[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 133 (Wednesday, October 19, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H8946-H8950]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




PROVIDING FOR CONCURRENCE BY HOUSE WITH AMENDMENTS IN SENATE AMENDMENT 
TO H.R. 3971, QI, TMA, AND ABSTINENCE PROGRAMS EXTENSION AND HURRICANE 
                KATRINA UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF ACT OF 2005

  Mr. McCRERY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 501) providing for the concurrence by the House 
with amendments in the amendment of the Senate to H.R. 3971.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 501

       Resolved, That, upon the adoption of this resolution, the 
     House shall be considered to have taken from the Speaker's 
     table the bill H.R. 3971, with the Senate amendment thereto, 
     and to have concurred in the Senate amendment to the bill 
     with the following amendments:
       In lieu of the matter proposed to be inserted by the 
     amendment of the Senate to the bill, insert the following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``QI, TMA, and Abstinence 
     Programs Extension and Hurricane Katrina Unemployment Relief 
     Act of 2005''.

                       TITLE I--HEALTH PROVISIONS

     SEC. 101. EXTENSION OF QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL (QI) PROGRAM.

       (a) Through September 2007.--Section 1902(a)(10)(E)(iv) of 
     the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(10)(E)(iv)) is 
     amended by striking ``September 2005'' and inserting 
     ``September 2007''.
       (b) Extending Total Amount Available for Allocation.--
     Section 1933(g) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396u-3(g)) is 
     amended--
       (1) in paragraph (2)--
       (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (B);
       (B) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (C) 
     and inserting a semicolon; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
       ``(D) for the period that begins on October 1, 2005, and 
     ends on December 31, 2005, the total allocation amount is 
     $100,000,000;
       ``(E) for the period that begins on January 1, 2006, and 
     ends on September 30, 2006, the total allocation amount is 
     $300,000,000;
       ``(F) for the period that begins on October 1, 2006, and 
     ends on December 31, 2006, the total allocation amount is 
     $100,000,000; and
       ``(G) for the period that begins on January 1, 2007, and 
     ends on September 30, 2007, the total allocation amount is 
     $300,000,000.''; and
       (2) in paragraph (3), in the matter preceding subparagraph 
     (A), by inserting ``, (D), or (F)'' after ``subparagraph 
     (B)''.
       (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall be effective as of September 30, 2005.

     SEC. 102. EXTENSION OF TRANSITIONAL MEDICAL ASSISTANCE (TMA) 
                   AND ABSTINENCE EDUCATION PROGRAM.

       Effective as if enacted on September 30, 2005, activities 
     authorized by sections 510 and 1925 of the Social Security 
     Act shall continue through December 31, 2005, in the manner 
     authorized for fiscal year 2005, notwithstanding section 
     1902(e)(1)(A) of such Act, and out of any money in the 
     Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, 
     there are hereby appropriated such sums as may be necessary 
     for such purpose. Grants and payments may be made pursuant to 
     this authority through the first quarter of fiscal year 2006 
     at the level provided for such activities through the first 
     quarter of fiscal year 2005.

     SEC. 103. ELIMINATION OF MEDICARE COVERAGE OF DRUGS USED FOR 
                   TREATMENT OF SEXUAL OR ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION.

       (a) In General.--Section 1860D-2(e)(2)(A) of the Social 
     Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-102(e)(2)(A)) is amended--
       (1) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``, as 
     such sections were in effect on the date of the enactment of 
     this part.''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following: ``Such term also 
     does not include a drug when used for the treatment of sexual 
     or erectile dysfunction, unless such drug were used to treat 
     a condition, other than sexual or erectile dysfunction, for 
     which the drug has been approved by the Food and Drug 
     Administration.''.
       (b) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
     construed as preventing a prescription drug plan or an MA-PD 
     plan from providing coverage of drugs for the treatment of 
     sexual or erectile dysfunction as supplemental prescription 
     drug coverage under section 1860D-2(a)(2)(A)(ii) of the 
     Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-102(a)(2)(A)(ii)).
       (c) Effective Dates.--The amendment made by subsection 
     (a)(1) shall take effect as if included in the enactment of 
     the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and 
     Modernization Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-173) and the 
     amendment made by subsection (a)(2) shall apply to coverage 
     for drugs dispensed on or after January 1, 2007.

