Lincoln Chafee: “Yesterday we voted not to reform the Medicaid Program. This is a welfare bill we are on, not a Medicaid bill. We put off…”

“Yesterday we voted not to reform the Medicaid Program. This is a welfare bill we are on, not a Medicaid bill. We put off any Medicaid reforms, if you would, until another day. Because of the link between welfare eligibility and Medicaid eligibility, this bill will repeal the guarantee--the word I am using is ``guarantee''--it will repeal the guarantee of Medicaid coverage for 1.5 million children age 13 through 18, and 4 million mothers. Mr. President, once again, this is not a Medicaid bill, yet we repeal existing Medicaid guarantees. Under our amendment, the amendment I am presenting, and I send to the desk now on behalf of myself, Senators Breaux, Cohen, Graham, Jeffords, Kerrey of Nebraska, Hatfield, Murray, Snowe, Lieberman, Reid, and Rockefeller.”