution be transmitted to the states as a pre-condition of increasing the debt ceiling.  Social Security and Medicare, which are not excluded under the balanced budget amendment, would therefore be at risk for arbitrary reductions under the constitutional amendment, and as such, AARP is opposed.” [AARP Letter, 7/21/11]

*Similar releases will be sent today targeting Republican Senators in Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania*

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