MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raul Ruiz (36th District of California)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Representatives Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), and Ami Bera (CA-06) introduced bipartisan legislation, the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act, to protect seniors’ access to care by ensuring Medicare keeps pace with rising health care costs. The bill helps prevent doctor shortages in Medicare by making sure payments better reflect the real cost of delivering care, especially in rural, underserved, and low-income communities.

Millions of seniors rely on Medicare to see their doctors, but year-to-year payment fluctuations have made it harder for physician practices to stay financially stable—forcing some to limit Medicare patients or close their doors entirely. By aligning Medicare payments more closely with inflation, this legislation aims to keep providers in the program so seniors can continue getting timely, high-quality care.

“Expanding access to health care by strengthening Medicare for Seniors is a priority of mine. It’s becoming more difficult for Seniors to find physicians through Medicare,” said Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz (CA-25). “That’s why I introduced the bipartisan Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act, which expands access to Medicare beneficiaries by helping ensure their doctors can keep their doors open. Everyone, including people in rural and underserved communities, deserve stable, reliable access to the care they depend on.”

For years, health experts and oversight bodies—including the Medicare Trustees and MedPAC—have warned that failing to update Medicare payments to reflect inflation could lead to reduced access to care for beneficiaries. Costs to run medical practices have risen nearly 50% over the past two decades, while Medicare payments have fallen when adjusted for inflation, putting pressure on physicians who continue to serve Medicare patients.

This legislation answers those warnings by stabilizing access for current and future Medicare beneficiaries.

“I’m deeply concerned that our outdated physician payment system is contributing to reduced access and delays for seniors seeking the care they deserve. This important legislation will help create greater stability for older Americans by strengthening access to services and supporting improved health outcomes. The need for this reform is especially acute in the rural communities I represent, where longstanding provider shortages make consistent, reliable Medicare payments all the more essential,” said Congressman Bilirakis.

“In California’s 19th Congressional District, many constituents are finding that doctors’ offices are overwhelmed, and many seniors are stuck waiting months to see a physician,” said Rep. Panetta. “By tying reimbursement rates to inflation, the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act would help ensure that more doctors are available to treat patients and improve outcomes. Congress must be responsible to make Medicare work so patients can have affordable and accessible healthcare.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ted Lieu (33 District of California)

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County), Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-CA), and Congressman Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, introduced legislation that guarantees individuals held at immigration detention centers have access to congressional constituent casework services upon request. The Fairness and Access for Immigrant Rights (FAIR) Act would establish a clear, enforceable process for detainees in immigration detention centers to have access to the necessary privacy release forms (PRFs) and requires detention center facilities to notify the appropriate congressional office within seven days of a detainee’s request for assistance.

“Constituent casework is an essential part of every congressional office’s representational duties because it enables us to advocate for and on behalf of constituents having problems with the federal government,” said Congressman Ted W. Lieu. “Casework has become an incredibly important tool during the Trump Administration’s extreme ICE raids, where we have seen innocent people and children, including American citizens, being inappropriately detained. Creating a clear and enforceable way for detainees to access the services of their congressional office is critical in protecting detainees’ rights. I am pleased to work with Representatives Jacobs and Espaillat on this important issue.”

“Congress can’t effectively conduct oversight and ensure accountability if the people in immigration detention facilities can’t reach out for help,” said Congresswoman Sara Jacobs. “I’ve heard from families of several detainees at Otay Mesa detention facility who didn’t have someone in their corner pushing to protect their legal and human rights simply because they hadn’t been given the forms that allow congressional offices to legally and effectively intervene on their behalf. That’s why I’m proud to help introduce the FAIR Act to guarantee that every detainee can request congressional assistance regardless of where and how someone is detained.”

“Ensuring the privacy of vulnerable individuals and families seeking assistance from any government agency remains at the forefront of public service,” said Congressman Adriano Espaillat. “Whether related to immigration, education, or healthcare coverage, individuals must fill out a privacy release form, not only to provide consent to work on their behalf, but to establish a transparent level of standards for how these cases are managed. I am proud to join Congressman Lieu as a co-sponsor of the FAIR Act to provide clear guidance for how detention centers manage requests for sensitive documents from detainees and their loved ones throughout the casework process.” 

READ FULL TEXT OF THE BILL HERE

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) released a statement following his vote on H.R. 4405, the Epstein Files Transparency Act. 

