美国国家公共电台 NPR--Medicaid has become a key component in negotiations over the debt ceiling

Medicaid has become a key component¹ in negotiations² over the debt ceiling

Transcript³

NPR's A Martinez talks to Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington about House Republicans' proposal to tighten⁴ work requirements on federal benefits in exchange for raising the debt ceiling.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

About 1 out of every 4 Americans gets their health care coverage⁵ through Medicaid. The federal program that mainly serves people with lower incomes or disabilities has become pivotal to negotiations over the debt ceiling. Republicans want to make more people work to qualify. Many Democrats⁶ say that's a nonstarter. Let's ask Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal of Washington state about this. Congresswoman, President Biden says making it harder for anyone to get Medicaid is off the table. Is that something you agree with?

PRAMILA JAYAPAL: We agree that work requirements do not have any good effect. We've actually found that when they've been instituted, particularly after the drastic social safety net cuts of 1996, five years later, there was no difference in employment rates among those recipients⁷. And they tend to hurt the very people they're intended to serve.

MART?NEZ: States - some states try to make their own rules when it comes to Medicaid. Arkansas has attempted to tie benefits to work requirements. A recent referendum in Wisconsin supported that idea. Should states be able to make their own rules on Medicaid?

JAYAPAL: You know, I really don't think that they should. I think we should try to control this from the federal level, because what we see is that the cuts to Medicaid - the states that don't choose to take on Medicaid recipients or choose to institute these kinds of heavy burdens are the ones that are suffering the most for the people that need it the most. So I think we should have consistent Medicaid requirements across the country. They should be dictated⁸ by the federal government. And, you know, I think ultimately we want to make sure we're helping⁹ people, not hurting the very people that need it the most.

MART?NEZ: Even if states pick up a part of the cost. It's a jointly¹⁰ funded program.

JAYAPAL: Well, that's the problem. I think, because we've made it a jointly funded program, unlike Medicare, states do feel like they have the ability to put in their own rules. I think over time - and obviously this isn't something we can accomplish right away, but I think that is one of the flaws of this very important Medicaid program, is we give states too much control over helping the neediest people in their states.

MART?NEZ: If Republicans are successful and more requirements for work are tied to benefits such as Medicaid or SNAP - that's the program that provides aid for groceries - how would it affect states like yours, Washington?

JAYAPAL: Well, Washington state - you know, we are a Democratically controlled state, and so we have much fewer burdens in place. But I have to say, this cannot be a negotiating point on the table. I do not think that Republicans can win on this. And some Republicans themselves have said that this doesn't actually do anything to cut the deficit¹¹. So let's be clear that, you know, the amount of money that would be saved is extremely little, if anything. These work requirements require huge administrative¹² burden. I've talked to the people who administer these programs, and they say they have to spend a lot of money just to have people go through and determine whether or not somebody is eligible¹³, whether or not the work requirement actually fits the condition. A lot of people who are on these programs are cycling in and out of different jobs. They're often low-wage workers. They often don't have the stability that a lot of others may have. And so work requirements are just an administrative burden that costs a lot of money and, again, do not help in terms of getting more people back into employment.

MART?NEZ: Congresswoman, you used to be on the House Budget Committee. Do any arguments at all from the GOP about lowering spending hold water for you, any at all?

JAYAPAL: Well, I think the key thing here is we have to think about the difference between debt and deficit. If Republicans want to talk about the deficit, we have shown through the last two years of the Biden administration and the bills that we've passed that we can reduce the deficit by raising revenue. And that is the thing that is consistently very hypocritical about the Republican position on this, because they don't want to raise revenue. In fact, they often ensure that their tax cuts go to the wealthiest and don't actually bring in money, whereas Democrats are willing to talk about the fact that the deficit can be reduced by increasing revenues. And I think that's a very important thing at the end of the day.

MART?NEZ: Just a few seconds left, Congresswoman - what's going to have to happen to make this deal happen?

JAYAPAL: We've got to have a clean debt ceiling. That is the first thing. We've got to raise the debt ceiling in a clean way. Democrats have a discharge petition to do this. I think we are going to have to put everything on the table, including potentially using the 14th Amendment¹⁴, because Republicans cannot be rewarded for hostage-taking, trying to get extreme ideas in that they couldn't get in even in the budget negotiations that happen every year.

MART?NEZ: That's Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal. Thank you very much.

JAYAPAL: Thank you.

1 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

2 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

3 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

4 tighten   

v.(使)变紧；(使)绷紧

参考例句：

• Turn the screw to the right to tighten it.向右转动螺钉把它拧紧。
• Some countries tighten monetary policy to avoid inflation.一些国家实行紧缩银根的货币政策，以避免通货膨胀。

5 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

6 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 recipients   

adj.接受的；受领的；容纳的；愿意接受的n.收件人；接受者；受领者；接受器

参考例句：

• The recipients of the prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者的姓名登在报上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The recipients of prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者名单登在报上。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

8 dictated   

v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布

参考例句：

• He dictated a letter to his secretary. 他向秘书口授信稿。
• No person of a strong character likes to be dictated to. 没有一个个性强的人愿受人使唤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

10 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

11 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

12 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

13 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

14 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。