     SEC. 104. ELIMINATION OF MEDICAID COVERAGE OF DRUGS USED FOR 
                   TREATMENT OF SEXUAL OR ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION.

       (a) In General.--Section 1927(d)(2) of the Social Security 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r-8(d)(2)) is amended by adding at the end 
     the following new subparagraph:
       ``(K) Agents when used for the treatment of sexual or 
     erectile dysfunction, unless such agents are used to treat a 
     condition, other than sexual or erectile dysfunction, for 
     which the agents have been approved by the Food and Drug 
     Administration.''.
       (b) Elimination of Federal Payment Under Medicaid 
     Program.--Section 1903(i) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396b(i)) is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking ``or'' at the end of paragraph (19);
       (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (20) and 
     inserting ``; or''; and
       (3) by inserting after paragraph (20) the following new 
     paragraph:
       ``(21) with respect to amounts expended for covered 
     outpatient drugs described in section 1927(d)(2)(K) (relating 
     to drugs when used for treatment of sexual or erectile 
     dysfunction).''.
       (c) Clarification of No Effect on Determination of Base 
     Expenditures.--Section 1935(c)(3)(B)(ii)(II) of such Act (42 
     U.S.C. 1396v(c)(3)(B)(ii)(II)) is amended by inserting ``, 
     including drugs described in subparagraph (K) of section 
     1927(d)(2)'' after ``1860D-2(e)''.
       (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall apply to drugs dispensed on or after January 1, 2006.

             TITLE II--ASSISTANCE RELATING TO UNEMPLOYMENT

     SEC. 201. SPECIAL TRANSFER IN FISCAL YEAR 2006.

       Section 903 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1103) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(e) Special Transfer in Fiscal Year 2006.--Not later than 
     10 days after the date of

[[Page H8947]]

     the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary of the 
     Treasury shall transfer from the Federal unemployment 
     account--
       ``(1) $15,000,000 to the account of Alabama in the 
     Unemployment Trust Fund;
       ``(2) $400,000,000 to the account of Louisiana in the 
     Unemployment Trust Fund; and
       ``(3) $85,000,000 to the account of Mississippi in the 
     Unemployment Trust Fund.''.

     SEC. 202. FLEXIBILITY IN UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION 
                   ADMINISTRATION TO ADDRESS HURRICANE KATRINA.

       Notwithstanding any provision of section 302(a) or 
     303(a)(8) of the Social Security Act, any State may, on or 
     after August 28, 2005, use any amounts received by such State 
     pursuant to title III of the Social Security Act to assist in 
     the administration of claims for compensation on behalf of 
     any other State if a major disaster was declared with respect 
     to such other State or any area within such other State under 
     the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
     Assistance Act by reason of Hurricane Katrina.

     SEC. 203. REGULATIONS.

