Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA) joined "Forbes Newsroom" to discuss President Trump's budget bill.
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00:00Congressman, I know I've kept you far too long. I do just want to ask you one question, though, about the budget bill.
00:06President Trump said very recently that entitlements like Medicaid and Social Security won't be touched. Do you believe him?
00:13I don't. And I don't always like hearing the word entitlement because I think it's an earned benefit.
00:21I think that it's a contract that was made between seniors and the government, particularly Social Security.
00:28What I will say is that there's no mathematical way that Republicans can have the kind of cuts that they're contemplating.
00:37One and a half trillion dollars is the amount that the House has been instructed to to cut by the the budget instructions.
00:46And you can't get there without a dramatic cut to Medicaid, without either dramatically reducing the percentage that the states will receive from the federal government,
00:58or by capping the amount on a per person basis that the federal government will fund.
01:05Either of those would be incredibly detrimental to my constituents and to those most vulnerable in our country,
01:11whether it's the senior who relies on Medicaid for nursing home care, whether it's the child that needs Medicaid or the veteran.
01:22One in 10 veterans also is on Medicaid. So it's really cynical, in my view, to go after the most vulnerable in our society,
01:32take that money and use it to fund tax cuts for rich people. It's really wrong.
01:38And at the end of the day, I think the American people will reject it.
01:42Congressman, I would love to keep the conversation going. Perhaps you can join me again soon.
01:47Congressman Mike Levin, thank you so much. You are welcome back anytime.
01:50Thank you. Happy to join you again when you can do it.