[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 199 (Thursday, December 14, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H14878]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                STATES NEED BETTER CONTROL OVER MEDICAID

  (Mr. EHLERS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, this is what a prominent Governor has to say 
about reforming Medicaid: ``If the Federal Government would just 
release us from its bureaucracy and nonsense, we'd make these programs 
better for those they serve, and we'd do it for less money.''
  Any guesses on who said this? It was Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld 
in a Wall Street Journal article from Monday.
  Here's quote from another well-known Governor: ``Medicaid mandates 
have put great stress on State budgets and undermined the States' 
ability to properly fund education and other important services.''
  Any guesses on this one? Well, this quote is from a document 
coauthored by Governor Bill Clinton in 1989.
  As Governor, Bill Clinton warned that Medicaid mandates were too 
burdensome and in need of more State-level control.
  Now, as President, Mr. Clinton has the opportunity to take care of 
that problem, but he has changed his position, and he has vetoed a bill 
that would have accomplished that.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge the President to join us in giving the States 
better control over our Medicaid system.

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