       The Secretary of Labor may prescribe any operating 
     instructions or regulations necessary to carry out this title 
     and any amendment made by this title.
       Amend the title so as to read: ``To extend medicare cost-
     sharing for qualifying individuals through September 2007, to 
     extend transitional medical assistance and the program for 
     abstinence education through December 2005, to provide 
     unemployment relief for States and individuals affected by 
     Hurricane Katrina, and for other purposes.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Louisiana (Mr. McCrery) and the gentleman from Washington (Mr. 
McDermott) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. McCrery).
  Mr. McCRERY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the bill before us today is a compromise between a bill 
that the House has previously passed dealing with unemployment 
insurance benefits for the affected States on the gulf coast that were 
devastated by Hurricane Katrina and the Senate bill which addressed the 
same issue.
  There were other matters included in one or other of the bills, 
including the extension of the Transitional Medical Assistance Program, 
which continues Medicaid for families leaving welfare for work, the 
Abstinence Education Program, and the QI-1 program through which State 
Medicaid programs help low-income seniors pay Medicare part B premiums.
  Also, this bill is completely paid for, and the pay-for in this bill 
is the same as it was in the House bill when it passed the House floor 
a couple of weeks ago, and that is to prohibit Medicare and Medicaid 
coverage of drugs for treatment of erectile dysfunction.
  Mr. Speaker, the compromise bill today includes the very same 
unemployment insurance benefits that were included in the previously 
passed House bill. We make a few changes in the effective days of some 
of the programs I referred to earlier. For example, the QI-1 program in 
the bill before us today is extended through September 30, 2007, 
instead of the date of December 2006 which was included in the 
previously passed House bill.
  In addition, the bill before us includes the Senate-passed extension 
of the Abstinence Education Program which was not included in our 
earlier-passed version of this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I would urge all Members today to do the same thing they 
did 2 weeks ago and support this bill and pass it to give badly needed 
assistance to those States along the gulf coast who are experiencing 
very much increased unemployment due to Hurricane Katrina.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by giving a weather report. In the 
Caribbean there is another hurricane developing called Wilma. It is a 
stage 5 and it is headed toward the Florida keys. So I think Members 
ought to be listening if they live in the State of Florida because 13 
days ago we stood right here and called for an appropriate Federal 
response for the people in the gulf coast.

                              {time}  1400

  One that would rise to the same level of responsibility as the waters 
that rose and flooded the homes, hopes, and communities along the gulf 
coast. Our response was inadequate then, and it is only worse today. I 
certainly want to exempt the gentleman from Louisiana from what I say 
here because I know that this is not a bill that he produced. He is 
being sent out here by his leadership to put this bill on the floor, 
and it is not what he would do for the people of Louisiana.
  Tens of thousands of Americans are without housing, health coverage, 
protection of children, and without unemployment benefits or their 
employment. Tens of thousands are filing for unemployment benefits; 
benefits are running out for thousands more. The magnitude of the 
disaster is unmistakable, and the Republican response has been 
unconscionable. This is a continuing disaster. The storm was weeks ago, 
but this continues.
  In this time of domestic crisis, the Republican survival kit has been 
to give people in the gulf a teaspoon to empty the ocean out of their 
lives, and here we are 13 days later doing what we did 2 weeks ago. It 
is unlucky 13, because the Republicans have redefined the Federal 
response to a natural disaster to include a legislative disaster, this 
bill. Republicans wring their hands and they exude political concern 
for people affected by the hurricane, but they do not walk the talk.
  Mr. Speaker, I think you can tell the President he can go to the gulf 
coast as many times as he wants. He has been there six already. It will 
not do any good, because all those people down there read the Bible and 
go to church on Sunday, and they know that Bible verse that says: By 
your deeds you shall know them. It is not the fact that you go down 
there and stand around for photo ops; it is what you do when you come 
back to Washington, D.C.
  Now, there is not enough of anything, most especially the strong 
shoulders of the Federal Government, in this bill. This legislation 
offers no real relief to jobless disaster victims. It did not 13 days 
ago, and it does not today. We continue to ignore three major problems:
  First of all, 6,000 people have already exhausted unemployment 
benefits in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. There is no extension 
for them. Another 20,000 jobless workers in these States are projected 
to run out of benefits by Christmas. Nothing is done for them. These 
workers need a federally funded extension of their benefits while they 
put their lives back together and search for employment.
  Secondly, Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana had the three lowest 
levels of average weekly unemployment benefits in the entire Nation. In 
all three States, the average benefit is less than $200 a week. That is 
about half the poverty level for a family of four. Now, ask yourself, 
is that the best we can do? I mean, after we spent all that money in 
Iraq, is that the best we can do for the gulf coast, offer people half 
of poverty? The Federal Government should step in and help people get 
up on their feet, not down on their knees.
  The third problem with this bill is the disaster-affected States are 
seeing an enormous surge in unemployment claims. In Louisiana alone, 
new claims for unemployment benefits have surged 10 times the normal 
level, 10 times the normal level; and State officials expect Katrina-
related unemployment benefits to exceed $800 million. That money is 
supposed to come from a State economy that has been devastated by the 
loss and dislocation of 70,000 businesses. It just does not work. If 
you do not have people working paying unemployment insurance, you are 
not going to have the money to pay benefits.
  Under Louisiana law, once their unemployment trust fund slips below a 
certain level, automatic benefit cuts for jobless workers and tax 
increases for employers are triggered into effect. This bill does 
nothing about that. That means people receiving unemployment benefits 
in Louisiana of less than $200 a week will see their benefits slashed 
by as much as $37 a week starting in January, the way things are right 
now.
  From the beginning, the Federal response to this national disaster 
has been bungled, inept, and very suspect. We owe the people of the 
gulf coast something more than our sympathies. We know the problems, 
and the Federal Government can solve these problems; but we are not 
going to do that again today. Instead, again, the Republicans want to 
pass a bill that sends a lump sum of money to these hard-hit States to 
bear yet another burden.

