¶ Overview
- Harding supported the “One Big Beautiful Bill”, which would trigger nearly $500 billion in Medicare cuts absent future congressional action. Nearly 390,000 Nebraskans relied on Medicare for healthcare.
- Harding was eager to work with Trump, whose “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) weakened the Social Security Administration. DOGE cuts caused longer wait times, frequent website crashes, and mass layoffs in Social Security offices across the country. More than 107,000 Nebraskans in the 2nd congressional district relied on Social Security benefits.
- Harding has also advocated for balancing the budget “like we do in Omaha” if elected to Congress, which could require cuts to Medicare and/or Social Security to achieve at the federal level.
¶ Harding Supported A Bill That Would Trigger Medicare Cuts
¶ Harding Supported the “One Big Beautiful Bill”
¶ Harding Supported “One Big Beautiful Bill”
Harding Supported The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” According to Brinker Harding’s Instagram, “Two of my campaign pillars are Grow America and Secure America. The One Big Beautiful Bill does just that—cutting taxes for working families and making our border & homeland more secure. Happy Independence Day, America! 🇺🇸”
[Instagram, @brinkerharding, 7/4/25]
Harding Defended The “One Big Beautiful Bill” As A Historic Economic Policy And Said He Would Fight For Similar Policies. According to a Brinker Harding opinion in Omaha World-Herald, “In Congress, I'll fight against big government socialism that threatens our freedoms and prosperity. And I'll fight for an economy that empowers workers, families, and small businesses. That starts with the first expense Americans pay right out of their paychecks: taxes. With the Working Families Tax Cut, President Trump and Republicans stopped the largest tax increase in history, saving the average Nebraska household $2,400. Republicans passed historic tax cuts on tips, overtime and Social Security. And millions of Americans will receive the largest tax refunds of their lifetimes this spring.” [Brinker Harding Op-Ed – Omaha World-Herald, 1/23/26]
¶ The “One Big Beautiful Bill” WOULD TRIGGER NEARLY $500 BILLION IN MEDICARE CUTS absent future congressional action
HEADLINE: "Trump And GOP’s Tax Bill Would Force Cuts To Medicare, CBO Says" [Washington Post, 5/21/25]
- The Congressional Budget Office Estimated That The House Republican Reconciliation Bill Would Trigger Nearly $500 Billion In Cuts To Medicare. According to a letter the Congressional Budget Office sent to Rep. Brendan Boyle, "Today the Congressional Budget Office transmitted an estimate of the budgetary effects of the 2025 reconciliation bill, as ordered reported by the House Committee on the Budget on May 18, 2025. 1 CBO has not yet completed estimates of the effects of interactions among the titles of the legislation. This letter responds to your questions concerning the sequestration (the cancellation of budgetary resources) in accordance with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (S-PAYGO) that would occur if an enacted bill raised deficits by $2.3 trillion over 10 years. Under S-PAYGO, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is required to maintain 5- and 10-year scorecards that it updates with the estimated cumulative changes in revenues and outlays generated by newly enacted legislation. […] The 4 percent maximum reduction in Medicare spending would apply to sequestration orders for years after 2026. If OMB ordered a sequestration of $230 billion for each year through 2034, the ordered reductions in Medicare spending would increase to about $75 billion in 2034 and would total roughly $490 billion over the 2027–2034 period." [Letter to Rep. Brendan Boyle – Congressional Budget Office, 5/20/25]
¶ Nearly 390,000 Nebraskans Relied On Medicare
2024: Nearly 390,000 Nebraskans Were Enrolled In Medicare.
