Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1586, the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act. It is essential that we get this legislation to the President's desk as soon as possible.

In the wake of the Great Recession, state budgets across the country, faced with historic funding gaps, simply do not have the funds available to respond to the increased demands placed on Medicaid and school budgets. Unless we provide help by passing this bill, they will need to take resources away from other essential services, laying off firefighters and police officers.

H.R. 1586 extends Medicaid assistance for an additional 6 months, and provides Illinois with $545 million, to ensure that women and children, seniors, and people with disabilities do not lose access to their health care. There has been a bi-partisan call for this funding--sixteen Republican governors have publically expressed their dire need for this money. For the past several month I have heard from physicians, nurses, hospitals, patients, small clinics, all asking that Congress act to extend Medicaid support. Today their call has been heard.

Local school districts, teachers, and parents have also been in touch regarding the need for financial support during these tough economic times. H.R. 1586 provides $10 billion in educator support that will save 5,700 teacher, school counselor, and school support service jobs in my state alone. Because of this legislation, teachers will not be greeted with class sizes of 50 students, or worse, a pink slip, on their first day of school. It will help ensure that our children can continue get the education they need to be productive members of their community and be able to compete in the 21st century global economy.

This bill will save and create an estimated 319,000 jobs. That includes teachers, firefighters, police officers, nurses--all critical employees who get a paycheck from the state. It will also save private jobs. The Economic Policy Institute estimates that for every 100 layoffs in the public sector, the private sector sheds 30 jobs. This bill is not a handout provided during tough times--this is smart policy that will stem job loss and get us out of the Great Recession sooner.

Although this legislation is critically needed, I am greatly disappointed that the Senate included as a ``pay-for'' a provision reducing ARRA-enacted increases in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, or food stamps, beginning in 2014. SNAP provides vital, short-term support to individuals during their greatest time of need, ensuring that there is food on the table for themselves and their children. While we need to pass this bill today, I am committed to working with my colleagues to find the funding to restore SNAP funding before 2014.

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