Frank Lautenberg

Mr. LAUTENBERG

Mr. LAUTENBERG. We have no problem with that.

Mr. LAUTENBERG. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 459 withdrawn

Mr. LAUTENBERG. I thank the Chair. I thank the chairman of the committee for accepting this. The purpose of the amendment is very simple. It is to provide fairness for people who come to this country legally, who paid their taxes in good faith and played by the rules, and then perhaps suffer from a serious disability caused by an accident or a serious illness. Whatever the cause, they are here at our invitation, left unable to work and unable to support themselves. And so, Mr. President, the budget agreement includes a very specific provision to ensure that these people get help. Unfortunately, the bill before us provides funding for only 1 year of these benefits. I hope we will be able to hold this amendment. It is very important. I think it establishes our attitude about those who have come here at our invitation, and we say, pay your taxes, do your work, and then we want to take them out of the protection stream. So I hope that this amendment, which will restore them personally, will take care of it.

Mr. LAUTENBERG. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 460

Mr. LAUTENBERG. We have no objection.

Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I was saying we have no objection. We ought to move on, move this along.

Mr. LAUTENBERG. We have no objection. THE PRESIDING OFFICER. If there be no further debate, the question is on agreeing to the amendment.

Mr. LAUTENBERG. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 479

Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I rise in support of this amendment to restore Medicaid coverage for children who were removed from the SSI rolls in last year's welfare bill. Mr. President, last year's welfare bill significantly restricted the types of disabilities that enable a child to qualify for the Supplemental Security Income Program. In some cases, the same disability that will qualify an adult for SSI now will be insufficient to quality a child. Among the children most likely to lose benefits are those who suffer from multiple problems, no one of which is severe enough to meet the more restrictive legal criteria, but the combined effect of which is substantial. The Social Security Administration estimates that 135,000 low-income disabled children will be removed from the SSI as a result of the new law. Others put the number much higher. In any case, since SSI eligibility is linked to Medicaid eligibility, many of these children will be terminated from the Medicaid Program, unless they qualify on other grounds. The administration believes that, in the end, about 30,000 disabled children from low income families will lose Medicaid coverage. Mr. President, the loss of Medicaid coverage is likely to create serious problems for these families. Private insurance will be very difficult to find And even it it's available, the costs will reflect the conditions that these children have. Compounding matters, these families also will be suffering large income losses because of the loss of their children's SSI benefits. Mr. President, these families had low incomes even before these benefits were withdrawn. And now they are facing severe financial hardships. Allowing these to keep Medicaid coverage is the right thing to do. Otherwise, we are likely to see even more children become uninsured. Mr. President, one of the core principles of the bipartisan budget agreement was to provide health care coverage for as many as 5 million uninsured children. And it was my understanding that the budget negotiators agreed to restore Medicaid for these roughly 30,000 SSI kids. Not as part of the $16 billion child health initiative, but as a separate, binding commitment. That is clearly the understanding of the administration, as well. Unfortunately, Mr. President, Senator Domenici has a different recollection of what was agreed to, and I know he holds that view in good faith. So we have an honest disagreement. But regardless of whose recollection is more accurate, Mr. President, I would urge my colleagues to protect these vulnerable children and their families. Mr. President, I know that Senators on both sides of the aisle share a commitment to covering all of America's children. And so I hope that this amendment will win broad support. Keep in mind that that these children don't just come from low-income families. They are disabled, even though they don't meet the new eligibility standards for SSI. And many of them will be become completely uninsured if we do not correct this problem. I also want to make sure that Senators understand that this amendment would not restore any SSI benefits. All it would do is restore Medicaid coverage for these children. But that would greatly ease the hardships facing many of these families, and reduce the number of children who otherwise would join the ranks of the uninsured. So, Mr. President, I hope my colleagues will stand with these 30,000 disabled children and their families, and will support this amendment.

Mr. LAUTENBERG. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. LAUTENBERG. No objection.

Mr. LAUTENBERG. We are looking at that, Mr. President. If we can just defer for a few minutes, if it is all right with Senator Grassley, and go on to some other business and come back to it.

Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, the Kyl amendment would allow something that is similar to balanced billing. It is, frankly, quite controversial. It does not belong, in my view, on a fast-track reconciliation bill. I hope we will oppose the amendment. Mr. President, it is my view that the amendment is not germane. Therefore, I raise a point of order that the amendment violates section 305(b)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

Mr. LAUTENBERG

Mr. LAUTENBERG. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. LAUTENBERG. We are.

Mr. LAUTENBERG. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 470

Mr. LAUTENBERG. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. LAUTENBERG. We have a few.

Mr. LAUTENBERG. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. amendment no. 490

Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote by which the amendment was agreed to.

Mr. LAUTENBERG. We will accept that. Amendment No. 502

Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote by which the amendment was agreed to.

Mr. LAUTENBERG. Yes.

Mr. LAUTENBERG. Senator Kerry wants to wait and see what the managers' amendment does.

Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, we have five in total that we will be happy to show the majority. I think Senator Murray has a point of order, and then we have the four remaining.