[KFF, Total Number of Medicare Beneficiaries by Type of Coverage, viewed 4/29/26]
¶ Harding Committed To BalancING The Budget If Elected to Congress, WHICH COULD RESULT IN CUTS TO MEDICARE
¶ Harding Pledged To Balance The Budget If Elected To Congress
Harding Promised To “Balance The Budget” Like He Did On The Omaha City Council. According to Brinker Harding’s Facebook, “When we launched our campaign last week, I made a commitment to the voters of #NE02: To make America more like its Heartland. On the Omaha City Council, I’ve worked with my colleagues to balance Omaha’s budget every single year – without sacrificing essential services our residents rely on. In Congress, I will fight to grow our economy and eliminate wasteful spending to increase revenues, balance the budget, and save critical programs like Social Security and Medicare. Together, we will Restore America, Grow America, Secure America, and Renew America. Learn more at BrinkerHarding.com!” [Facebook, Brinker Harding, 7/8/25]
Harding Said He Was Running For Congress To “Take Those Good Things We Do In Omaha, Like Balancing The Budget” To Washington. According to Nebraska Examiner, "‘I’m running for Congress to make America more like its heartland,’ Harding said. ‘I want to take those good things we do in Omaha, like balancing the budget, [having] record low crime, [and] a strong economy and take that to Washington and be successful.’" [Nebraska Examiner, 7/1/25]
¶ Balancing The Budget Could Result In Cuts To Medicare
Requiring A Balanced Budget Could Cause Immediate Cuts To Social Security And Medicare. According to Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, "But under the balanced budget amendment, it would essentially be unconstitutional for Social Security and Medicare to draw down these savings to pay promised benefits — we would face their funding cliffs immediately instead of in the 2030s. Instead, benefits would have to be cut, because all spending would have to be covered by tax revenue collected during that same year. […] In other words, a balanced budget amendment would serve as an effective backdoor way to immediately cut Social Security and Medicare benefits." [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 12/3/25]
Center On Budget And Policy Priorities Said There Was No Way To Lower The Debt Without Cutting Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Defense Spending, And Spending On Veterans Without Significant Revenue Increases. According to Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, "With Social Security, Medicare, long-term care in Medicaid, defense spending, and spending on veterans comprising two-thirds of federal program spending, there is simply no way to significantly flatten the debt trajectory while shielding these programs from cuts without additional revenue." [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 12/3/25]
Center For American Progress: Said Balancing The Federal Budget Would Require Significant Cuts To Social Security, Medicare, And Medicaid And Be Catastrophic For The Economy. According to Center for American Progress, “For example, if it were enacted in FY 2018, it would take effect in FY 2023. That year, the CBO estimates that government revenues will fall 23 percent short of government outlays. This means that without tax increases, reaching a balanced budget would require slashing the government budget by nearly one-quarter. If done across the board, without exempting the military or any other function, that would slash Social Security by $308 billion, Medicare by $239 billion, and Medicaid by $114 billion in a single year alone. And cuts would be even more drastic if the economy falls into a recession. […] That would be devastating for those who rely on Social Security and other government programs and, as discussed below, potentially catastrophic for the economy.” [Center for American Progress, 4/11/18]
¶ Harding Was Eager To Support Trump’s Agenda In Congress, Which Included DOGE Cuts That Had Hamstrung The Social Security Agency And Hurt Nebraska Public Services
¶ Harding Nodded To Trump’s “GOLDEN AGE” Slogan And Said He Looks Forward To Working With Trump
Harding Said He Looked Forward To Working With Trump If Elected To Congress. According to Nebraska Examiner, "Harding said he looks forward to working with Trump to ‘make life more affordable and government more accountable.’" [Nebraska Examiner, 4/14/26]
Harding’s Campaign Launch Video Nodded To Trump’s Campaign Slogan Of “Making Sure The Next 250 Years Of America Is A ‘New Golden Age.’” According to Nebraska Examiner, "Republican Omaha City Council Vice President Brinker Harding jumped into Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District race Tuesday to be the GOP nominee. […] His campaign rolled out a launch video Tuesday that nods to President Donald Trump’s campaign slogans, including making sure the next 250 years of America is a ‘new golden age.’" [Nebraska Examiner, 7/1/25]
¶ Harding Touted Trump’s Endorsement, Saying He Was “Humbled” To Have The President’s Backing
April 2026: Trump Endorsed Harding. According to Nebraska Examiner, "Trump said, in his social media post on Truth Social, that Harding has ‘dedicated his life to serving his Community.’ ‘As your next Congressman, Brinker will work tirelessly to Champion our Amazing Farmers and Ranchers, Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE, Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Ensure LAW AND ORDER, Support our Brave Military, Veterans, and Law Enforcement, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment,’ Trump wrote." [Nebraska Examiner, 4/14/26]
Harding Said He Was “Humbled” To Have Trump’s Endorsement. According to Roll Call, "Voters in Nebraska’s open 2nd District have twice rejected Donald Trump, but the presumptive Republican nominee for the seat is ‘humbled’ to have the president’s backing." [Roll Call, 4/22/26]