“I have been a principled “NO” on this bill from the beginning. What was wrong with the bill three months ago is still wrong today. It abandons 250 years of criminal justice procedure in America. As written, this bill reveals and injures thousands of innocent people – witnesses, people who provided alibis, family members, etc. If enacted in its current form, this type of broad reveal of criminal investigative files, released to a rabid media, will absolutely result in innocent people being hurt. Not by my vote. The Oversight Committee is conducting a thorough investigation that has already released well over 60,000 pages of documents from the Epstein case. That effort will continue in a manner that provides all due protections for innocent Americans. If the Senate amends the bill to properly address privacy of victims and other Americans, who are named but not criminally implicated, then I will vote for that bill when it comes back to the House.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11)

“The system is broken. It’s time for it to end.”

Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens joined Senator Slotkin’s call to end the presidential pardon after voting to release the long-blocked Epstein Files, releasing a new video calling to end the pardon.

With Trump threatening pardons for Ghislaine Maxwell and others involved in Epstein’s child sex trafficking ring, Congresswoman Haley Stevens is making it clear: the abuse of power must end, and the presidential pardon must go.

 

For years, presidents have abused the pardon power to reward political allies.

Trump has done it again and again – and now he could even pardon a person who helped run a child sex trafficking ring with Jeffrey Epstein. That’s unacceptable. @SenatorSlotkin has it right. End… pic.twitter.com/Cj0R7U9cKC

— Rep. Haley Stevens (@RepHaleyStevens) November 19, 2025

Watch the video here

Key Excerpts:

• It’s time to stop protecting Donald Trump and start protecting survivors.
• No one is above the law. The presidential pardon has been used to reward political allies.
• Trump has done it again, and again, and again. And now he could even pardon a person who helped run a child sex trafficking ring with Jefferey Epstein. That’s unacceptable.
• Michiganders are sick of seeing this process abused by whatever powerful interest is close to the White House.
• That’s why I’m joining my fellow Michigander, Senator Slotkin, in calling for an end to the presidential pardon.
• The system is broken. It’s time for it to end. Survivors deserve justice.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11)

Senator Jacky Rosen (D–NV) to introduce Senate version of Rep. Stevens’ No Tariffs on Groceries Act today

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens released the following statement on Senator Jacky Rosen introducing the Senate version of her No Tariffs on Groceries Act:

“President Trump’s reckless tariffs have jacked up prices for Michigan families, and the groceries they depend on every single week. Families are tired of paying more as Trump delivers nothing but chaotic headlines. This bill is about protecting Americans’ pocketbooks and stopping Trump’s unfair grocery-store price hikes. I look forward to working with Senator Rosen to continue taking real action to bring down costs for families in Michigan and across the country,” said Rep. Stevens.

“Donald Trump lied to the American people when he promised to bring prices down on day one,’” said Senator Rosen. “His reckless tariffs have done the opposite, raising grocery costs and making it harder for hardworking families to put food on the table. I’m proud to introduce this bill to help lower the cost of groceries by stopping Donald Trump from putting tariffs on the everyday essentials Americans rely on most. I’m going to do everything in my power to pass this bill to fight against Trump’s harmful trade policies.”

The Senate introduction of the No Tariffs on Groceries Act comes after the Trump administration finally listened to Congresswoman Stevens’ plan to roll back tariffs on food imports.

 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Rutherford (4th District of Florida)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Wednesday, U.S. Congressman John H. Rutherford (FL-05) introduced H.R. 5699, the Fisheries and Data Modernization and Accuracy Act of 2025, to better meet regional and state fishing needs, empower state management of recreational fisheries data programs, increase data transparency, and expand fishery-independent science.

Rutherford was joined by Representatives Darren Soto (FL-09), Mike Ezell (MS-04), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), Daniel Webster (FL-11), Troy Carter (LA-2), Buddy Carter (GA-01), Russell Fry (SC-07), Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Vern Buchanan (FL-16), and Mike Haridopolos (FL-08) in the House.                                                                                     

“For too long, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has relied on outdated data collection methods through the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP), which has significantly overestimated recreational fishing activity,” said Rutherford. “In a 2023 study, NOAA acknowledged that MRIP has overestimated recreational fishing effort by 30 to 40 percent. These inflated numbers resulted in unnecessarily short seasons, abrupt fishery closures, and economic harm to coastal communities, even when stocks are healthy. We have seen firsthand how damaging short red snapper seasons have been for our coastal communities. That’s why I am proud to introduce the bipartisan Fisheries and Data Modernization and Accuracy Act to modernize data collection and accuracy of our fisheries so we can make better, more informed decisions about Florida’s recreational fishing seasons going forward. I’m committed to Making Fishing Great Again!”

