2024 FactCheck: on Social Security

Rick Scott: FactCheck: Yes, sunsetting could abolish entitlements

Sen. Scott introduced S.925, the Federal Agency Sunset Commission Act of 2021, which says, "This bill provides for the establishment of the Federal Agency Sunset Commission to submit to Congress a schedule for review and abolishment of each agency. Each agency shall be abolished unless reauthorized by Congress. For each agency, the commission must schedule a date of abolishment to occur at least once every 12 years."

Scott's legislation doesn't explicitly mention Social Security or Medicare, but they are some of the biggest "Federal Agencies." Scott's denial means he would expect those agencies to be reauthorized by Congress, and hence claims his intent isn't to sunset them. But his legislation would require Congress to vote affirmatively to keep those programs--or be automatically abolished.

Mitch McConnell: FactCheck: Not just "Rick Scott Plan" to sunset entitlements

Sen. Scott introduced S.925 with 4 co-sponsors, and the "Federal Agency Sunset Commission Act" was simultaneously introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Michael Cloud as H.R.2199 with 11 co-sponsors. That means 17 legislators, all Republican, put their names on the sunset plan -- it's not just Rick Scott's plan!

Is McConnell right that sunsetting isn't in the GOP plan? Well, let's look at the Republican Party platform of 2016. It calls for retirement savings "options that are voluntary & portable". Social Security is neither voluntary nor portable, so the GOP is calling for major reforms. McConnell is only right that most Republicans don't use the term "sunset".