Medicaid Expansion

Floor Speech

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, as a cochairman of the State Medicaid Expansion Caucus, I rise this morning to talk about how important expanding Medicaid is for my State and for every State in this great Nation.

It gives me great pride to be in the well of the House this morning speaking on the topic of expanding the Medicaid program today, the 49th anniversary of the date when the legislation creating the Medicaid antipoverty program was signed into law by President Lyndon Baines Johnson. More than 30 Members of Congress have joined the State Medicaid Expansion Caucus because we know that opening the way to health care for the poor is good, it is righteous, it is just, it is merciful. It is the right thing to do because, according to Matthew 25:40:

Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.

And for those who have not a care about the poor, then you should know also that expanding Medicaid to more poor people will stimulate the economy by creating jobs in the burgeoning health care and other ancillary industries. More jobs mean more spending, which leads to more profits. For those of you who are only concerned about your bottom line, then you should also know:

Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.--Proverbs 19:17.

The stimulation of economies is exactly what expanding Medicaid has accomplished in the 27 States that have expanded eligibility. It is exactly what will happen in every recalcitrant State when their political leaders finally come to their senses and choose to accept the Federal funds to expand their Medicaid systems, the funds having already been paid into the system by their own taxpayers.

So 27 States, a majority of the States of this great country, looked at the facts and made the choice to help their people be healthier and therefore lead more productive lives. Expanding Medicaid in those States provided health care coverage to approximately 10.5 million people who otherwise would not have had it, according to Families USA.

Despite the politics, this is a bipartisan issue, as we see when Republican Governors in Arizona and Ohio, for example, expanded Medicaid. As a result of their action, almost a million people will have access to affordable health care. States led by Republicans and Democrats that expanded Medicaid should be commended for their actions. In California, almost 3 million people have benefited by getting access to health care when their State expanded Medicaid. These are just some of the success stories.

The Federal Government will cover 100 percent of the costs of expanding Medicaid today, and 90 percent of the cost for the duration of the program in every State. Expanding Medicaid will bring billions of Federal tax dollars back into States that will help develop the health care infrastructure and improve the economy.

It will also help low-income Americans access health care. We must remember that the people who will benefit from expanding Medicaid are no less deserving of health care than anyone else.

In my home State of Georgia, expanding Medicaid would mean access to health care for 684,000 poor people, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The Georgia Budget and Policy Institute estimates that expanding Medicaid will bring $65 billion in new economic activity to Georgia over 10 years, which will support more than 56,000 new jobs throughout the State. My Governor reacted to this news by signing a bill eliminating his own authority to expand Medicaid. I can't think of a time that a chief executive has willingly given away some of his authority.

We know why Governors and State legislators are choosing to deny access to health care for their people. It is politics, pure and simple.

I am here today to urge every State to expand Medicaid. I urge my colleagues and those watching at home to contact their Governor and their State legislator in support of expanding Medicaid.

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