“Florida’s fisheries are vital to our economy, our culture, and our way of life,” said  Soto. “We’re ensuring that fishermen, scientists, and coastal communities have access to the most accurate and up-to-date information possible to keep our fisheries strong and sustainable for future generations.”

“I’m proud to help lead the Fisheries Data Modernization and Accuracy Act because our coastal communities deserve fisheries data they can trust. This bill puts better tools in the hands of our states, increases transparency, and strengthens the science we rely on to manage our resources. When we improve the data, we improve the future of recreational fishing across the Gulf and the entire country,” said Ezell.

“Florida’s anglers and coastal communities deserve fisheries management that reflects what they actually see on the water. The Fisheries Data Modernization and Accuracy Act modernizes MRIP, elevates high-quality state data, and strengthens stock assessments. Together, these reforms reduce uncertainty, support fair seasons, and protect the coastal economy our families and local businesses rely on,” said  Moskowitz.

“Floridians expect fisheries to be managed responsibly, with decisions guided by reliable and up-to-date data,” said  Webster. “Yet for too long, flawed data has resulted in shortened seasons and increased uncertainty for anglers and coastal communities. This bill is a commonsense approach to improve the quality of data to ensure management of fisheries reflects the real health of stocks and gives states a stronger voice in the management of recreational fisheries.”

“For too long, federal fisheries management has been held back by outdated and inaccurate figures that simply don’t reflect what’s happening on the water. When federal data shows that recreational fishing effort has been overestimated by as much as 40 percent, it’s clear that the status quo is hurting both fishermen and coastal communities in Louisiana that depend on sustainable fisheries. The Fisheries Data Modernization and Accuracy Act finally brings our science and management tools into the 21st century. By empowering states to run their own high-quality data programs, expanding independent stock assessments, and increasing transparency across the board, this bill ensures we base decisions on reliable science—not guesswork. Better data means healthier fisheries, longer fishing seasons, and a stronger coastal economy. I’m proud to join my colleagues in supporting these long-overdue reforms,” said  Troy  Carter.

“When fishery management decisions are based on highly uncertain data, the effects for fish stocks, anglers, businesses, communities and the economy can be unnecessarily severe,” said  American  Sports  Association. “ASA commends Congressman Rutherford for introducing the Fisheries Data Modernization and Accuracy Act, which is major step toward improving recreational fisheries data and improving confidence in scientific information used for fisheries management.

Background

This bill establishes a standing committee through the National Academies to regularly advise on recreational fisheries science and improve transparency. It creates a grant program to assist states in establishing state-led data collection programs, prioritizing efforts that cover high-risk fisheries. It requires NOAA to create and regularly update stock assessment plans at least every five years for all priority stocks and report on missing data. The bill also directs NOAA to contract with independent entities, such as universities, to conduct absolute abundance surveys. Finally, this legislation increases transparency in fisheries science and decision-making by requiring scientific and statistical committees to allow public participation

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joaquin Castro (20th District of Texas)

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

The following statement is attributable to Leader Jeffries spokesperson Christie Stephenson: 

Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick has proudly represented the people of Palm Beach and Broward Counties since 2022. Consistent with the United States Constitution, she is entitled to her day in court and the presumption of innocence. Pursuant to the Rules of the House Democratic Caucus, Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick will take leave from her position as Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa while this matter is ongoing.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MS NOW’s The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, where he highlighted how Republicans have betrayed their promise to lower costs on day one while House Democrats continue to fight for a future where every American can afford to live a good life.

LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: Leading off our discussion tonight is House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Thank you very much for joining us tonight, Leader Jeffries. I lead in with Donald Trump there because that’s the guy who House Republicans were being asked to follow, Senate Republicans were being asked to follow. A guy who obviously is willing to stand up there and tell that pathological lie about a poll that absolutely never happened and a conversation that never happened, a completely invented conversation, the kind of conversation that if your grandfather did it, you’d try to get him some care. That’s the person who Mike Johnson was trying to get every Republican to support on this vote until he knew he couldn’t.

