Under attack from Biden, Rick Scott amends 'Rescue America' plan to exempt Social Security, Medicare

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Mitch McConnell's Social Security and Medicare plan is 'disingenuous': Sen. Rick Scott

Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott reacts to Mitch McConnell saying Senate Republicans have 'no agenda' to revisit Social Security and Medicare on 'The Story.'

After being raked over the coals by President Biden and disavowed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Florida Senator Rick Scott has amended his proposal to sunset all federal legislation in five years with exceptions for Social Security and Medicare. 

Point six of Scott's 12-point plan to "Rescue America" now carries specific exemptions for Social Security, Medicare, national security, veterans benefits and other essential services. All other federal legislation would sunset in five years without reauthorization by Congress. 

"Note to President Biden, Sen. Schumer, and Sen. McConnell – As you know, this was never intended to apply to Social Security, Medicare, or the US Navy," Scott's amended plan states.

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Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., has amended his 12-point plan to "Rescue America" after Democrats and some Republicans said he wanted to cut Social Security and Medicare.  (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Scott released his plan last year as a proposed Republican legislative agenda ahead of the midterm elections. Democrats seized on several of Scott's proposals, including a blanket statement that "all federal legislation sunsets in five years. If a law is worth keeping, Congress can pass it again." 

Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., among others, accused the GOP of intending to cut Social Security and Medicare based on Scott's proposal, which he vehemently denied. 

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President Biden used his State of the Union address to accuse Republicans of wanting to make cuts to Social Security and Medicare, based on Rick Scott's plan.  (Nathan Howard/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Still, McConnell disavowed the "Rescue America" plan, distancing the Republican Party from Scott and denying that he spoke for anyone else in the GOP Senate conference.

Scott's proposals came into renewed focus this month after Biden cited him during the State of the Union Address, vowing to veto any legislation that touches Social Security or Medicare. 

The president's comments were met with loud boos from the Republican side of the aisle in the House chamber, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., and others called the president a "liar." 

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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell distanced Republicans from Scott's plan. 

In an op-ed for the Washington Examiner published Friday, Scott accused Democrats and McConnell of playing "gotcha politics" with his agenda. 

"I have never supported cutting Social Security or Medicare, ever. To say otherwise is a disingenuous Democrat lie from a very confused president. And Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is also well aware of that. It’s shallow gotcha politics, which is what Washington does," Scott wrote.  

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"Everyone outside of Washington perfectly understood what my plan was trying to accomplish, but that hasn’t stopped Washington politicians from doing what they do best — lying to you every chance they get. So, since the folks up here are clearly too confused and disingenuous to get it, I’ll put it down in black and white so they can read it, or have someone read it to them," he added.