Fetterman, McCormick find common ground on many issues, split on budget plan

U.S. Sens. John Fetterman and Dave McCormick have found common ground on a number of key issues during their first five months working together in Washington, but they acknowledge it’s unlikely they’ll agree on President Trump’s budget plan.

Fetterman, D-Braddock, and McCormick, R-Pittsburgh, appeared together Monday at a forum in Boston moderated by Fox News anchor Shannon Bream. The forum focused on some of the top issues of the day and how politicians from both parties can work together to address them.

Pennsylvania’s two senators, both in their first terms, found agreement on issues related to dealing with the Russia-Ukraine and Gaza wars, a recent surge in antisemitism, Iran’s nuclear capabilities and U.S. Steel’s recently announced $14 billion partnership with Nippon Steel.

But they appeared to be far apart when it comes to Trump’s budget plan.

“I don’t think I’d ever be in a position to support cutting Medicaid. And another thing that I’m troubled by is the cuts to SNAP ( Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program),” Fetterman said, noting that he sits on the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee and his wife has dedicated her professional life to combating food insecurity.

The budget plan that passed the House included nearly $1 trillion combined in cuts to the Medicaid and SNAP programs over a decade.

“I see people standing in lines for food. It’s not because they just want some free stuff. It’s because they don’t have enough to eat. I don’t think that’s an appropriate target,” he added.

Fetterman said he’s also troubled by the national debt, which has surpassed $36 trillion and could grow by trillions more over the next decade under Trump’s budget plan, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Some Republican leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, have disputed the CBO’s projections.

McCormick agreed that Medicaid benefits should not be taken away from “vulnerable people … for whom the program was designed.”

“But what’s happened is, Medicaid spending has grown by $250 billion a year in five years … it’s the fastest-growing entitlement. SNAP has grown by $80 billion a year in the last five years,” McCormick said, noting the programs weren’t designed for many of the people who are taking advantage of them today, such as working-aged men without disabilities and illegal immigrants.

On other issues, the senators’ views were more closely aligned.

Both agreed that antisemitism has been on the rise, particularly on college campuses, and more needs to be done to combat it. Fetterman’s strong, pro-Israel views have drawn criticism from some in his own party.

“Building tent cities on a campus and terrorizing and intimidating Jewish students, that’s not free speech. We’ve lost the argument in parts of my party,” Fetterman said.

The senators also both expressed their support for Israel in its conflict with Hamas; imposing new sanctions against Russia in response to the war in Ukraine; strengthening U.S. border security; restricting Iran’s nuclear program, which has reportedly increased its stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium; and the recently announced partnership deal between U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel.

During a stop Friday at U.S. Steel’s Irvin Works in West Mifflin, Trump said the $14 billion deal with Nippon would include $2.2 billion to “increase steel production in the Mon Valley,” $200 million for a research and development center in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University and $7 billion for facilities in Alabama, Arkansas, Minnesota and Indiana.

Trump also said that steelworkers can expect to keep their jobs — and get $5,000 bonuses. U.S. Steel’s headquarters will remain in Pittsburgh, the president added.

“I can absolutely celebrate those things. I sure hope all of these things are done,” Fetterman said Monday.

McCormick added: “This is great for the steelworkers. This is great for the steel industry in Pennsylvania and across the country. It’s great for our national security because we’re going to have state-of-the-art technology in our steel mills. And it’s great for Nippon, too, because they get access to the U.S. market,” McCormick said.

As for working across the aisle with his Senate colleague, McCormick said, “We’re looking for ways to find common ground, and when we disagree, we disagree.”