[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 13622]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           MEDICAID EXPANSION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Johnson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, as a cochairman of the State 
Medicaid Expansion Caucus, I rise this morning to talk about how 
important expanding Medicaid is for my State and for every State in 
this great Nation.
  It gives me great pride to be in the well of the House this morning 
speaking on the topic of expanding the Medicaid program today, the 49th 
anniversary of the date when the legislation creating the Medicaid 
antipoverty program was signed into law by President Lyndon Baines 
Johnson. More than 30 Members of Congress have joined the State 
Medicaid Expansion Caucus because we know that opening the way to 
health care for the poor is good, it is righteous, it is just, it is 
merciful. It is the right thing to do because, according to Matthew 
25:40:

       Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and 
     sisters of mine, you did for me.

  And for those who have not a care about the poor, then you should 
know also that expanding Medicaid to more poor people will stimulate 
the economy by creating jobs in the burgeoning health care and other 
ancillary industries. More jobs mean more spending, which leads to more 
profits. For those of you who are only concerned about your bottom 
line, then you should also know:

       Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will 
     reward them for what they have done.--Proverbs 19:17.

  The stimulation of economies is exactly what expanding Medicaid has 
accomplished in the 27 States that have expanded eligibility. It is 
exactly what will happen in every recalcitrant State when their 
political leaders finally come to their senses and choose to accept the 
Federal funds to expand their Medicaid systems, the funds having 
already been paid into the system by their own taxpayers.
  So 27 States, a majority of the States of this great country, looked 
at the facts and made the choice to help their people be healthier and 
therefore lead more productive lives. Expanding Medicaid in those 
States provided health care coverage to approximately 10.5 million 
people who otherwise would not have had it, according to Families USA.
  Despite the politics, this is a bipartisan issue, as we see when 
Republican Governors in Arizona and Ohio, for example, expanded 
Medicaid. As a result of their action, almost a million people will 
have access to affordable health care. States led by Republicans and 
Democrats that expanded Medicaid should be commended for their actions. 
In California, almost 3 million people have benefited by getting access 
to health care when their State expanded Medicaid. These are just some 
of the success stories.
  The Federal Government will cover 100 percent of the costs of 
expanding Medicaid today, and 90 percent of the cost for the duration 
of the program in every State. Expanding Medicaid will bring billions 
of Federal tax dollars back into States that will help develop the 
health care infrastructure and improve the economy.
  It will also help low-income Americans access health care. We must 
remember that the people who will benefit from expanding Medicaid are 
no less deserving of health care than anyone else.
  In my home State of Georgia, expanding Medicaid would mean access to 
health care for 684,000 poor people, according to the Center on Budget 
and Policy Priorities. The Georgia Budget and Policy Institute 
estimates that expanding Medicaid will bring $65 billion in new 
economic activity to Georgia over 10 years, which will support more 
than 56,000 new jobs throughout the State. My Governor reacted to this 
news by signing a bill eliminating his own authority to expand 
Medicaid. I can't think of a time that a chief executive has willingly 
given away some of his authority.
  We know why Governors and State legislators are choosing to deny 
access to health care for their people. It is politics, pure and 
simple.
  I am here today to urge every State to expand Medicaid. I urge my 
colleagues and those watching at home to contact their Governor and 
their State legislator in support of expanding Medicaid.

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