Rep. Chip Roy, a Texas Republican and member of the ultraconservative Freedom Caucus, made an look on CNBC Friday to reward billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy for pushing for cuts to authorities spending. He mentioned the pair can be useful in future efforts to chop the social security internet.
Donald Trump named Musk and Ramaswamy co-chairs of the Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE), a company exterior of the federal authorities meant to advocate for spending cuts.
In the course of the “Squawk Field” phase on CNBC, Roy mentioned he appreciated the position Musk and Ramaswamy performed within the current struggle over laws to fund the federal authorities.
“When the DOGE guys got here in, Elon and Vivek, I pointed to my Republican colleagues, and I mentioned: ‘You realize what the issue is? Proper right here on this room.’ As a result of we’ve got Republicans and Democrats who by no means met a program they didn’t need to promote for some type of political achieve,” Roy mentioned.
Throughout the federal government funding course of, Musk lobbied for the invoice to be scrapped by asserting a collection of falsehoods on his X account, which has hundreds of thousands of followers. After the controversy, Republicans proposed a invoice that reduce funding for pediatric most cancers analysis and 9/11 first responders.
Roy mentioned that, going ahead, he believes that DOGE may have a major affect on the legislative course of by attacking authorities spending.
Particularly, Roy mentioned that the federal authorities ought to train “restraint” in administering meals stamp advantages, that are utilized by low-income households to buy primary family wants. He additionally known as for a repeal of the 2022 Inflation Discount Act, which put caps on the price of prescribed drugs and created incentives for corporations to spend money on clear power and to rent American employees.
“We have to tackle Medicare and Social Safety within the lengthy haul,” Roy mentioned, although he added that present advantages shouldn’t be affected. He additionally known as for a “spending restraint on Medicaid,” a public medical insurance program primarily utilized by low-income households.
Associated story: Trump trashes GOP congressman over opposition to new spending invoice
Roy’s feedback echo fellow Republican Rep. Mark Alford of Missouri, who mentioned in a current interview that there needs to be cuts to Social Safety and Medicare to fulfill the targets of DOGE.
As he campaigned for Trump main as much as the election, Musk mentioned that the federal government wanted to chop spending and that hardship for hundreds of thousands of People was a crucial byproduct.
“We’ve got to scale back spending to dwell inside our means,” he mentioned. “That essentially includes some momentary hardship, however it’s going to guarantee long-term prosperity.”
At a internet value of greater than $436 billion, Musk is the wealthiest man on the earth. So at the very least he gained’t be feeling the hardship of spending cuts that he, DOGE, and different Republicans are pushing.
The work isn’t over. We’ve got a protracted highway forward of us to guard the progress we’ve made and construct on it. However we are able to’t do that with out your assist! If you happen to’re ready, please contemplate chipping in simply $5 in the present day and assist us hit our end-of-year aim.
