Texas Democratic Party on Trump/Cornyn's Broken Promises on Protecting Programs Like Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and Food Stamps

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 11 -- The Texas Democratic Party issued the following press document on Feb. 10:

After saying yesterday he "would not" cut Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP benefits, and Social Security, Donald Trump announced $800 billion in budget cuts to these programs. [Vox, February 10, 2020]

Republican Senator John Cornyn is expected to go along with this budget. Trump Republicans continue to put wall street and the wealthy before hardworking Texans on main street.

Texas by the Numbers:

* Texas already ranks dead last in healthcare coverage.

* Texas hospitals could lose $11 billion per year in federal funding,

* More than 4 million Texans receive Medicare benefits.

* Texas has nearly 390,000 people who stand to lose SNAP benefits if Trump gets his way.

* Texas has nearly 658,000 social security recipients. second-highest in the nation.

Listed below are a few examples of Cornyn's attempts to cut Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security at the expense of everyday Texans:

2011: Cornyn voted for the Ryan Budget, which "would essentially end Medicare, which now pays most of the healthcare bills for 48 million elderly and disabled Americans, as a program that directly pays those bills." [Vote 77, 5/25/11; Wall Street Journal, 4/04/11]

2011: "Ending Medicare as we know it is a key part" of Senate Republicans' budget proposal. [NPR, 4/04/11]

2011: Cornyn voted for the "Cut, Cap and Balance" plan, which "would necessitate deep cuts in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid." [Vote 116, 7/22/11; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 7/16/11]

2015: Cornyn voted for a budget that called on Medicare to be subjected to "$430 billion in spending cuts without explaining where they would be made." [Senate Vote 171, 5/5/15; Conference Report, 4/29/15; Bloomberg, 3/27/15; Congressional Actions, S. Con. Res. 11]

2017: Cornyn voted for a budget resolution that "propose[d] $473 billion in cuts to Medicare's baseline spending over a decade and about $1 trillion from Medicaid" [Senate Vote 245,10/19/17; The Hill, 10/19/17; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 71]

2017: Cornyn voted for a corporate tax giveaway that spiked the federal deficit, "trimmed a year of solvency from the primary Medicare trust fund and had a negative effect on the Social Security trust fund." [Politifact, 9/5/18]

Texas Democratic Party Communications Director Abhi Rahman issued the following statement:

"Once again, Donald Trump and John Cornyn have broken their promises to everyday Texans, this time on preserving and protecting critical programs like Social Security, Medicaid, SNAP benefits, and Medicare. Millions of Texans rely on these programs to visit their doctor, to put food on the table, and raise their kids.

"Texas Democrats know we must tear down the barriers to opportunity so every Texan has a fair shot to get ahead. That is why Democrats will expand programs like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP benefits when we win in November."