[[Page H8948]]

  The lump sum is not enough, because it covers less than half the cost 
of regular unemployment claims caused by the disaster. If you are going 
to do a lump sum, at least do a lump sum that meets what you know is 
happening. Do not give them half. Where are they supposed to get the 
other half, give them a tin cup and stand on the corner? There is no 
money at all to extend expiring benefits or to supplement the meager 
benefits currently available. With an effort like this, the Republican 
House is using Michael Brown's FEMA as a model, that is, Way to go, 
Brownie.
  Ask people in the shelters, ask people with no place to call home, 
ask Americans on any street corner, and they would be embarrassed all 
over again. We are giving $500 million. It sounds like a lot of money, 
right? We have $25 billion in the fund that we could use for this 
purpose. We are out of touch, and the people in Louisiana and Alabama 
and Mississippi are running out of time.
  As things stand, it is really getting worse every day for 
disadvantaged Americans, and we are making them pay for the folly. The 
majority will locate the storm directly over the heads of every 
disadvantaged and disenfranchised American. Fiscal offsets did not 
concern Republicans when they gave every millionaire a $100,000 tax 
break or charged the people of the United States $215 billion for an 
illegal war in Iraq. We could put that on future generations, but not 
this bill. This one we have to put on the backs of the people. We had 
to find offsets; we had to cut something to meet the needs of Americans 
affected by one natural disaster.
  Republicans demanded that the disadvantaged pay the price. Their 
response is to put food on the table of one American family by making 
it harder on the folks next door. Share the pain? No, no, no. 
Republicans shift the blame and the pain to the least able to fight 
back.
  Mr. Speaker, President Bush went down and promised that we would do 
whatever it took to help these people get back on their feet. Well, it 
takes more than going down and standing in front of a mike and giving a 
photo op and then coming home and doing nothing. You have to come up 
here and insist that the Congress respond. The President has not done 
that. The people in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama are waiting for 
the President to make good on his promise. My advice to those folks is 
do not hold your breath.
  People across America are watching and hoping for the President to 
say something other than, Brownie, you have done a heck of a job.
  Denial is not an appropriate response to this natural disaster, and 
that is what this House is doing. Responsibility and relief are what is 
needed and required by the Federal Government. The Republicans are in 
charge from top to bottom. It is time they lead with their heart and 
their head and not their chin. Meager is the only word that I could use 
here to describe what their response to Hurricane Katrina is, but that 
is where the Republicans are heading, another meager response.
  There is still time to change the course. There is still time for the 
Federal Government to be an agent of good that it is supposed to be. 
Mr. Speaker, domestic security includes a roof over your head, a hot 
meal, and a helping hand to rebuild the life lost through no fault of 
your own. What the Republicans continue to provide is a tarp and a can 
and a good luck sign. We do not need thumbs up. We need wheels down, 
and bring the help.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCRERY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to thank the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Thomas) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), 
chairman and ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee. I also 
want to thank the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jefferson) and the 
gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott), my distinguished colleagues 
on the committee. A lot of people have worked hard on this issue of 
