Rushmore State News

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) appeared on Fox News with Martha MacCallum to discuss recent legislative changes aimed at addressing the national debt and reforming government programs.

Thune emphasized the urgency of fiscal reforms, citing the growing $36 trillion national debt. He stated, “The fact of the matter is, these are changes that are long overdue. We’ve got a $36 trillion debt growing by the day, and it was high time that we did some things to … get this country on a more sustainable fiscal path and restore some fiscal sanity. And so the changes that we made are commonsense changes that the American people, once they hear about them, they’re going to agree with.”

He highlighted new expectations for recipients of government benefits: “One of the things that we said as a result of the legislation that we passed last week is there ought to be some reasonable expectation that people who are getting benefits through government programs are at least attempting to find jobs…”

Thune argued for accountability in federal spending: “But I think the American people, Martha, agree with us that when it comes to government programs … when they’re taking money out of the economy, out of the pockets of hard-working Americans, sending to Washington, D.C., there ought to be a reasonable expectation that you’re going to do your best to root out fraud, waste, and abuse, that you’re going to do your best to ensure that there are work requirements, and that there aren’t people who are benefiting from these programs who aren’t eligible for them.

“Those are all … reasonable reforms that make these programs fiscally stronger and more sustainable for the long term, so they can continue to deliver the benefits for whom they were intended. And that’s what this is all about.”

Addressing criticism from Democrats regarding potential negative impacts of these reforms, Thune responded: “Well, don’t believe the threats … These are scare tactics. This is the Democrat playbook. They’ve tried it over and over and over again.

“When you do big things here in Washington, when you do what we did with this bill – in the area of tax relief for middle-income families, for working Americans, in the area of energy dominance, in the area of border security, military modernization, and obviously savings that we achieved, 1.5 trillion in savings which is historic hasn’t happened ever. But these are reforms that needed to be made and the American people understand that.”

Thune also discussed work requirements related specifically to Medicaid or food stamps: “I think the American people also believe that there ought to be work requirements for people who benefit from Medicaid or food stamps. There ought to be some expectation at least that you’re going try and get a job or do some community service or try go … back school – do something will put you position where perhaps don’t have have government assistance.

“Government assistance is there for people who need it. It will continue be there. Rural hospitals are going fine. We put significant reinvestment into bill help out with rural hospitals event experiencing … financial issues as result any changes have been made.”

He reiterated his earlier point on fiscal responsibility: “But fact matter is these changes long overdue We’ve got $36 trillion debt growing by day high time did things get country more sustainable fiscal path restore sanity So made commonsense American people once hear about them they’re going agree”