Extending Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Block Grant Program

EXTENDING TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM

Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I thank the majority leader for his work on the extension for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. Unfortunately, this program has had to be extended several times while the Senate finance Committee worked to complete a very ambitious agenda.

Happily, though, the Senate finance Committee was able to report a welfare reauthorization bill on September 10, 2003. I plan to file the committee bill shortly. It is critical that the Senate act swiftly to complete action on this legislation. This program has languished, unauthorized, for a year. States need to make plans to adjust to the new provisions. Recipients need some assurances that the program will continue.

It was my preference that Senate action on the welfare bill take place this fall, but I understand that the time frame for adjournment is fluid and this impacts what the Leader is able to bring to the floor. Additionally, I would have preferred a shorter extension, in order to keep the process moving forward. I do not want to send the signal that since we are passing a 6-month extension, this means that there will be no action on this legislation until March next year. If that should occur, we would find ourselves in the position of having to seek yet another extension. This is a situation which can only be avoided, in my view, by prompt action on this legislation.

I understand why the majority leader wants a 6-month extension because I recognize that it is nearly impossible to envision a scenario in which the Senate passes a bill, the House and Senate have a conference, a conference report is drafted and filed and the measure goes back to both houses for a final vote, prior to a possible adjournment date in late November. But if it becomes at all possible for the Senate to act on the legislation in what remains of this session, leaving conference committee consideration for early next year, we should certainly do that.

It is my intention, if a window of opportunity does open up before we adjourn for the year, to work with the Leadership to bring this legislation up for consideration. In the event that such a window of opportunity does not open up in what remains of this session, I am confident that this bill will be among the first pieces of legislation brought up for consideration as soon as we reconvene next year.

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Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I understand the concerns of the Senator from Montana, and look forward to continuing to work with him to reauthorize the TANF program in the coming months. I appreciate his concern for the need for Montana to pursue welfare policies it believe make sense in that State. I agree that we will discuss these and other issues as we reauthorize the TANF program and am also optimistic we will be able to reach an understanding on these policies.

Mr. President, current law penalizes rural and small urban facilities by paying them 1.6 percent less on every inpatient discharge than their counterparts in urban areas of a million or more people. This is one reason for MedPAC's finding that Medicare inpatient profit margins are substantially worse for rural and small urban facilities than for those located in large urban areas.

The provision raises the inpatient base rate for hospitals in rural and small urban areas to the same rate as that in large urban areas from October 1, 2003 through March 31, 2004. Every State except Rhode Island has rural or small urban hospitals, so 49 States will benefit from this provision.

The fiscal year 2003 omnibus Appropriations bill included a 6-month version of this policy. The policy ends on September 30, 2003. A permanent version of this policy was included in the Senate- and House-passed prescription drug bills this summer. MedPAC has endorsed a permanent version of this policy in its 2003 recommendations.

The cost of the provision is $300 million, for the 6-month period beginning October 1, 2003 and ending March 31, 2004, according to preliminary scores from CBO.

I ask unanimous consent to print in the RECORD the preliminary CBO estimates.