March 17, 2005

Washington, DC – The U.S. Senate today voted 52 – 48 to adopt an amendment by Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR) to the Fiscal Year 2006 budget resolution (S. Con. Res. 18) to block $15 billion in proposed Medicaid cuts. The vote helps pave the way for the creation of a bipartisan commission to study the program and recommend options for its long-term improvement.

Smith’s leadership was instrumental in securing the necessary votes for passage. In February, Smith introduced the Bipartisan Commission on Medicaid Act (S. 338), which would create a panel designed to comprehensively review and present recommendations to strengthen the program, find efficiencies and eliminate waste, fraud and abuse.

The Smith amendment strikes a provision in the budget directing the Senate Finance Committee to find $15 billion in savings by cutting Medicaid programs. The Senate is expected to vote on the full budget resolution on Friday.

Well over 100 advocacy groups representing a wide range of diverse interests supported the Smith amendment, including the American Health Care Association, the AFL-CIO, the National Conference of State Legislatures, Families USA, and the National Association of Community Health Centers.

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