[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 173 (Wednesday, January 2, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2034-E2035]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  AMERICAN TAXPAYER RELIEF ACT OF 2012

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 1, 2013

  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, recently the Senate 
came together on a bipartisan basis to address our looming fiscal 
crisis. I appreciate the statesmanship of President Obama and Vice 
President Biden to make every effort to avoid the most harmful effects 
of the ``fiscal cliff.''
  Last night's vote in the House was one of the hardest votes I have 
cast in my tenure in Congress. The agreement was not a perfect 
proposal, but it avoided serious damage to our national economy. One of 
my concerns about the measure is that it did not generate nearly enough 
revenue. I am afraid that the haste

[[Page E2035]]

and the lack of detailed effort will ultimately translate to a series 
of tax hikes and spending cuts in future years that will negatively 
impact the middle class and the poor.
  I have serious reservations about any attempt to cut benefits in 
Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. I am committed to evaluating 
the impact of the funding used to pay for the Sustainable Growth Rate 
(SGR or ``doc fix''). I strongly oppose cuts to services for diabetes, 
end stage renal disease, and other illnesses disproportionately 
impacting my constituents. As a non-practicing registered nurse, I know 
how devastating these cuts would be for medical services in underserved 
communities.
  Another worthy program that is very important to my constituents is 
the Qualifying Individual (QI) program. The program allows Medicaid to 
pay the Medicare Part B premiums for low-income Medicare beneficiaries 
with incomes between 120 percent and 135 percent of poverty. Under 
current law, QI expired December 31, 2012. The agreement extends the QI 
program until December 31, 2013.
  Mr. Speaker, I have five major hospitals in my congressional district 
that not only serve my constituents, but the entire North Texas 
population. The measure states that qualifying low-volume hospitals 
receive add-on payments based on the number of Medicare discharges. To 
qualify, the hospital must have less than 1,600 Medicare discharges and 
be 15 miles or greater from the nearest like hospital. This provision 
extends the payment adjustment until December 31, 2013. The Medicare 
Dependent Hospital (MDH) program in the bill provides enhanced 
reimbursement to support rural health infrastructure and to support 
small rural hospitals for which Medicare patients make up a significant 
percentage of inpatient days or discharges. This greater dependence on 
Medicare may make these hospitals more financially vulnerable to 
prospective payment, and the MDH designation is designed to reduce this 
risk. This provision extends the MDH program until October 1, 2013.
  I am pleased to see that the Senate approved a one-year extension of 
unemployment insurance benefits, providing necessary support for those 
looking to return to work as the economy recovers. I am also pleased to 
learn that deep cuts for many important programs that support the most 
vulnerable and provide pathways to prosperity for millions of 
Americans, including Head Start and WIC, were delayed. I would have 
preferred to see a long term extensions to these critical provisions.
  Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned before, I do not agree with many of the 
details of the compromise, but I cast my vote for the bill for the 
greater national interest. I will continue to mitigate any negative 
impact of cuts on communities of color and other vulnerable populations 
in the ongoing negotiations on sequestration and the debt ceiling.
  We must ultimately find a way not to fall into a deep economic 
crisis, and to further strengthen our middle class. I hope all of my 
colleagues as well as the Leadership continues to work on these issues 
and that it ultimately reflect solid bipartisan collaboration for the 
incoming 113th Congress.

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