The feud between Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and GOP Sen. Rick Scott shows no signs of easing up.
In a podcast that aired Thursday, McConnell called a Florida lawmaker’s proposal to “sunrise” popular benefit programs like Medicare and Social Security a “bad idea.” President Joe Biden has attacked Republicans on the issue since his State of the Union address on Tuesday night.
McConnell sought to make clear that Scott’s proposal did not reflect Republican priorities, and would not be part of the party’s agenda even if the GOP had won control of the chamber in the November midterm elections.
“It’s clearly Rick Scott’s plan, it’s not the Republican plan,” McConnell told the “Terry Meiners” podcast, adding that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) shares his view.
Scott, in the “Rescue America” plan published last year, stated: “All federal laws expire in 5 years. If the law needs to be implemented, Congress can re-enact it. This also includes Medicare and Social Security.
McConnell said he and McCarthy have been clear that the GOP has no intention of touching the benefit program.
“We are in a much more authoritative position to state what the party’s position is than any single senator,” McConnell added.
The Senate minority leader insisted that rejecting Scott’s proposal had nothing to do with the senator’s failure to lead Senate Republicans.
“Well, this has nothing to do with that,” McConnell said. Scott’s plan, he added, was just a “bad idea.”
Earlier this month, McConnell removed Scott from the powerful Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.
McConnell said he expects the issue to be a “challenge” for Scott’s 2024 re-election, given that many Florida retirees rely on Social Security and Medicare benefits.
Biden on Thursday visited Tampa, where he took another jab at Scott.
“The idea that the senator from Florida wants to put Social Security and Medicare on the chopping block every five years, I think is a little bit outrageous — so outrageous that you don’t believe it either,” Biden told the audience.
Biden also referenced Scott’s proposal during his State of the Union address, angering GOP members of Congress who don’t want to appear tied.
House Republicans face another challenge after demanding that Biden make spending cuts before agreeing to increase the national debt limit. He may have to settle for narrower policy victories, as Democrats control the Senate and the White House, and Biden and other Democrats continue to attack Republicans for questioning Medicare and Social Security.