Brad Carson: “Mr. Chairman, today I rise to thank the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Young) and the ranking member, the gentleman…”

“Mr. Chairman, today I rise to thank the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Young) and the ranking member, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey), for their leadership on this complex and difficult appropriations bill; and particularly to express my appreciation for the increase of $10 million to the State Survey and Certification program funded under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The State Survey and Certification program provides States with money to conduct inspections of facilities serving Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and fund the Nursing Home Oversight Improvement Program. The need for adequate funding of these two programs has become painfully clear when we are reminded that 5,283 nursing homes, one out of three nursing homes, were cited for an abuse violation in the last 2 years. At a time when the Department of Health and Human Services has estimated almost half of all 65-year-olds will use a nursing home at some point during their lives, this is unacceptable and immoral.”