Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, on Wednesday outlined his policy priorities for 2017, pledging to cut taxes, eliminate "unnecessary regulations" and prevent "massive benefit cuts" for Medicare and Social Security recipients. “Medicare and Social Security are two of the most successful government programs and I’m committed to preserving them,” Buchanan said, according to a press release. "Roughly 220,000 Americans rely on Medicare in just Sarasota and Manatee counties alone," he added.