In a resounding win for Republican negotiators, the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) latest projection on the debt limit deal struck by President Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy has been dismissed by House Republican leaders. The projection claimed that the deal would expand the number of people eligible for federal benefits. But let’s not be fooled by these misleading claims.
One of the key demands of Republican negotiators was to tighten access to SNAP and other benefit programs, as part of their efforts to slash spending while raising the federal borrowing limit. And guess what? They succeeded. The proposed changes would raise the upper age limit of single American adults who must fulfill work requirements to receive SNAP benefits from 49 to 54. But don’t worry, exemptions are provided for the homeless, veterans, and young individuals aging out of the foster care system.
Late on Tuesday, the CBO released an updated score of the bill, The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, stating that it would expand the net eligibility to SNAP by a mere 0.2% or roughly 78,000 people. However, House Financial Services Chair Patrick McHenry, a staunch Republican from North Carolina, quickly set the record straight. He boldly declared, “The simple answer is the CBO got it wrong.” He emphasized that these populations were already included and most states had a cap of 12% for exemption, which the bill reduced to eight.
Joining the chorus of Republican leaders challenging the CBO’s projection is Agriculture Committee Chair Glenn Thompson from Pennsylvania. He dismissed the projection as “wrong” and accused the CBO of faulty calculations. Thompson pointed out that the CBO double-counted individuals from new categories such as veterans, the homeless, and 18-year-olds aging out of foster care. He passionately spoke about the struggles these young individuals face when they enter the real world, often with their belongings packed in a garbage bag. Thompson emphasized that these individuals were already counted as eligible, exposing the CBO’s flawed scoring.
It is evident that this debt limit deal is a conservative victory, despite the attempt by the CBO to mislead the public. Some dissenting Republicans expressed their disappointment with the bill, but they fail to recognize the substantial progress made. Representative Lauren Boebert sarcastically exclaimed, “Yay debt” when asked for her reaction. Nevertheless, House GOP leadership remains confident and dismisses dissenting concerns with the assurance that they have everything under control.
Representative Dan Bishop of North Carolina, an early critic of the bill, expressed his dissatisfaction on Twitter, highlighting the expansion of welfare brought about by the Biden-McCarthy deal. Senator Mike Lee of Utah, another critic, also pointed out the bill’s contradictions, stating that it does the opposite of what its proponents claim.
In the end, this debt limit deal is a remarkable conservative victory, ensuring tighter access to federal benefits and reaffirming the Republican commitment to fiscal responsibility. Republican negotiators have successfully pushed for meaningful changes that will benefit the American people and safeguard our nation’s financial future.
Stay tuned for more updates on conservative triumphs and the relentless pursuit of conservative values in Washington.
Source Fox News