Senate tables vote on Medicaid bill
The Senate Monday opted to delay a vote on a Medicaid and education package because it was not fully paid for.
Democrats thought they had offset the cost of the bill, but the Congressional Budget Office scored the bill and found that it was not fully funded. A procedural vote on a new amendment that had "technical corrections" and was fully paid for will take place Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said, according to The Hill newspaper.
The bill contains $10 billion to states and local governments to prevent public teacher layoffs and $16.1 billion in Medicaid funding to states. The temporary 6.2% federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) increase outlined under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is set to expire at the end of the year. The bill would continue the funding increase for another six months but at a lower rate.
