WP: Senators Aim to Shield Medicaid From Cuts (Smith says he has votes)

[DeepModem Mom]

Senators Aim to Shield Medicaid From Cuts

By Jonathan Weisman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 16, 2005; Page A05


A bipartisan coalition of senators is poised to restore $15 billion of Medicaid savings targeted in the Senate's 2006 budget blueprint, a move that could unravel much of President Bush's efforts to slow the explosive growth of entitlement spending, lawmakers said.

The budget resolution under debate in the Senate would effectively cut domestic spending under Congress's discretion over the next three years, while ordering $32 billion in entitlement savings over the next five years, from agriculture subsidies and Medicaid to housing and student loans. GOP leaders have framed the debate as the first real test of the party's budget-cutting mettle in the face of record budget deficits.

But Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) said he has a majority of the Senate, including at least half a dozen Republicans, behind an amendment that would delete budget language instructing the Senate Finance Committee to produce $15 billion in savings from entitlement programs under its jurisdiction, primarily from Medicaid. The current language in the budget would protect such legislation from a filibuster, allowing entitlement cuts to pass with a simple, 51-vote Senate majority.

Instead of ordering Medicaid cuts, Smith's amendment would establish a commission that would work with governors and the White House on a package of Medicaid changes for fiscal 2007.

If it passes, Smith's amendment would reduce by half the amount of entitlement savings requested in this year' Senate budget. And it may be the first of several amendments that would temper budget cuts in agriculture, community development and other popular programs. The vote could come as early as today(Wednesday)....


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38189-2005Mar15.html

[Erika]

1. You mean "Jesus Cares" might be taken their toll on the

GOP. Might they have second thoughts of cutting taxes to the rich while cutting services to the poor?

[DeepModem Mom]

2. Taking a "wait and see" attitude --

these are interesting developments.

[Moderator]

3. kick to combine

[wildflower]

4. Senate Republican Moderates Oppose Medicaid Budget (it's not too late)

Let's call and write in support of this...

Mar 16, 2005 — By Joanne Kenen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A brewing Senate rebellion against President Bush's proposed savings in the Medicaid health program for the poor gained strength on Wednesday and some senators said they think they have enough votes to restore the spending.

A vote, expected Thursday, would be a rebuke to Bush's budget priorities and an obstacle to a final House-Senate agreement on a budget framework for the next fiscal year.

Oregon Republican Sen. Gordon Smith said he believed that he and co-sponsor Sen. Jeff Bingaman, a New Mexico Democrat, had the 51 votes needed to restore $15 billion of Medicaid spending in the budget currently being debated by the Senate.

Smith's amendment would also create a nonpartisan commission to studying how to modernize and change the joint federal-state health program for the poor.

more

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=587993

[wildflower]

5. Also posted on this here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1665846

[msongs]

6. let's hope the 2 dems from Hawaii do not vote to kill medicaid too

like they did to approve the oil drilling in alaska so they could get more winter visitors to hawaii.


Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm

[adigal]

7. I'm so glad it has republican support

Now if we can only keep 2 or 3 turncoat democrats from voting against health care for the poorest among us, it should be a slam dunk. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that, now, can we??? (seriously pissed off about the dem senators, can you tell?)