Chuck Grassley: “I am in support of this amendment. I am very glad that such a compromise has been worked out. I am very happy with the…”

“I am in support of this amendment. I am very glad that such a compromise has been worked out. I am very happy with the team of people both on and off the committee who have put it together. I would like to emphasize one thing about the amendment. I am sure it has been stated very well by other sponsors, but this is meant to bring temporary--and I want to stress ``temporary''--fiscal relief to the States. I have heard from my State and many others about the difficult budget situations they are currently experiencing. This amendment will help to bring temporary relief to all States during this difficult fiscal time. It is important for the Senate to successfully pass a strong growth bill, and this amendment helps to achieve that goal. Numerous Senators have indicated that State fiscal relief is a key component of this growth package. Some of my colleagues believe strongly that we should direct some State fiscal relief through the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage Program or something we call around here by the acronym FMAP. This is the funding structure for Medicaid. This amendment uses a temporary adjustment in the FMAP formula. Some of my colleagues feel strongly about giving flexible grants to the States and localities. This amendment also uses flexible grants to those States and localities.”