Bipartisan Amendment To Restore $15 Billion To Medicaid Wins Senate Approval
WASHINGTON By a vote of 52-48 the Senate today approved an amendment supported by Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) to restore billions of dollars to Medicaid - the federal-state health care program that covers low-income individuals.President Bush last month unveiled his fiscal year 2006 budget proposal that contained a devastating $60 billion cut to Medicaid over the next decade.The Senate bill must now be reconciled with a House of Representatives bill, which still contains funding cuts to the program.Reed, who on Monday held a press conference in Rhode Island denouncing the cuts, stated, Todays vote was an important step and sends a strong message that the Senate is opposed to eliminating programs that are so important to thousands of children, elderly and disabled Rhode Islanders. But the fight continues. Unfortunately these cuts remain in the bill being considered by the House of Representatives.