unemployment insurance. I also want to thank the staff of the Ways and 
Means Committee on both sides of the aisle, Democrat and Republican, 
for jumping in very early after Katrina hit to start dealing with all 
of these issues within our jurisdiction that affect the victims of this 
disaster. Thanks to the hard work of members of the committee and 
staff, we have been able to pass already a number of bills that the 
President has signed to help mitigate the disaster.
  This bill before us today is one that I can assure the Members of 
this House and the gentleman from Washington that my State very badly 
wants right now; it is very badly needed. They are in fact spending 
money from their unemployment trust fund at a very fast clip, and their 
part of this $500 million will give them a badly needed infusion of 
cash to stop the bleeding in their own unemployment trust fund.
  So although the gentleman from Washington may be right in saying that 
this is not enough to cover everything that the State will lose as a 
result of this disaster, nonetheless, it is a very, very important 
infusion of cash right now to my State and to Mississippi and to 
Alabama to help them in this very bad time shortly after the storm when 
unemployment is reaching its peak.
  So, again, just as I did 2 weeks ago, I would urge the gentleman from 
Washington and others in this House not to stop this bill from passing. 
Work with us later to perfect other bills which may be needed when we 
get more evidence in as to the financial effects on these States 
because of the effects of the disaster, and we will certainly work with 
them to provide additional assistance.
  Mr. Speaker, I must add that this House and indeed this Congress has 
passed and the President has signed over $62 billion of relief for the 
disaster stricken States along the gulf coast. I do not know of anyone 
who would call that a meager response. That is indeed a very robust 
response. Yes, we are experiencing some difficulties in getting that 
money out the door, on the ground, to the purposes for which it was 
intended; but those are bureaucratic problems that we have with any 
large government program. But the money has been appropriated, Congress 
has taken action, the President has signed those bills, and the money 
is there waiting to be spent. So I do not call that a meager response. 
I call that a robust response, a very quick response; and today's bill 
is just another step in providing an immediate response to the 
problems.
  Again, I can assure this House that my State very badly needs the 
provisions of this bill today and very badly wants this bill to be 
passed and signed by the President. Then, if there is more needed down 
the road, we can come back and address that at the appropriate time; 
but today I believe this is an appropriate response of this House and 
this Congress to help these States with their immediate unemployment 
insurance needs to keep the taxes on their employers in those States 
from going up at the very time when we need to encourage businesses to 
restart, to reinvest, and to retire employees.
  Mr. Speaker, again, I would urge passage of this very badly needed 
legislation today.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Brown).
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, today the House of Representatives is 
doing the right thing about health care. The QI program helps low-
income beneficiaries cover the cost of the Medicare premium. Without 
this program, many elderly Americans would sink below poverty as they 
attempt to pay for doctors' visits out of pocket. That not only places 
the elderly at risk; it is wasteful from a fiscal perspective. When 
Medicare eligibles cannot afford the premium associated with doctors' 
visits and other outpatient services, Medicaid becomes their insurer of 
last resort. Absent QI, this program, more elderly Americans and 
individuals with disabilities would need Federal and State assistance 
through Medicaid in addition to their Medicare hospital coverage.

