Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE -- (House of Representatives - November 17, 2005)

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Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my chairman for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, in the brief time I have allotted, I want to talk about one of the important reasons why this bill needs to be enacted, and that is with regard to the reforms we have in Medicaid.

Currently, Medicaid provides medical care for 53 million Americans at a cost exceeding $300 billion each year. It is a great program; but Medicaid is already the biggest item in many State budgets, exceeding elementary and secondary education combined. If unreformed, Medicaid will bankrupt every State in as little as 20 years, absorbing 80 to 100 percent of all State dollars.

Because of these stark realities, the bipartisan National Governors Association has stated that serious Medicaid reforms are needed. The Deficit Reduction Act, which we vote on tonight, takes an important step in that direction by slowing the rate of growth in this valuable program.

Currently, Medicaid grows at a rate of 7.7 percent per year, as indicated by this chart, making it one of the fastest growing programs in the government. The plan included in this legislation tonight reduces the Medicaid rate of growth over the next 10 years from 7.7 percent a year to 7.5 percent annual growth rate. While this is a very small change, the bill includes necessary reforms to address the problem before it is too late.

The plan provides greater flexibility for our States and its governors. Under the current program, governors cannot tailor Medicaid benefits to meet the needs of the people. Under the new plan, they can.

The most irresponsible thing we can do at this time, Mr. Speaker, is to do nothing. I urge the Members to vote for this bill.

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