Jay Rockefeller: “We are once again in a dire fiscal situation. States face the prospect of having to cut benefits to kids, particularly…”

“We are once again in a dire fiscal situation. States face the prospect of having to cut benefits to kids, particularly poor kids, needy families, and seniors in nursing homes, something which 75 Senators voted not to do last year. It passed the House. The President signed it. Forty-two States last year were in a budget deficit situation with respect to Medicaid. It was and is their largest problem. Sluggish job growth continues to add to that problem. Last month our economy gained 21,000 new jobs. There are 8 million people out of work, so that is only one job for every 380 unemployed workers. The majority of Americans get their health care through their job, particularly manufacturing jobs, so employment is tremendously important. Manufacturing has been going down, as the Presiding Officer knows. Even more depressing, about 400,000 Americans have dropped out of the workforce altogether, which to me is the saddest thing that can happen, where people just kind of give up.”