Sen. Rick Scott introduces new bill to protect Social Security and Medicare to clarify after Biden callout

Florida Senator Rick Scott (R) introduced a new bill on Friday aimed at protecting the Social Security and Medicare entitlement programs after a tense week of public debate over his previous bill that would sunset both programs after 5 years.

Scott’s sunsetting idea, part of his “Rescue America” bill, was referred to in President Biden’s State of the Union speech to Congress on Tuesday night. Biden pointed out that “some Republicans” wanted to sunset both programs every five years, to be passed again by Congress in order to stay active. While Biden did not refer to Scott by name in his address, the Florida congressman’s plan has been in the headlines since Tuesday night’s speech.

In response, Scott introduced his new Protect Our Seniors Act, which would redirect funding slated for the IRS to the Social Security and Medicare programs. The $80 billion is currently set to fund the hiring of 87,000 new agents to replenish the aging IRS workforce and restaff after a decade of cuts. Republicans have branded the IRS funding as “hiring an army of auditors” who will clamp down on everyday Americans. In fact, the new agents will assist in catching up the backlog of unprocessed returns and answer calls coming into the IRS.

Scott’s new bill also requires a two-thirds majority vote in Congress to approve any cuts proposed to either Social Security or Medicare. Republicans in Congress have come out against Scott’s original plan in the days since the SoTU address, distancing themselves from it. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) specified the plan was not the Republican party’s wider opinion on the matter.