Top Republican unveils $98B in cuts to social programs

Powerful Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, also wants tougher rules to reclaim overpayments of health insurance tax subsidies under the new health care law as part of package to cut spending by $98 billion over 10 years.

The spending cuts are designed to move in tandem with the GOP budget plan to ease tea party opposition to the broader measure.

A band of conservatives opposes the nonbinding budget plan since it endorses last year's bipartisan budget and debt deal, which increased spending for annual agency budgets.

The Ways and Means panel has extensive jurisdiction over taxes and health care and Republicans on the panel have fashioned a variety of ready-made proposals for cutting spending.

The cuts affecting immigrants would deny a refundable child tax credit to immigrant workers who don't have a Social Security number but use an IRS identification number to file their taxes.