Senate Set To Vote on FMAP Extension Today

The Senate is slated to hold a cloture vote today at 5:45 on a substitute amendment (SA 4567) to the House Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill (HR 1586) that includes funding for the long-sought FMAP extension. The bill would extend the FMAP funding originally authorized via the stimulus package (ARRA) an additional six months--until June 30, 2011 and for a total of $16.1 billion--but phased down gradually. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) filed cloture on the legislation Thursday night. The provisions in HR 1586 are paid for through the closure of tax loopholes and rescission of unused federal funding, but Reid’s office says Democrats are still seeking Republican support and concedes that “it will be a tough vote.”

ANCOR sent an Action Alert early Saturday morning urging members to call their Senators and to ask them to vote YES on HR 1586. Click here to respond to the Action Alert—the time to enact FMAP funding is running out because Congress only has a few weeks left in session.