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Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, today issued the following statement lauding the U.S. House of Representatives for passing H.R. 5613, the Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008, which prevents the Bush administration from instituting seven harmful Medicaid regulations. Earlier this month, the New Jersey congressman moved this important legislation through his subcommittee. The legislation was approved this afternoon by a vote of 349 to 62.
"Today, the House sent a strong bipartisan message that it is not going to allow the Bush administration to proceed with seven Medicaid regulations that would harm millions of low-income, disabled, mentally ill and vulnerable Americans. I commend my colleagues for working quickly and in a bipartisan fashion to pass this important legislation.
"By passing the Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008, we are delaying regulations that could seriously jeopardize some of the most fundamental aspects of the Medicaid program. This legislation blocks the administration from implementing regulations that would produce significant cuts to Medicaid over the next five years and would seriously undermine the longstanding partnership between the federal and state government.
"The House's action today was supported by all 50 state governors, who saw the administration's regulations as nothing more than an attempt to shift additional costs onto cash-strapped states.
"At a time of economic uncertainty and job loss, it is important that Washington work to strengthen the safety net for our most vulnerable populations, not weaken it as the Bush administration is attempting to do."
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