Frank Pallone: “I want to differ strongly with the gentleman from Texas, as much as I admire him as our ranking member. I would remind…”

“I want to differ strongly with the gentleman from Texas, as much as I admire him as our ranking member. I would remind the gentleman that this bill is fully paid for by eliminating tax loopholes that send jobs overseas. The fact of the matter is that many States have already budgeted for these Federal dollars and simply don't have their own State dollars to make up for it if they lose the Federal dollars. Traditionally, in the past, this was a bipartisan issue. Republicans supported it. And I would say that many Republican governors, including my own in my State of New Jersey, have asked for this money because they know that if they don't get it they're going to have a huge shortfall in their budget. I don't see this at all as a partisan issue, and I really don't understand why our ranking member continues to look at it that way. I think it's crucial that Congress extend extra help to the States to pay for their citizens who are on Medicaid. The Medicaid rolls have expanded considerably for States because of unemployment. Many people have lost their jobs and a lot more people are on Medicaid, and States with high unemployment will continue to receive additional percentage points. This legislation simply allows States to avert Medicaid cuts at a time when the economic recession requires a strong safety net. It's also the most efficient way to help States avoid further layoffs and service cuts that would otherwise slow the economic recovery.”