Several of my colleagues and I attempted to change the bill so that the formula would be based on the number of chitdren in poverty. but the budget agreement only allows for partial consideration of the poverty rate beginning in the year 2001. While the Republicans did not sufficiently change the childrens health formula. they have withdrawn several other negative policy proposals which were included in this bill when it originally passed the House. The pea and shell game that was put forth concerning protections for legal immigrants has been corrected. they are now conforming to the important commitment of the original budget agreement to assist lowincome seniors with the Medicare part B premiums. they have dropped their proposal to exempt some health plans from Stale solvency requirements and consumer protections. they have deleted changes to medical liability laws to cap malpractice damages. and they have backtracked on several antiworker provisions. including a provision which would have undermined basic employment protections for people on welfare. The devil of any budget is in the details and President Clinton working with our Democrat budget leaders excised most of the devils which would have derailed this agreement. The numbers and policy recommendations in todays reconciliation bill reflect the fact that our country does not need to renege on basic commitments to the American family and our constituents in order to reduce the deficit and balance the annual budgets.
Keywords matched
immigrants