Today, Congressman Heath Shuler (D-Waynesville) voted in support of a bill that maintains and creates 290,000 jobs throughout the nation. H.R. 1586, the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act, was passed by the Senate last week and passed the House by a vote of 247 to 161. Nationally, the bill provides $10 billion to prevent teacher layoffs, saving 161,000 jobs for teachers. North Carolina will receive more than $298 million in education funding, preserving 5,700 jobs in the state. It also creates or saves and additional 158,000 public service jobs, such as those held by firefighters, police officers, and nurses.
“This bill is imperative for families in Western North Carolina. It will keep our teachers in school, nurses in hospitals, and firefighters and police officers at the ready,” said Rep. Shuler. “Additionally, I’m glad to say that this bill ensures that Americans who need the support of Medicaid for their health care will continue to be able to receive that benefit.”
The bill allocates $16 billion for Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP), the federal government’s share of Medicaid funding. Medicaid, which is funded by both the federal government and each state, aims to provide health care to some Americans who cannot afford it. For August, 2010, the NC Division of Medical Assistance calculated that there are 117,295 Medicaid eligible individuals in the 15 westernmost counties of North Carolina. This bill will provide North Carolina with an additional $343 million in FMAP funding for state fiscal year 2011 to ensure that those who are eligible have access to vital healthcare coverage.
Despite being a spending bill, the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act cuts the deficit by $1.4 billion over a ten year time span. It is paid for, in part, by closing loopholes in the tax system that make it cost effective for corporations to ship American jobs overseas.
“Curbing tax loopholes, combined with rising shipping costs and labor strikes in countries like China, is creating positive momentum for bringing jobs back to the U.S.,” said Rep. Shuler. “It is a win-win situation when Congress can spend money saving teacher jobs and ensuring health insurance for those who could not afford it and not add to the already burdensome deficit by changing the tax laws to bring jobs back to American soil.”
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