[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 198 (Wednesday, December 13, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H14371-H14372]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




PRESIDENT CLINTON, STAND STRONG ON MEDICAID COVERAGE FOR THOSE WHO ARE 
                             ENTITLED TO IT

  (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, Democrats favor a balanced budget, but they 
also want to make sure the priorities such as Medicare, Medicaid, the 
environment, and education are protected during these budget 
negotiations. The President drew the line last week when he vetoed the 
Republican budget bill and unveiled a new plan of his own, but one of 
the things that President Clinton stressed is that we must have a 
Federal guarantee of Medicaid coverage for those low-income Americans, 
pregnant women, children, the disabled, who right now do have health 
care coverage under Medicaid.
  Mr. Speaker, during these budget negotiations one of the most 
important things that must happen is that we 

[[Page H14372]]
guarantee health care for those low-income citizens. The Republicans' 
plan to eliminate that guarantee, and send money to the States in a 
block grant and give them the discretion to decide who will be eligible 
for Medicaid, and whether anyone, or what categories of people would be 
eligible for Medicaid is certainly the wrong way to go, and I want to 
commend the President and ask him to stand strong on the notion that we 
must guarantee Medicaid coverage for those who are entitled to it 
today.

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