- Harding Celebrated Trump’s Endorsement As A Vote Of Confidence From The White House. According to Roll Call, "But Harding had eagerly awaited the president’s endorsement, which came on a Tuesday afternoon as he was heading to City Hall for a meeting. ‘The president doesn’t just blanket endorse all Republican candidates,’ Harding said. ‘To have his endorsement, knowing what this district is, says a lot about the confidence that the White House and leadership have in me and our campaign.’" [Roll Call, 4/22/26]
Harding Praised Trump Provisions From The “Big Beautiful Bill” And Said Trump Has Been “Doing Great Things.” According to Roll Call, "Trump has been ‘doing great things,’ said Brinker Harding, an Omaha City Council member seeking to succeed retiring GOP Rep. Don Bacon. ‘We’ve got tax relief for families. We’ve got ‘no tax on tips.’ I can go through the list.’" [Roll Call, 4/22/26]
¶ Trump’s department of government efficiency (DOGE) weakened the social security administration And Cut Nebraska Funding And Services
¶ 2025: At The Social Security Administration, DOGE Had Forced Mass Layoffs, Longer Wait Times And Frequent Website Crashes
One Year After DOGE-Era Cuts Resulted In A 12 Percent Cut Of The Social Security Administration’s Workforce, Social Security Offices Across The Country Still Struggled With Staffing. According to Business Insider, "More than a dozen Social Security field offices are listed as closed to in-person service, instead directing customers to reach out by phone or contact the national 800 number. Now, the list of closures has prompted concerns for the beleaguered agency and its recipients. A federal employees' union memo obtained by Business Insider sheds some light on why offices are closed: Some due to operational issues with their buildings, while others are so small that any understaffing forces them to temporarily shut down. […] The closures come at a tumultuous time for the Social Security Administration and its beneficiaries; the agency shed around 7,000 workers, or nearly 12% of its workforce, during the DOGE era, and has had to temporarily reassign some employees to staff phone lines. While the SSA said these office closures are temporary, staffing issues and a lack of field offices could be an increasing problem for the administration and recipients alike. Some currently-shuttered offices simply don't have enough staff. These smaller offices, called resident stations, are often staffed by just one person and serve low-population areas. Two resident stations in rural Montana and Wyoming are closed for lack of workers." [Business Insider, 4/23/26]
HEADLINE: "Social Security Stops Reporting Call Wait Times And Other Metrics" [Washington Post, 6/20/25]
HEADLINE: "As Social Security Services Are Cut Back, Millions Of Seniors Face Long Drives" [Axios, 4/8/25]
HEADLINE: "Social Security Website Keeps Crashing, As DOGE Demands Cuts To IT Staff" [Washington Post, 4/7/25]
HEADLINE: "Social Security Faces Thousands More Job Cuts Even With Service In Tailspin" [Washington Post, 4/4/25]
The Social Security Administration Website Crashed Four Times In Ten Days In March Because Servers Were Overloaded. According to the Washington Post, "The Social Security Administration website crashed four times in 10 days this month because the servers were overloaded, blocking millions of retirees and disabled Americans from logging in to their online accounts. In the field, office managers have resorted to answering phones in place of receptionists because so many employees have been pushed out. Amid all this, the agency no longer has a system to monitor customer experience because that office was eliminated as part of the cost-cutting efforts led by Elon Musk. And the phones keep ringing. And ringing." [Washington Post, 3/25/25]
Field Office Managers At Social Security Offices Had To Answer Phones In Place Of Receptionists Because DOGE Had Pushed Out So Many Federal Employees. According to the Washington Post, "The Social Security Administration website crashed four times in 10 days this month because the servers were overloaded, blocking millions of retirees and disabled Americans from logging in to their online accounts. In the field, office managers have resorted to answering phones in place of receptionists because so many employees have been pushed out. Amid all this, the agency no longer has a system to monitor customer experience because that office was eliminated as part of the cost-cutting efforts led by Elon Musk. And the phones keep ringing. And ringing." [Washington Post, 3/25/25]
DOGE Eliminated The Social Security Administration’s System To Monitor Customer Experience. According to the Washington Post, "The Social Security Administration website crashed four times in 10 days this month because the servers were overloaded, blocking millions of retirees and disabled Americans from logging in to their online accounts. In the field, office managers have resorted to answering phones in place of receptionists because so many employees have been pushed out. Amid all this, the agency no longer has a system to monitor customer experience because that office was eliminated as part of the cost-cutting efforts led by Elon Musk. And the phones keep ringing. And ringing." [Washington Post, 3/25/25]
Early February-Late March 2025: AARP Said More Than 2,000 People Per Week Had Called Expressing Concerns About Whether They Would Continue To Get Their Social Security Benefits. According to the Washington Post, "Alarmed lawmakers are straining to answer questions back home from angry constituents. Calls have flooded into congressional offices. AARP announced Monday that more than 2,000 people a week have called the retiree organization since early February — double the usual number — with concerns about whether benefits they paid for during their working careers will continue. Social Security is the primary source of income for about 40 percent of older Americans." [Washington Post, 3/25/25]
¶ More Than 111,000 Nebraskans In The 2nd District Relied On Social Security
2025: More Than 111,000 Nebraskans In The 2nd Congressional District Relied On Social Security Benefits.
