But it is within every state's power to slash its own Medicaid spending by tightening eligibility, limiting covered services and cutting reimbursement rates for health care providers.
Many fear the governor, who has the deep pockets to finance opponents and the power to slash projects in the districts of his political enemies, legislators and lobbyists said.
And some controversial but intriguing innovations: a two-year budget cycle; a limitation on what state government can do without first demonstrating it has the revenue to do it; executive power to slash the budget when revenues come up short.
Just as the world reached a record high in displaced people since the end of World War II, Trump used his executive power to slash US refugee admissions to their lowest level in the history of the program.
"This undemocratic board would have the power to slash pensions, cut education and health care, and increase taxes on working families in Puerto Rico," Sanders said in a statement issued by his Senate office.
He voted to prevent the EPA from being able to limit carbon pollution from power plants, voted to slash funding for renewable energy and energy efficiency while boosting funding for dirty fossil fuel and nuclear generation technologies, and voted to prevent federal agencies from assessing the costs and dangers posed by climate change.
Mr McConnell was echoing the opposition of many in his party to Mr Obama's executive order earlier this year to force power plants across the country to slash emissions.
Green campaigners are still reeling from a decision last year by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) to slash solar power subsidies in a move that infuriated the industry, including many small businesses, some of which have gone bankrupt as a direct result of the clampdown.
Rising taxes and soaring gasoline prices have combined to slash spending power at the lower end of the economy, according to executives from fast food chains, discount retailers and other companies that cater to budget-conscious consumers.
"The experts say we have the technologies we need to slash emissions and power Britain with renewable energy and more efficient use of cleaner fuels, it just needs the politicians to give them the green light.
