April 25, 2008

Medicaid

On Wednesday the House considered H.R. 5613: Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act. This legislation places a moratorium on seven regulations proposed by the Bush Administration. The moratorium would be in effect until March 2009. If enacted as proposed, these regulations would reduce federal Medicaid funding to states by at least $18 billion over the next five years. These regulations would limit the ability of states to provide a host of critical Medicaid services at their current levels, including rehabilitation, outpatient services, targeted case management, and school-based health care. The regulations would have a harmful effect across the nation, but would be particularly damaging to the Massachusetts health care reform effort, which is why imposing a moratorium is so vital. H.R. 5613 enjoys broad bipartisan support, including the backing of all 50 Governors. Despite this broad-based support, President Bush is threatening a veto. I voted YES. H.R. 5613 passed and the entire vote is recorded below:

Small Business

On Wednesday the House also considered H.R. 5819: SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act. This legislation extends the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program for a period of two years. It increases the size of the programs and provides access to technical assistance in an effort to encourage more small businesses to seek grants. H.R. 5819 also reflects efforts to increase the participation of firms owned by veterans, women and minorities. I voted YES. H.R. 5819 passed and the entire vote is recorded below:

Coast Guard

The House this week also considered H.R. 2830: Coast Guard Reauthorization Act of 2007. This legislation increases Coast Guard funding by $200 million over the President's budget. It authorizes the establishment of additional maritime security response teams and canine detection teams. It requires the Coast Guard to certify that they have ample resources to protect all new LNG facilities before approving a facility's security plan. H.R. 2830 also strengthens the Coast Guard's port security efforts and strengthens safety regulations for fishing vessels. I voted YES. H.R. 2830 passed and the entire vote is recorded below:

What's Up Next

Next week, the House is scheduled to consider the Genetic Non-Discrimination Act and the Combustible Dust Explosion and Fire Prevention Act.