[Social Security Administration, Nebraska,2025]
¶ DOGE Cuts Delayed The Deployment Of Weather Balloons Used To Help Predict Tornados And Severe Storms In Nebraska
DOGE Cuts For The National Weather Service Impacted Nebraska’s Deployment Of Weather Balloons Used To Predict Tornadoes And Severe Storms. According to Nebraska Examiner, "Some in Nebraska’s federal delegation are seeking answers about recent cuts steered by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to the national agency responsible for monitoring local weather. […] Those cuts reached home when the Weather Service office for the Omaha area and other Great Plains offices recently announced pausing the deployment of weather balloons after the department cuts. Weather balloons are a key tool in forecasting. Midwestern meteorologists say the data loss will likely lead to forecasting challenges in a region known for volatile, unpredictable weather as much of the area prepares for tornadoes and severe storms." [Nebraska Examiner, 4/4/25]
- HEADLINE: "Omaha-Based NWS Office Will Deploy Weather Balloons Again After DOGE Cuts" [Nebraska Examiner, 4/25/25]
The National Weather Service Lost Hundreds Of Employees As A Result Of DOGE Cuts. According to NPR, "MORRIS: Kansas Congresswoman Sharice Davids, a Democrat, says the Trump administration hobbled the National Weather Service last year. It shed almost 600 employees through DOGE cuts and retirements. Then it turned around and hired 200 new employees. But those newbies will take months to train, and Davids says forecasts are suffering." [NPR, 5/6/26]
Nebraska Examiner: “DOGE Cuts To The Weather Service Affecting Nebraska Contributed To Two Forecasting Offices That Cover Some Rural Parts Of Western And Southwestern Nebraska To No Longer Monitor Local Weather Around-The-Clock." According to the Nebraska Examiner, "The Weather Service has faced staffing issues long before Trump’s second term, but recent cuts required ‘urgent action,’ according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Trump Administration fired a total of roughly 600 workers from both agencies in March as it tried to reshape the federal bureaucracy. DOGE cuts to the Weather Service affecting Nebraska contributed to two forecasting offices that cover some rural parts of western and southwestern Nebraska to no longer monitor local weather around-the-clock." [Nebraska Examiner, 6/9/25]
¶ Harding Committed To Balance The FEDERAL Budget If Elected, which experts said would cause cuts to Social Security
¶ Harding Promised To Balance The Budget In Congress
Harding Promised To “Eliminate Wasteful Spending” And “Balance The Budget” Like He Did On The Omaha City Council. According to Brinker Harding’s Facebook, “When we launched our campaign last week, I made a commitment to the voters of #NE02: To make America more like its Heartland. On the Omaha City Council, I’ve worked with my colleagues to balance Omaha’s budget every single year – without sacrificing essential services our residents rely on. In Congress, I will fight to grow our economy and eliminate wasteful spending to increase revenues, balance the budget, and save critical programs like Social Security and Medicare. Together, we will Restore America, Grow America, Secure America, and Renew America. Learn more at BrinkerHarding.com!” [Facebook, Brinker Harding, 7/8/25]
Harding Said He Was Running For Congress To “Take Those Good Things We Do In Omaha, Like Balancing The Budget” To Washington. According to Nebraska Examiner, "‘I’m running for Congress to make America more like its heartland,’ Harding said. ‘I want to take those good things we do in Omaha, like balancing the budget, [having] record low crime, [and] a strong economy and take that to Washington and be successful.’" [Nebraska Examiner, 7/1/25]
¶ Experts Estimated Balancing The Budget Would Require Cuts To Social Security
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Said Requiring A Balanced Budget Would Cause Immediate Cuts To Social Security And Medicare. According to Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, "But under the balanced budget amendment, it would essentially be unconstitutional for Social Security and Medicare to draw down these savings to pay promised benefits — we would face their funding cliffs immediately instead of in the 2030s. Instead, benefits would have to be cut, because all spending would have to be covered by tax revenue collected during that same year. […] In other words, a balanced budget amendment would serve as an effective backdoor way to immediately cut Social Security and Medicare benefits." [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 12/3/25]
Center On Budget And Policy Priorities Said There Was No Way To Flatten The Debt Trajectory Without Cutting Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Defense Spending, And Spending On Veterans Unless There Are Significant Revenue Increases. According to Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, "With Social Security, Medicare, long-term care in Medicaid, defense spending, and spending on veterans comprising two-thirds of federal program spending, there is simply no way to significantly flatten the debt trajectory while shielding these programs from cuts without additional revenue." [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 12/3/25]
Center for American Progress Said Balancing The Budget Would Cause Significant Cuts To Social Security, Medicare, And Medicaid And Be Catastrophic For The Economy. According to Center for American Progress, “For example, if it were enacted in FY 2018, it would take effect in FY 2023. That year, the CBO estimates that government revenues will fall 23 percent short of government outlays. This means that without tax increases, reaching a balanced budget would require slashing the government budget by nearly one-quarter. If done across the board, without exempting the military or any other function, that would slash Social Security by $308 billion, Medicare by $239 billion, and Medicaid by $114 billion in a single year alone. And cuts would be even more drastic if the economy falls into a recession. […] That would be devastating for those who rely on Social Security and other government programs and, as discussed below, potentially catastrophic for the economy.” [Center for American Progress, 4/11/18]