{"id":88989,"date":"2021-03-22T16:16:20","date_gmt":"2021-03-22T16:16:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/radiofree.asia\/?guid=b2f170f2d366105b025e44fc897fcffe"},"modified":"2021-03-22T16:16:20","modified_gmt":"2021-03-22T16:16:20","slug":"progressives-demand-repeal-of-paygo-law-as-automatic-medicare-cuts-loom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2021\/03\/22\/progressives-demand-repeal-of-paygo-law-as-automatic-medicare-cuts-loom\/","title":{"rendered":"Progressives Demand Repeal of Paygo Law as Automatic Medicare Cuts Loom"},"content":{"rendered":"\"Pramila<\/a>

The leadership of the Congressional Progressive Caucus is <\/span>calling<\/a> <\/span>for permanent repeal of a notorious 2010 law that is threatening to inflict deep, automatic cuts to Medicare and other safety net programs following <\/span>passage<\/a> <\/span>of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan earlier this month.<\/p>\n

On Friday, the House of Representatives \u2014 with the support of just <\/span>29 Republicans<\/a> \u2014 approved legislation that would exempt the coronavirus relief package from a law known as statutory Paygo, which requires deficit spending to be offset by cuts to government programs. The Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act was <\/span>enacted<\/a> <\/span>in 2010 with the <\/span>support<\/a> <\/span>of the then-Democratic Congress and former President Barack Obama.<\/p>\n

While Paygo rules were <\/span>waived<\/a> <\/span>in coronavirus relief bills approved during the Trump presidency, congressional Democrats’ use of the arcane <\/span>budget reconciliation<\/a> <\/span>process to pass the American Rescue Plan over unified Republican obstruction <\/span>prevented<\/a> <\/span>inclusion of a waiver this time around, <\/span>setting the stage<\/a> <\/span>for tens of billions of dollars in cuts to Medicare, farm subsidies, and other programs if the Senate fails to act.<\/p>\n

“We’re pleased that the House voted today to waive statutory Paygo for the American Rescue Plan Act to prevent damaging, self-defeating, and wholly unnecessary cuts to Medicare and other programs,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said in a <\/span>statement<\/a>. “We urge the Senate to follow the House’s lead and act swiftly to waive statutory Paygo.”<\/p>\n

But Jayapal stressed that the House bill \u2014 which also <\/span>pushes off a separate 2% cut to Medicare<\/a> <\/span>set for April 1 \u2014 is just a temporary solution to a problem that will continue cropping up without complete repeal of the 2010 law.<\/p>\n

“It’s long past time for Congress to end statutory Paygo permanently,” said Jayapal. “The austerity politics of the last several decades have been an unmitigated failure \u2014 hollowing out programs that families rely on and leaving millions unable to afford the basics.”<\/p>\n

“Congress should never have to choose between protecting programs like Medicare and lifting families out of poverty or providing urgently needed assistance to working people facing unprecedented economic hardship,” the Washington Democrat continued. “At the Progressive Caucus, we will keep fighting to end statutory Paygo for good so that Congress can focus on what really matters: empowering and investing in working people across this nation.”<\/p>\n

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While HR 1868 addresses the immediate problem, statutory PAYGO will keep standing in the way of legislation that matches the scale of our national crises.<\/p>\n

Congress must permanently repeal statutory PAYGO or completely overhaul it. #PAYGOmustGO<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/fTIX1WJdFw<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Progressive Caucus Action Fund (@WeAct4progress) March 18, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n