The plan reduces spending on Medicare by $8 billion and Medicaid by nearly $5 billion and wrings savings out of several other programs like agriculture and student loans.
Democrats said the cuts were unfair and meant little for the deficit since Republicans were trying to advance next year nearly $100 billion in tax cuts that would more than erase any savings. "This entire exercise imposes sacrifice from Americans least able to afford it in an attempt to camouflage far larger Republican tax breaks for the wealthy," said Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa. |