Republican push for work requirements could harm vulnerable populations.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's proposed spending cuts could have a disproportionate impact on people in Republican-leaning states, according to a Reuters analysis of federal spending data. The plan calls for cutting some agency budgets by 7% this year and capping their growth by 1% annually after that, as well as imposing stiffer work requirements on some benefit programs. Federal aid does not play as big a role in relatively wealthy, Democratic-leaning states that are more able to raise their own taxes to fund safety-net programs. McCarthy's proposed increase of 1% per year would not keep up with inflation or population growth.