Senate Proceeding on Jan 29th, 2009 :: 3:02:20 to 3:07:05
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3:02:20 to 3:07:05( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Robert Menendez

3:02:51 to 3:03:13( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Menendez: quorum call: th senator from new jersey. a senator: i ask that unanimous consent that the quorum call be waived. the presiding officer: witut objection. mr. menendez: madam president, i come to the floor to speak again on behalf of children of new jersey and others in the country. and the working families in my

3:03:14 to 3:03:35( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Menendez: home state who seem to be under attack by some of our colleagues here on the floor. i didn't know that a child has -- there is different values to the importance of the health care of a child regardless of the happenstance of where they live. but it seems that some think so. and on behalf of these children

3:03:36 to 3:03:56( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Menendez: and families i -- i rise strongly to object to senator bunning's amendment. in new jsey we cover over 130,000 children, and, yes, we cover children to a higher percentage of the federal poverty level. but there's a reason for that and i will go through that right now.

3:03:57 to 3:04:19( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Menendez: but there jersey children who are covered under that higher federal povertlevel from the 130,000 that are covered below the poverty level that senator bunning and others would want to maintain. so we're talking about 3,300 children, but 3,300 children

3:04:20 to 3:04:40( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Menendez: whose health, development, and well-being depend on the state of new jersey to do this. and the families covered at this level are paying for this. they're not getting a fe ride. they're paying 28 a month in premiums and to 5 in co-pays each and every month.

3:04:41 to 3:05:01( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Menendez: so this is not a free ride. and these families in new jersey are working and they are working at some of the toughest jobs we have, but they work at jobs in which they do care coverage and they are working at jobs who do not give them in the context of what it costs to live in new jersey to

3:05:02 to 3:05:23( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Menendez: afford health so somehow these people have to be penalized when you listen to the other side. now, let me talk to those who want to talk about fairness. new jersey followed the law. the former administration approved new jersey's waiver to continue insuring kids at up to 300% of the federal

3:05:24 to 3:05:44( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Menendez: level because they understood the reality that a family living in new jersey could make essential elements of their costs for housing, for food, for transportation, for child care, and, yes, for insurance, just were far behind others in the nation who, in fact, could

3:05:45 to 3:06:05( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Menendez: achieve those goals for a lot less money. and so the bush administration gave awaiver. they -- gave a waiver. they gave a waiver. they understood. now new jersey needs to cover children up to 350% because new jersey's families face higher living cost and they get less return on their federal dollar.

3:06:06 to 3:06:28( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Menendez: let me talk about that. i hear my colleagues bemoaning the fact that my state allegedly wants some sort of special treatment. that because we want to provide health benefits to children, we are somehow taking advantage of the federal government. and that is simply ridiculous. let me put it in perspective. for every doll

3:06:29 to 3:06:49( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Menendez: taxpayer pays in federal dollars towards the federal government, our state only gets back 65 cents. my colleague from kentucky, who was on the floor and whose amendment we are debating now and rails about new jersey, his state gets .51 for every

3:06:50 to 3:07:05( Edit History Discussion )

Robert Menendez: dollar that kentuckians send to the federal treasury. so they get more back than, in fact, they pay. so let's talk about fairness. let's talk about fairness. you know, reality is one size