SUITLAND, MD — U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) today addressed the Maryland/DC Alliance for Retired Americans about the recently enacted budget compromise that raised the debt ceiling and saved the nation from default.  The Senator assured the group that the budget agreement has protections for Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid and federal retiree benefits. 

“The budget provides for nearly $1 trillion in deficit reduction during the next 10 years.  But importantly, it protects domestic priorities by allowing more than $40 billion in discretionary domestic spending next year than was contained in the Republican budget that passed the House,” said Senator Cardin, a member of the Budget and Finance committees. 

Senator Cardin explained that the agreement also calls for at least an additional $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction to be proposed by a Joint Congressional Committee and enacted by the end of the year.  Automatic, across-the-board cuts are triggered if these additional reductions are not made. 

“But Social Security, Medicaid, veteran benefits, and other essential benefits are exempt from cuts if across-the-board cuts are triggered,” said Senator Cardin.  “That is a very important protection for seniors and federal retirees.”

Founded in 2001, the Alliance for Retired Americans is a nationwide organization of four million members committed to mobilizing retired union members and other seniors and community activists into a nationwide grassroots movement that supports a progressive political and social agenda. The Maryland/DC Chapter has more than 78,000 members.

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