                              {time}  1415

  Investing in premium assistance now saves both Federal dollars and 
State dollars.
  This bill also extends the Transitional Medical Assistance Program,

[[Page H8949]]

TMA. It provides health insurance to families as they move from welfare 
to the workforce. It is both a public health imperative and a jobs 
initiative.
  Similar to the QI, it is an investment to the Federal budget in the 
long run, in this case by promoting workforce participation.
  Ideally, today's legislation would make QI and TMA programs permanent 
so that these all-too-frequent reauthorizations would no longer be 
necessary. I hope we can work on a bipartisan basis to secure a 
permanent authorization.
  At the beginning of my remarks I said today the House of 
Representatives is doing the right thing about health care. 
Unfortunately, yesterday they were not, this body was not. The day 
before this body was not doing the right thing about health care, and 
week before, week before, week before this they were not doing the 
right thing about health care.
  Now, as we talk about Katrina, paying for this terrible tragedy that 
happened along the gulf coast, some Republicans want to cut Medicaid by 
$12 billion, $15 billion cut, cut other kinds of programs, increase 
Medicare premiums, cut out all kinds of programs that serve the working 
poor. Other Republicans simply want to add this cost of Katrina, as 
they add the $1 billion a week for the Iraq War, to the national 
deficit so that our kids and our grandkids can pay the cost.
  Unfortunately, no Republican, to my knowledge, is standing up and 
saying maybe we ought to cancel the tax cuts that are for the 
wealthiest 1 percent of Americans. So the choice has become this. My 
friends on the other side of the aisle say let us give tax cuts to the 
wealthy, and then we have to cut Medicaid. Then we have to raise 
Medicare premiums. Medicare premiums already having gone up 50 percent 
in the last 4 years, 50 percent in the last 4 years. Seniors were just 
notified they are going to pay almost $90 a month for their Medicare 
premium, and do my colleagues know why? It is because my friends on the 
other side of the aisle are slavish devotees to tax cuts for the 
wealthiest Americans.
  So, as wealthy Americans see their incomes go up and up and up, as 
the minimum wage has stayed flat for 5 years, as wages for 95 percent 
of the American people have been stagnant, we have got to give tax cuts 
for the wealthiest people in this country, to the richest people making 
over $250,000, $300,000 a year, and then we have to cut Medicaid. Then 
we have to increase Medicare premiums. Then we have to take from the 
middle class and the working poor.
  It is immoral, it is wrong, and my colleagues should listen to what 
the gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott) said when he quoted from 
the New Testament and talked about we will be judged by our deeds. We 
also should think about our faith in terms of social justice. We also 
should think about our faith in doing to the least of these among us.
  We ought to think about our faith in making this country a better 
place, and frankly, my friends on the other side of the aisle have 
failed miserably on that account.
  Mr. McCRERY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself so much time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, again, I want to thank the gentleman from Ohio for his 
contributions to perfecting the part of this legislation that concerns 
the QI program and the extension of that program. His input, as well as 
many others in this House, were very valuable in allowing us to reach a 
compromise and get this bill to the floor. So I thank him for that.
  With respect to Medicare premiums, we are all concerned about that. 
The gentleman makes a valid point. He, of course, knows very well that 
the Medicare premiums are simply a function of the cost of the Medicare 
part B program and have nothing to do with taxes of any sort in this 
country. We are all concerned about trying to hold down the increases 
in medical costs, not only for Medicare beneficiaries but for everybody 
in our society.
  I would urge the gentleman from Ohio and others to join us in trying 
to attack the root causes of those cost increases, such as medical 
malpractice reform, which we passed through this House but we cannot 
quite get through the Senate. Maybe with the gentleman's help, we can 
