S.Amdt. 1997

As folks who rely on these programs, we need to know where our elected officials stand. Mr. Wyden submitted SA 1997 to the concurrent resolution to hold lawmakers accountable by making it out of order in the Senate to consider legislation that cuts key programs we depend on.

What It Aims to Change or Add

This amendment adds a point of order to the Senate rules. Specifically, it targets any bill, joint resolution, motion, amendment, or conference report that does the following:

• Reduces the life of the Medicare program or cuts benefits for current or future beneficiaries.
• Reduces or eliminates Federal Medicaid funding for States or puts up new barriers to health care coverage.
• Limits access to insurance through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace by changing who is eligible or cutting premium tax credits.
• Restricts eligibility for or cuts the amount of Social Security Old-Age and Survivors Insurance benefits, Disability Insurance benefits, or Supplemental Security Income benefits.

How It Can Be Overridden

If our elected officials want to move forward with legislation that includes these cuts anyway, the rules state that this point of order can only be waived or suspended by a three-fifths affirmative vote of the Senators chosen and sworn. It also takes that same three-fifths vote to sustain an appeal if the Chair rules on a point of order.