[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 109 (Tuesday, July 10, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H7468-H7469]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   TRANSITIONAL MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AND ABSTINENCE EDUCATION PROGRAM 
                               EXTENSION

  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the Senate bill (S. 1701) to provide for the extension of 
transitional medical assistance (TMA) and the abstinence education 
program through the end of fiscal year 2007, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the Senate bill.
  The text of the Senate bill is as follows:

                                S. 1701

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF TRANSITIONAL MEDICAL ASSISTANCE (TMA) 
                   AND ABSTINENCE EDUCATION PROGRAM THROUGH THE 
                   END OF FISCAL YEAR 2007.

       Section 401 of division B of the Tax Relief and Health Care 
     Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-432) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``June 30'' and inserting ``September 30''; 
     and
       (2) by striking ``third quarter'' each place it appears and 
     inserting ``fourth quarter''.

     SEC. 2. SUNSET OF THE LIMITED CONTINUOUS ENROLLMENT PROVISION 
                   FOR CERTAIN BENEFICIARIES UNDER THE MEDICARE 
                   ADVANTAGE PROGRAM.

       Section 1851(e)(2)(E) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1395w-21(e)(2)(E)), as added by section 206(a) of division B 
     of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006, is amended--
       (1) in clause (i), by striking ``2007 or 2008'' and 
     inserting ``the period beginning on January 1, 2007, and 
     ending on July 31, 2007,''; and
       (2) in clause (iii)--
       (A) in the heading, by striking ``year'' and inserting 
     ``the applicable period''; and
       (B) by striking ``the year'' and inserting ``the period 
     described in such clause''.

     SEC. 3. OFFSETTING ADJUSTMENT IN MEDICARE ADVANTAGE 
                   STABILIZATION FUND.

       Section 1858(e)(2)(A)(i) of the Social Security Act (42 
     U.S.C. 1395w-27a(e)(2)(A)(i)), as amended by 301 of division 
     B of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006, is amended 
     by striking ``the Fund during the period'' and all that 
     follows and inserting ``the Fund--

       ``(I) during 2012, $1,600,000,000; and
       ``(II) during 2013, $1,790,000,000.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Gene Green) and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. 
Coble) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation that 
provides a 3-month extension to the transitional medical assistance 
program under Medicaid.
  TMA provides vital support for low-income American families moving 
off welfare and into work. Under the TMA program, families whose 
earnings would otherwise make them ineligible for Medicaid can receive 
up to 12 months of Medicaid coverage. Without TMA, many families 
transitioning from welfare to work would go without health insurance 
and could end up back on welfare.
  Families leaving welfare often encounter difficulties such as 
securing health insurance because they have taken low-wage jobs that do 
not offer employer-sponsored health coverage. In some cases this choice 
could serve as a deterrent to returning to work, and we want to provide 
folks with as many incentives as possible to return to work. According 
to the Congressional Research Service, 79 percent of people with 
incomes of at least 200 percent of the Federal poverty level benefit 
from employer-sponsored health insurance, yet only 19 percent of 
working-age individuals with incomes below the poverty line receive 
health care coverage through employment. These are folks who earn 
$10,210 or less a year. If they can't get coverage through their 
employer, it is essentially cost-prohibitive for them to purchase 
health insurance.
  No one should be made to choose between a job and health insurance. 
Thanks to TMA, many Americans are spared this tough choice and allowed 
to move off welfare and into a job while maintaining their health 
coverage. Without TMA, many of our most vulnerable Americans would be 
unable to access the health coverage they need.
  In my State of Texas, TMA helps provide more than 111,000 people each 
month continued treatment for ongoing health care needs. A gap in care 
would be particularly problematic for the one out of four mothers in 
the program who are in poor or fair health yet transitioning from 
welfare to work. The extensions of the program is critical to their 
continued access to necessary health care.
  Again in Texas, TMA also reimburses medical providers for more than 
$300 million in annual expenses for acute medical care, prescription 
drugs, and other approved Medicaid services. Without TMA, these costs 
for medically necessary services would be shifted to local governments 
or charitable organizations, or worse, the client may not receive 
needed care at all.
  Mr. Speaker, TMA enjoys wide-ranging bipartisan support. The National 
Governors Association strongly supports TMA and its extension. 
According to the National Governors Association, ``without access to 
regular health care, health problems of a new worker or the worker's 
family members are likely to lead to greater absenteeism and possibly 
job loss.''
  TMA is also supported by the National Conference of State 
Legislatures, the American Public Health Association, and the National 
Association of State Medicaid Directors. The administration also 
supports this vital program as evidenced by the fact that the President 
included a 1-year extension of TMA in his fiscal year 2008 budget 
proposal.
  Mr. Speaker, in the past Congress has always acted in bipartisan 
fashion to extend TMA in combination with an equal extension of Federal 
abstinence education programs. While there is no shortage of debate or 
opinion on the merits of abstinence education programs, I hope my 
colleagues will join me in supporting this approach, at least for the 
short term, so we can ensure that hardworking American families don't 
lose their health care under

[[Page H7469]]

the transitional medical assistance program.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  This statement that I am about to read is the statement of 
Congressman Joe Barton, the distinguished gentleman from Texas, who I 
am told is in transit and is not able to be here:
  I rise in support of the bill before us today, which extends the 
programs of transitional medical assistance and the title V abstinence 
education program. I am pleased that the Congress is able to work 
together to extend funding for these programs.
  I believe it is important that we support the goals of abstinence 
education and not get bogged down by the politics that inevitably 
surround the concept. Our school children deserve the opportunity to 
receive an education regarding the merits of an abstinent life-style. 
Title V funds are optional for States, and it does not prohibit the 
funding and teaching of contraceptive-based programs.
  Abstinence education provides teens the opportunities to learn about 
the ramifications of sexual activity including pregnancy and sexually 
transmitted diseases. As I am sure many of my colleagues would attest, 
I have heard from numerous programs within my State, and I am sure in 
the State of Texas from where Mr. Barton hails, that rely on this 
Federal funding. They believe in the program and hope to continue 
providing abstinence education opportunities to local teens.
  In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would like to reiterate my support for 
this bill and encourage my colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for 
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gene Green) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the Senate bill, S. 1701.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will 
be postponed.

                          ____________________