The proposal for a constitutional amendment to balance the federal budget has sparked significant debate in Washington. Spearheaded by Jon Husted, a first-year U.S. Senator, this plan could result in substantial reductions to Social Security and Medicare.
In November 2025, Husted presented the amendment alongside Sen. Cynthia Lummis from Wyoming and Rep. Nathaniel Moran of Texas. The proposal mandates that Congress align federal expenditures with revenues within a decade of the amendment’s ratification.
“I’m introducing this amendment to restore fiscal responsibility in Washington, calm inflation, and require Congress to rein in spending in a principled way,” Husted stated in a press release.
In a subsequent radio interview, Husted asserted that his approach was preferable to “taxing the rich” and described it as the “only way” to reduce the national debt.
However, a 2018 analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities indicated that such a plan could endanger essential funding for Social Security, Medicare, and other safety net programs.
Social Security and Medicare rely heavily on payroll taxes, with collected funds managed by the U.S. Treasury. Surplus amounts are invested in special Treasury bonds for future needs. With a balanced-budget amendment in place, the government would be restricted from spending beyond its revenue intake, thus blocking the use of these bonds when tax revenues fall short. This scenario could lead to service reductions.
The AARP, an organization advocating for people aged 50 and over, expressed concerns in a 2019 letter, stating that such an amendment would be “devastating for millions.”
“A balanced-budget amendment would likely harm Social Security and Medicare, subjecting both programs to potentially deep cuts without regard to the impact on the health and financial security of individuals,” the letter explained.
The letter also highlighted the negative implications for the 11 million disabled Americans who depend on Social Security.
According to a 2018 report by the Center for American Progress, a balanced-budget amendment could result in a $308 billion cut to Social Security over five years. During the same timeframe, Medicare and Medicaid might face reductions of $239 billion and $114 billion, respectively.
As Husted campaigns for his first full Senate term, he faces competition from former Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat. In 2024, Brown sponsored the bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act, which improved benefits for public servants such as teachers and police officers.
The post Husted’s budget plan would force deep cuts to Social Security and Medicare appeared first on American Journal News.
