Rep. Scott Perry Presses Battleground Republicans to Fund Pentagon by Cutting Health Care

Republican Representative Scott Perry of Pennsylvania’s 10th district told fellow members of Congress to stop “being scared” and to accept cuts to health-care spending in order to finance a $70 billion Pentagon increase and the SAVE America Act voting-restriction measures. Perry’s blunt directive came as the House debated a spending package that would add the defense boost and voting-law provisions without offsetting the added costs.

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The proposed legislation combines a substantial boost to the Department of Defense with the SAVE America Act, a set of voting-restriction proposals championed by former President Donald Trump. Senate GOP leaders and other House Republicans from swing districts have warned that using health-care dollars to pay for the defense and voting measures would be politically risky and could trigger procedural votes that would complicate the bill’s passage. Perry, known for his role in promoting 2020 election conspiracy theories and for supporting Trump’s attempts to overturn the election results, is facing a tough re-election bid and is regarded by local analysts as the most vulnerable Republican incumbent in Pennsylvania.

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Perry responded to the intra-party warnings by stating, “Quit being scared and get to work.” He framed the lack of offsetting cuts as the only unacceptable element of the proposal, emphasizing that the health-care reductions were a necessary trade-off to fund the defense and voting-law components.

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Senate Republicans and House members from other battleground districts expressed concerns that diverting health-care funds would be unpopular with constituents and could invite procedural challenges. Their caution reflects broader electoral anxieties, especially as Perry’s district is identified as a key target for Democratic challengers.

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“Quit being scared and get to work.” — Scott Perry, U.S. Representative (R-PA)

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