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Mr. WAXMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute.
I rise in strong support of this bill for education, jobs and Medicaid assistance. This will provide critical relief for the States and local governments. This is a vote for jobs, for education, for health care.
The States and local governments are faced with a decrease in income or taxes as people have lost their jobs, and yet in the Medicaid area there is an increase for services, as some people have lost their insurance. This will help the States avoid the massive cuts in Medicaid eligibility payments and payments to providers.
The Federal Medicaid Assistance Program was adopted in February of 2009. It expires in December. This will extend that temporary FMAP program for an additional 6 months through June 30, 2011, when most State fiscal years end. There would be no change in the current formula for targeting additional fiscal relief at States with high unemployment rates.
I urge support for this legislation.
I reserve the balance of my time.
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