FMAP Vote Monday

Dear Partners,                                            

We just received news that the Senate will vote on Monday to move forward with the extension of the enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) before they leave for August recess. Senate leadership has included the enhanced FMAP extension in a substitute amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill. The vote on proceeding to a final vote (also known as "cloture") will take place around 5:00 P.M. on Monday evening. Several members of the New England delegation voted in opposition to the enhanced FMAP the last time it came up for a vote including Senators Brown (R-MA), Collins (R-ME), Snowe (R-ME), and Gregg (R-NH).

As you know, an extension of the enhanced FMAP is critical to state budgets for the current state fiscal year and without it states will be forced to make drastic cuts to many essential services affecting children and families. All of the New England states have assumed an extension of the enhanced FMAP in their budgets for the current state fiscal year.

Action Step

We are aware and deeply appreciative of all of the work that many of you have been doing related to this issue. Additionally, we know that this scaled back version of the enhanced FMAP extension is not what we would ideally want but there is a real danger that no extension at all will pass. Given how important this is for state budgets in New England and across the country and given that four members of the region's delegation are potential swing votes on this bill, we are asking our partners to take the following steps today (Friday) and Monday:

  • For partners in Maine, please contact Senators Collins and Snowe and urge them to support the substitute amendment offered by Senate leadership.
  • For partners in Massachusetts, please contact Senator Brown and urge him to support the substitute amendment offered by Senate leadership.
  • For partners in New Hampshire, please contact Senator Gregg and urge him to support the substitute amendment offered by Senate leadership.

Contact information for the offices is available here.

Thank you once again for all that you have done thus far on this issue. As always, please contact me directly with any questions or concerns (617-275-2871, arosenthal@commutnicatalyst.org).

Sincerely,

Amy Rosenthal
Project Director

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