get those things passed and get those costs under control so we can 
control the increases of the Medicare part B premium.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I think the gentleman from Louisiana should hear our comments as 
being supportive of the problems. It is not that we do not think they 
have done something. It just needs to be more, and I say it for two 
reasons.
  One is that I think that the people of the gulf coast really are 
going to need more. I can predict almost without any fear at all that 
we will be back out here in 3 months or 2 months or 1 month or whatever 
asking for more money to fill up the problems. I think this paying a 
little at a time is just not the best way to do it, but if my 
colleagues have to do it that way, they have to do it that way.
  The second reason I stand up here and respond in this way is that I 
know I come from a place where we have earthquakes, and there are 
Members on this floor from California who come from earthquake areas. 
There are places all over this country where tornadoes are a real 
problem, and I think we have to think of ourselves as a Federal 
Government that deals with the problems of any part of the United 
States that needs it. It may be the gulf coast right now, and we can 
find all kinds of problems with whatever the gulf coast did or did not 
do, but the people deserve our best effort here in this House.
  For that reason, I intend to support this bill, and the gentleman 
from Ohio (Mr. Brown) will, I am sure, and I think the gentleman has a 
unanimous vote here, but we took this time because we wanted to say 
that we thought it was necessary to think much more broadly and 
comprehensively about this than I think the leadership on the 
Republican side was willing to look at at this time. They are going to 
have to face it soon.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCRERY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself so much time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, just in closing, again I would like to thank the 
gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott), my colleague on the 
Committee on Ways and Means, for being so constructive throughout this 
process. He has tried to offer constructive suggestions for inclusion 
in this legislation. Unfortunately, we have not been able to 
accommodate all of his requests, but we have included, for example, the 
flexibility with the use of this money for the States to increase 
benefits if they so choose on a temporary basis, to do some of things 
that the gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott) was so rightly 
concerned about.
  So, again, I appreciate his input, as I do the input of other members 
of the committee on this issue, and urge all of us to continue to work 
together to try to appropriately respond to this disaster, as well as 
any others that we unfortunately experience in this country.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I would urge passage of H. Res. 501.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the 
reauthorization of the Qualified Individual (QI-1) program, which helps 
over 161,000 low-income elderly and disabled Medicare beneficiaries 
with incomes between 120 and 135 percent of poverty to pay their 
Medicare Part B premiums. This critical program expired on September 
30, 2005.
  The Qualified Individual program saves eligible participants 
approximately $1,000 per year. We're talking about individuals who 
usually pay for most of their living expenses out of checks that range 
in amount from $1,097 to $1,464 per month. Just to emphasize, that 
equates to a meager $13,164 to $17,568 in total income per year. 
Needless to say, this assistance serves as a vital resource for a very 
vulnerable sector of our population.
  Mr. Speaker, both the House and the Senate have passed bills to 
reinstate the program. Today, I am happy to see that the Social 
Services Emergency Relief and Recovery Act of 2005, H.R. 3971, a bill 
designed primarily to provide relief to the Hurricane victims, includes 
an extension of the QI-1 program, an essential subsidy for some of our 
neediest Medicare beneficiaries. This program comes with a comparably 
meager $300 million price tag and the benefit it delivers is priceless. 
I urge my colleagues to support passage of this bill.
  In fact, Mr. Speaker, if Congress does not act soon on reauthorizing 
the QI program, in

