Husted Advocates for Fiscal Amendment Amidst Concerns Over Social Security and Medicare Cuts
Jon Husted, concluding his inaugural year in the U.S. Senate, has put forward a proposal for a constitutional amendment aimed at balancing the federal budget. This proposal, however, raises concerns about potential significant reductions in Social Security and Medicare.
In November 2025, Husted, in collaboration with Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming and Rep. Nathaniel Moran of Texas, introduced this amendment. It seeks to mandate Congress to align federal spending with revenue within a decade of its ratification.
“I’m introducing this amendment to restore fiscal responsibility in Washington, calm inflation, and require Congress to rein in spending in a principled way,” Husted stated in a press release.
During a radio interview, Husted emphasized that his plan is preferable to “taxing the rich” and regarded it as the “only way” to reduce the national debt.
However, a 2018 analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities suggests that such an amendment could jeopardize crucial funding mechanisms for Social Security, Medicare, and other safety net programs.
Social Security and Medicare are predominantly financed through payroll taxes, with excess funds invested in special Treasury bonds. A balanced-budget amendment would prohibit federal spending beyond collected revenue, preventing the government from utilizing these bonds in revenue shortfalls, thus potentially leading to service cuts.
The AARP, representing Americans over 50, cautioned in a 2019 letter that such an amendment could be “devastating for millions.”
“A balanced-budget amendment would likely harm Social Security and Medicare, subjecting both programs to potentially deep cuts without regard to the impact on the health and financial security of individuals,” the letter stated.
Additionally, the amendment could adversely affect 11 million disabled Americans reliant on Social Security.
According to the Center for American Progress, implementing a balanced-budget amendment could lead to a $308 billion reduction in Social Security in five years, with Medicare and Medicaid facing cuts of $239 billion and $114 billion, respectively, in the same period.
Husted is campaigning for his first full Senate term, with former Sen. Sherrod Brown as his Democratic opponent. Brown, in 2024, supported the bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act, which enhanced Social Security benefits for public servants like teachers and police officers.
The post Husted’s budget plan would force deep cuts to Social Security and Medicare appeared first on American Journal News.
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