KEY MOMENTS: Luján Presses Treasury Secretary Nominee on Cuts to Health Care and Head Start, Secures Commitment to Combat Fentanyl

WATCH HERE: Treasury Secretary Nominee Won’t Commit to Not Recommending Cuts to Health Care for Americans 

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Finance, pressed Treasury Secretary nominee Scott Bessent on a number of issues important to New Mexicans, including preserving health care for children, seniors, and people with disabilities; funding Head Start and broadband programs; and continuing the Biden administration’s efforts to combat the fentanyl crisis.

KEY MOMENTS:

Sen. Luján: It may surprise many observing today the immense responsibility the Secretary of the Treasury has in stemming the flow of fentanyl and other substances. Yes, or no, will you commit to continuing the Biden administration’s Counter-Fentanyl Strike Force, which brought together the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence and IRS Criminal Investigation to fight financial crime?

Mr. Bessent, in part: “I will commit.”

Sen. Luján: Mr. Bessent, Yes or no, will you work with me to ensure there is more transparency for over Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) at the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network for Congress?

Mr. Bessent, in part: “Yes.”

Sen. Luján: Mr. Bessent in your role as Treasury Secretary, do you agree that you will play an important part in advising President Trump and Congressional Republicans on policy related to the economy, including investment in government programs?

Mr. Bessent: “Yes, Senator.”

Sen. Luján: I was pleased in our meeting that you stated that “no cuts will be needed” to achieve your economic goals. I think that might surprise some of my Republican colleagues, but I very much appreciate that conversation we had. Yes or no, will you recommend cutting Medicaid?

Mr. Bessent, in part: “It’s the business of Congress to do the budget. I am in favor of empowering states and I believe that for some states that will be an increase and for some states that will be a decrease.”

So, Mr. Bessent, will you recommend cutting Medicaid to President Trump? And I’ll remind you that you acknowledged that one of your responsibilities as Secretary of the Treasury will be providing this advice. 

Mr. Bessent, in part: “I will get back to you on this.”

Sen. Luján: Will you recommend cuts to the broadband following the investments we’ve been seeing across the country making immense progress in connecting more people across the country that was included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law?

Mr. Bessent, in part: “I will get back to you on that.”

Sen. Luján: Well Mr. Bessent, a lot of folks back in South Carolina, including some of your farming neighbors are getting connectivity because of these programs and you may need to chat with them about the importance of what this program means. 

As my time expires, it might surprise many here that there’s only a couple of us in this body that are members of Head Start, and I imagine we may hear a little more about that from my brother in Head Start, Mr. Warnock. When we talk about the importance of early education in America, the economic benefit, yes or no, will you recommend cuts to Head Start?

Mr. Bessent, in part: “I will have to get back to you on this. I don’t understand the intricacies of this program.”

Sen. Luján: Do you know what Head Start is?

You have to qualify to get into the program. So, the family I was raised in, we qualified to get into the program. It opens up doors. It got a couple of us to the United States Senate. So, I certainly hope we can find some sort of agreement in protecting that program and if someone tries to eliminate that and early childhood education that we can count on you on behalf of New Mexicans and South Carolinians and people across America to say no, we’re not going to do that.

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