STEPHANOPOULOS: I don’t think they proposed that provision. But meanwhile, the Democrats are also warning this is going to trigger a mandatory cut in many government programs, including a $25 billion cut in Medicare. Leader Pelosi has written a letter to the Senate and House leaders in the Republican Party saying “given the lack of bipartisanship to date in your effort to provide massive tax cuts to the wealthy at the expense of the middle class, while adding $1.5 trillion to the deficit, it will be your responsibility to deal with the consequences.”
She’s essentially saying, you won’t get any Democratic votes to waive those cuts, so $25 billion in Medicare cuts are coming. Can you prevent that on your own?
CORNYN: Well, that’s just a false statement. We don’t touch Medicare at all. We don’t touch any of the entitlement programs in this bill. And so for Ms. Pelosi to make that statement, it’s just fabricated.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But this proposal, the tax bill, because it increases the deficit, does trigger these pay-go provisions which will mandate a $25 billion cut in Medicare unless you have the votes to waive it. Do you to have the votes to waive it?
CORNYN: We will deal with that later this week. And I believe we will protect Medicare. And if Ms. Pelosi and her party will join us, that will be a done deal.