By Congressman Tom Cole
As Congress continues to debate how to fund the government, I have spent an abundance of time thinking about how we can reduce our national debt and keep dollars in the pockets of Americans, instead of in Washington. However, as the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and a budget hawk, I know that our national debt problem cannot be solved exclusively in the Appropriations Committee, as it is only responsible for discretionary spending, which made up 28 percent of all U.S. expenditures in 2023.
On the contrary, mandatory spending, which includes Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, made up a whopping 72 percent of all U.S. expenditures last year. Furthermore, since 1981, discretionary spending has declined from 9.8 percent to 6.4 percent of the GDP. Meanwhile, mandatory spending has risen from 11.8 percent to 16.4 percent of the GDP since 1981. These numbers themselves make it clear – mandatory spending is the primary driver of our national debt.
That being said, if my fellow politicians in Washington are truly serious about producing a balanced budget and ensuring long-term economic stability for our nation, we must address the issue of mandatory spending.
However, I want to be clear that I do not want to cut these programs that are so vital to the lives of so many Americans. I just want to address the very dangerous fiscal implications that are and will continue to occur due to rising mandatory spending, while at the same time prevent the very real cuts that will come if we do not address the issue now. In fact, saving these programs is what I, along with many of my other colleagues, are trying to do.
This is why, for six straight Congresses now, I have led or co-led the Bipartisan Social Security Commission Act. This bill creates a bipartisan, independent commission of thirteen people appointed by the President and Congressional leaders in both parties. Within one year of its first meeting, the commission would have to report to Congress with a proposal to ensure Social Security’s trust funds are solvent for the next 75 years. This proposal would have to be made with the support of commission members, and then the proposal would receive expedited consideration in Congress for a vote.
As proven by my willingness to introduce this bill year after year, I believe Congress must act on this issue. Decreasing mandatory spending is not merely an option; it is imperative if we are going to ensure the long-term sustainability of these programs for future generations, as well as put our nation on a path to fiscal responsibility. So, to my congressional colleagues – while I understand the political benefit of ignoring this issue, we are at a critical point in time. We must move forward on addressing mandatory spending.
