2017: Fitzpatrick Voted Against The FY 2018 Republican Study Committee
Budget Resolution Which In Part Called For Raising The Medicare
Eligibility Age. In October 2017, Fitzpatrick voted against a budget
resolution that would in part, according to Congressional Quarterly,
"provide for $2.9 trillion in new budget authority in fiscal 2018. It
would balance the budget by fiscal 2023 by reducing spending by $10.1
trillion over 10 years. It would cap total discretionary spending at
$1.06 trillion for fiscal 2018 and would assume no separate Overseas
Contingency Operations funding for fiscal 2018 or subsequent years and
would incorporate funding related to war or terror into the base defense
account. It would assume repeal of the 2010 health care overhaul and
would convert Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program into
a single block grant program. It would require that off budget programs,
such as Social Security, the U.S. Postal Service, and Fannie Mae and
Freddie Mac, be included in the budget." The underlying legislation was
an FY 2018 House GOP budget resolution. The House rejected the RSC
budget by a vote of 139 to 281. [House Vote 555,
10/5/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 10/5/17; Congressional
Actions, H. Amdt.
455;
Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res.
71]
2017: Fitzpatrick Voted Against The GOP FY 2018 Budget Resolution,
Which Started The Process Towards Tax Reform And Called For Cutting
Medicare By $473 Billion. In October 2017, Fitzpatrick voted against
a budget resolution that would have, according to The Hill, "The
spending blueprint is key to Republicans' efforts to pass tax reform
because it includes instructions that will allow the plan to avoid a
Democratic filibuster. [...] The budget, meant to outline spending for
the fiscal year, was widely viewed as a mere vehicle for passing tax
reform. [...] The budget would allow the Senate GOP's tax plan to add
up to $1.5 trillion to the deficit over a decade, a proposal that has
raised concerns with fiscal hawks in the GOP. Its instructions call for
the Senate Finance Committee to report a tax bill by Nov. 13. Still, the
document outlines the Senate GOP's political vision. It maintains
spending at 2017 levels for the year, but would then cut nondefense
spending in subsequent years, leading to a $106 billion cut in 2027. It
would also allow defense levels to continue rising at their current
rates, reaching $684 billion at the end of a decade. The resolution
also proposes $473 billion in cuts to Medicare's baseline spending over
a decade and about $1 trillion from Medicaid, though those provisions
are not enforceable without additional legislation." The vote was on a
motion to concur in the Senate amendment. The House agreed to the
motion, thereby agreeing to the budget by a vote of 216 to 212. [House
Vote 589, 10/26/17; The
Hill,
10/19/17;
Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res.
71]
2017: Fitzpatrick Voted Against The House GOP FY 2018 Budget
Resolution, Which Started The Process Towards Tax Reform And Called For
$1.5 Trillion In Health Care Programmatic Cuts, Including Medicare.
In October 2017, Fitzpatrick voted against the House GOP FY 2018 budget
resolution. According to Congressional Quarterly, "Adoption of the
concurrent resolution that would provide for $3.2 trillion in new
budget authority in fiscal 2018, not including off-budget accounts. It
would assume $1.22 trillion in discretionary spending in fiscal 2018.
It would assume the repeal of the 2010 health care overhaul law. It also
would propose reducing spending on mandatory programs such as Medicare
and Medicaid and changing programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (also known as food stamps). It would call for
restructuring Medicare into a 'premium support' system beginning in
2024. I would also require the House Ways and Means Committee to report
out legislation under the budget reconciliation process that would
provide for a revenue-neutral, comprehensive overhaul of the U.S. tax
code and would include instructions to 11 House committees to trigger
the budget reconciliation process to cut mandatory spending. The
concurrent resolution would assume that, over 10 years, base
(non-Overseas Contingency Operations) discretionary defense spending
would be increased by a total of $929 billion over the Budget Control
Act caps and non-defense spending be reduced by $1.3 trillion." The
vote was on passage. The House passed the budget resolution by a vote of
219 to 206. A modified version was later agreed to by both the House and
the Senate. [House Vote 557,
10/5/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 10/5/17; Congressional
Actions, H. Con. Res.
71]
2017: Fitzpatrick Voted Against The House GOP FY 2018 Budget
Resolution, Which Started The Process Towards Tax Reform And Called For
Ending Medicare As We Know It. In October 2017, Fitzpatrick voted
against the House GOP FY 2018 budget resolution. According to
Congressional Quarterly, "Adoption of the concurrent resolution that
would provide for $3.2 trillion in new budget authority in fiscal 2018,
not including off-budget accounts. It would assume $1.22 trillion in
discretionary spending in fiscal 2018. It would assume the repeal of the
2010 health care overhaul law. It also would propose reducing spending
on mandatory programs such as Medicare and Medicaid and changing
programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (also
known as food stamps). It would call for restructuring Medicare into a
'premium support' system beginning in 2024. I would also require the
House Ways and Means Committee to report out legislation under the
budget reconciliation process that would provide for a revenue-neutral,
comprehensive overhaul of the U.S. tax code and would include
instructions to 11 House committees to trigger the budget reconciliation
process to cut mandatory spending. The concurrent resolution would
assume that, over 10 years, base (non-Overseas Contingency Operations)
discretionary defense spending would be increased by a total of $929
billion over the Budget Control Act caps and non-defense spending be
reduced by $1.3 trillion." The vote was on passage. The House passed
the budget resolution by a vote of 219 to 206. A modified version was
later agreed to by both the House and the Senate. [House Vote 557,
10/5/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 10/5/17; Congressional
Actions, H. Con. Res.
71]
2017: Fitzpatrick Voted Against The FY 2018 Republican Study Committee
Budget Resolution Which In Part Called For Replacing Medicare With A
Voucher Program. In October 2017, Fitzpatrick voted against a budget
resolution that would in part, according to Congressional Quarterly,
"provide for $2.9 trillion in new budget authority in fiscal 2018. It
would balance the budget by fiscal 2023 by reducing spending by $10.1
trillion over 10 years. It would cap total discretionary spending at
$1.06 trillion for fiscal 2018 and would assume no separate Overseas
Contingency Operations funding for fiscal 2018 or subsequent years and
would incorporate funding related to war or terror into the base defense
account. It would assume repeal of the 2010 health care overhaul and
would convert Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program into
a single block grant program. It would require that off budget programs,
such as Social Security, the U.S. Postal Service, and Fannie Mae and
Freddie Mac, be included in the budget." The underlying legislation was
an FY 2018 House GOP budget resolution. The House rejected the RSC
budget by a vote of 139 to 281. [House Vote 555,
10/5/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 10/5/17; Congressional
Actions, H. Amdt.
455;
Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res.
71]