Mitch McConnell Rejects Rick Scott’s Proposal to “Sunset” Popular Benefit Programs, Calls it a “Bad Idea”

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and GOP Sen. Rick Scott are engaged in a feud over Scott’s proposal to “sunset” popular benefit programs like Medicare and Social Security. In a podcast that aired Thursday, McConnell called the Florida lawmaker’s proposal a “bad idea” and said it does not reflect Republican priorities.

McConnell told the “Terry Meiners” podcast that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) shares his opinion that Scott’s proposal is not the Republican plan. McConnell also said that the GOP would not have included the proposal in their agenda even if they had won control of the chamber in November’s midterm elections.

“I think we’re in a more authoritative position to state what the position of the party is than any single senator,” McConnell said. He also reiterated the point he made last year that there were no plans to raise taxes on half the American people or to sunset Medicare or Social Security.

The feud between McConnell and Scott has been ongoing since last year and has been brought to the forefront again by President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night. Biden has been hitting Republicans hard on the subject, and McConnell and Scott’s disagreement shows no signs of easing.

McConnell’s comments on the podcast make it clear that Scott’s proposal is not the Republican plan and is not supported by the GOP. It remains to be seen how the situation will develop in the coming weeks and months.