[[Page H8950]]

December of this year, over 161,000 beneficiaries will receive a Social 
Security check that is reduced by a whopping $234.60 for the month. 
That is why over thirty-five senior organizations, including the AARP, 
the Gray Panthers, Alliance for Retired Americans, National Caucus and 
Center on Black Aged, National Council on Aging and the United Jewish 
Communities to name a few, have contacted Members of Congress urging 
immediate action on reauthorizing this program.
  As many of my colleagues know, the Qualified Individual program has 
suffered from uncertain reauthorization and funding since it expired in 
2002. Since its expiration, it has hobbled along on a series of 
Continuing Resolutions--falling on the mercies of our oft-hurried 
appropriations process. I firmly believe that this program is of utmost 
importance--that costs us so little when we consider its impact. We 
should reauthorize it with all due speed, not subject it to the 
hurricane relief tennis match between the House and Senate leadership.
  In the alternative, H.R. 3800, a bill introduced last month by 
Representatives Kucinich and LaTourette, of which I am a cosponsor, is 
a straightforward bipartisan bill to extend the Qualified Individual 
program for one year. I applaud these Members for their leadership on 
its introduction.
  If we cannot wrest the QI-1 program out of the political volley 
surrounding hurricane funding, I urge the House leadership to bring 
H.R. 3800 to the floor for immediate consideration and passage. We have 
the power to fix this and I urge my colleagues to reauthorize the QI-1 
program now.
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. 
Res. 501, legislation that will extend the important Transitional 
Medical Assistance and Qualified Individuals programs. Over the past 
few years, these programs have been reauthorized by short-term 
extensions that offer low-income beneficiaries of the programs few 
assurances that they will be able to depend on the benefits in the 
future. While I support this extension bill, Congress should be acting 
I today to make these programs permanent.
  The TMA program provides an important incentive for low-income 
individuals to move off of welfare and into employment by ensuring 
continued access to health care. Health insurance is a critical factor 
in everyone's employment decisions. Without TMA, many families would 
have little incentive to move off of welfare and leave behind the 
Medicaid benefits that TANF beneficiaries often receive. TMA allows for 
extended health care coverage when low-income families lose traditional 
Medicaid benefits due to an increase in income. While four months of 
TMA coverage is assured under current law, the six-to-twelve month 
extension that families so often need falls under a legislative sunset. 
While our action today will extend this coverage, we should be making 
this extension permanent.
  Likewise, we should be acting today to make Medicare's QI-1 program 
permanent. This program is critical for Medicare beneficiaries whose 
income is between 120% and 135% of the federal poverty level, as it 
provides these individuals with assistance with their Medicare Part B 
premiums. Since Qualified Individuals are not otherwise eligible for 
Medicaid, the QI-1 program is critical in ensuring low-income seniors' 
access to physician care.
  Mr. Speaker, I support the efforts of the bill sponsor to swiftly 
enact this important legislation. However, I regret that it includes 
extraneous provisions that would limit Medicaid and Medicare 
beneficiaries' access to certain classes of prescription drugs. 
Physicians, not Congress, know best when a prescription drug is 
medically necessary, and the government should not interject in 
decisions between a patient and his doctor I about the proper course of 
treatment.
  Despite those reservations, this bill offers important benefits to 
low-income individuals' access to health care, and I urge my colleagues 
to join me in supporting it.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to see that the House and 
Senate have finally worked out their differences to extend two programs 
that provide important health care assistance for low-income elderly 
and working families.
  The Qualified Individual, QI, program provides assistance with the 
cost of Medicare premiums for certain low-income individuals. The 
Transitional Medicaid Program, TMA, provides temporary Medicaid 
coverage to families moving off of welfare to the workforce.
  This legislation considered today merely provides a short-term 
extension. I continue to believe, however, that these programs should 
be made permanent. First, they are good programs that provide much 
needed assistance. Second, we should avoid the situation we find 
ourselves in now, particularly with respect to the QI program, where 
States and CMS were unsure whether or how to continue the program as 
funding expired on September 30.
  We must also consider making program improvements to both programs 
that would simplify enrollment and retention of eligible individuals. I 
recently reintroduced legislation, H.R. 3980, the Medicare Beneficiary 
Assistance Improvement Act, to address this matter in the QI program. 
And I have also included such provisions for the TMA program in H.R. 
2071, the Family Care Act of 2005, which I reintroduced earlier this 
year.
  Finally, I have concerns about the provision we are using to pay for 
these extensions. This provision strikes Medicare and Medicaid coverage 
of particular drugs that had been previously covered. The provision, in 
the out years, raises more revenue than is needed for these short-term 
program extensions. We should have saved the remainder to use for 
another day. But despite these reservations, there is great urgency in 
extending the QI and TMA programs, so I am supporting the package.
  Mr. McCRERY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Latham). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. McCrery) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 501.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________