LEADER JEFFRIES: That’s exactly right. What we’re witnessing is an extraordinary meltdown in real time. Donald Trump and Republicans have failed the American people from the very beginning of his presidency. And we’re starting to see the reality of that hit my Republican colleagues. We saw that with the unconditional surrender resulting in the Epstein files being released. Now it’s wild to me that Donald Trump would suggest that I guess he’s saying he could beat George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. This guy couldn’t beat Richard Nixon right now because he’s been such a disaster as our President.

LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: I want to ask you about Donald Trump’s attack on you tonight. You know, in his announcement, ‘I have just signed the bill to release the Epstein files.’ He surrounded it with this long screed against a lot of people, including you. And the quote from the statement that he wrote tonight is ‘Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries who asked Epstein to donate to his campaign after Epstein was charged.’ And we found the email that he’s referring to, it’s a 2013 fundraising email that looks like it—I’m sure you’ve seen. What is your response to that?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Yeah, he knows that that’s a lie as it relates to anything that I’ve personally asked for. In fact, you had some House Republicans suggesting on the House floor that I had somehow met with Epstein, had dinner with Epstein, raised money from Epstein, none of which is true. This random email that he’s referring to was first brought to my attention yesterday. And so, what we’re seeing from Donald Trump and the Republicans is that they’ve repeatedly tried to distract after failing with their effort to suppress the Epstein files. This was a victory for the survivors. It’s a victory for the American people. It’s a victory for transparency. And we’re going to stay on the case until these files are released. And once that happens, there’s going to be real accountability.

LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: About the email, I just want to clarify for the audience, the email is not from you. It’s from someone named Lisa Rossi. And it clearly it is addressed to Jeffrey Epstein. And it’s the kind of email that goes out literally by the thousands to fundraisers like this and clearly is introducing you to Jeffrey Epstein as someone they presume he has no idea who you are. It’s filled with biographical information about who you are on the assumption that he doesn’t have any idea who you are, and it’s an invitation to contribute to these groups, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee. It’s the kind of fundraising email that does go out by the thousands upon thousands. And I’m sure there’ll be a lot more coverage of that. Leader Jeffries, as Donald Trump continues to tell this lie that this was his idea, that this vote was his idea. He is assuming his followers are willing to believe absolutely everything. You know what this fight took. You know that this discharge petition made history, just very few of them have ever passed the House. And as we go forward, as you realize, the question becomes, now, what will the Trump Justice Department actually release?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Yeah that’s correct. And we expect that Pam Bondi, the so-called Attorney General, they’re going to play games as it relates to trying to selectively withhold documents. And we’re going to stay on the case. Listen, Representative Massie, Representative Khanna, this coalition, certainly the survivors, House Democrats partnering with Senate Democrats, we’re going to make sure that the documents are released, that you have full and complete transparency, and then the chips will fall where they may. And that’s what the American people deserve at this particular point in time. We’re also going to continue to press our case on these issues that matter. Driving down the high cost of living, fixing our broken healthcare system, certainly fighting hard to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits. And, Lawrence, I think you know House Democrats have launched a discharge petition to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits for three years in order to try to make sure that tens of millions of Americans don’t experience dramatically increased premiums, copays and deductibles. And all we’ll need is a handful of Republicans to join us and we can force that bill onto the House Floor for an up or down vote.

LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: And it seems the discharge petition now is the route to legislation in the House of Representatives. It never was before, but Mike Johnson has completely lost control. Does this vote tell you that there are new possibilities in the House for your discharge petitions?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Yeah, that’s absolutely correct. What we’ve seen is the ability to defy the Speaker of the House when we’ve made our case successfully to the American people. And it certainly is true that over the last several weeks, we’ve raised the stakes around the issue of the Affordable Care Act tax credits and the need to make sure we’re protecting healthcare for working class Americans, middle class Americans and everyday Americans so they can afford to go see a doctor when they need one. The pressure will continue to mount the closer that we get to the end of December, and this is a viable vehicle available to us to get things done for the American people.

LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: What do you make? You know, I normally don’t talk about polls very much here, but that poll is quite striking that you Democrats now have a 14-point advantage in the ballot, in the general ballot poll in congressional elections. That’s what it was a year before you won back the House of Representatives last time.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Yeah, no. And it’s consistent with everything that we’ve seen, including the very real results a few weeks ago during the general election, when Democrats were successful all across the country in Virginia, in New Jersey, in New York, in California with Prop 50, in Pennsylvania, in Mississippi, in Georgia and in many other places throughout the nation. We’re going to continue to see the American people rejecting the failures and extremism of Donald Trump and the Republican Party and embracing the Democratic message that, listen, in this country, when you work hard and play by the rules, you should be able to afford a good life, afford to live the good life. Good-paying job, good housing, good healthcare, good education for your children and a good retirement. That’s what Democrats are fighting hard to achieve.

LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: What does it mean for Donald Trump’s presidency if that all turns out to be true and the Democrats do take back the House of Representatives?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, at that point, we’re able to cut his presidency in half legislatively, begin to really hold the administration accountable. The House will no longer function as nothing more than a reckless rubber stamp for Donald Trump’s extreme agenda in most cases. Instead, we’ll be a check and balance on an out-of-control executive branch, which is exactly what the framers intended the House to be.

LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, thank you very much for starting off our discussions tonight.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Thank you.

Full interview can be watched here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)

Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) introduced the Patients Over Paperwork Act to reverse burdensome paperwork requirements instituted in the Big Ugly Law (BUL) that will result in thousands of Washingtonians losing access to health care.

“Health care should be accessible and affordable for everyone,” said Rep. Larsen. “Most people who lose Medicaid coverage lose it because they forget to fill out a form or check a box, and the BUL doubles opportunities for a simple paperwork mistake to cost someone their access to health care. I am proud to introduce this bill to protect the 179,000 Medicaid enrollees that I represent.”

Under previous law, Medicaid recipients were required to recertify their coverage every 12 months. The BUL doubles the paperwork requirement, forcing recipients to recertify every 6 months. The Congressional Budget Office estimates this provision will cause 700,000 people nationwide to lose health insurance by 2034 and will cut $63 billion worth of health care from Medicaid, making it one of the five biggest Medicaid cuts in the BUL.

“Introducing the Patients Over Paperwork Act is just one step in rolling back the BUL,” said Rep. Larsen. “I will continue to fight alongside House Democrats to reverse the BUL and make health care affordable and accessible.”

Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Jim Costa (CA-21), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-Del), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Ritchie Torres (NY-15) and Marc Veasey (TX-33) cosponsored the Patients Over Paperwork Act.

The Patients Over Paperwork Act is also supported by the WA State Medical Association (WSMA), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA), Families USA, National Health Law Program (NHeLP), National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), Justice in Aging, American Public Health Association (APHA), Diverse Elders Coalition (DEC), and National Disability Rights Network (NDRN).

Bridget Bush, MD, FASA, President, Washington State Medical Association: “Far too many patients lose Medicaid coverage not because they’re ineligible, but because they get trapped by administrative hurdles. The Patients Over Paperwork Act restores a common sense 12-month recertification timeline and helps keep people connected to the care they rely on. Washington physicians strongly support this legislation because stable coverage is fundamental to better health outcomes, less administrative waste, and a more equitable health system. We applaud Rep. Larsen for leading this effort to protect patients and reduce avoidable barriers to care.”

Leslie Frane, Executive Vice President of SEIU: “Imagine being told you can’t get your chemo this week, or that your child’s checkup is suddenly cancelled—not because you no longer qualify for care, but because your paperwork is stuck in a pile. The Republican plan to double Medicaid eligibility requirements isn’t policy, it’s cruelty that adds layers of red tape to push working families off Medicaid through no fault of their own. SEIU members fight for healthcare justice every day, and we applaud Rep. Larsen’s Patients Over Paperwork Act as a commonsense step in making sure all families can get the care they need.”

Cassie Sauer, CEO, Washington State Hospital Association: “Washington’s hospitals are deeply concerned for the hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians projected to lose Medicaid coverage in the coming years. This legislation will remove barriers to coverage for patients, helping to ensure their access to needed health care services.”

Jen Taylor, Senior Director of Government Relations at Families USA: “Families USA is proud to endorse the Patients Over Paperwork Act. As states move forward with implementing the largest Medicaid cuts in history, new redetermination requirements are trapping people in a web of complex and confusing paperwork that will cause an estimated 700,000 people to lose coverage unnecessarily. This legislation would reverse harmful eligibility barriers and reduce administrative burdens so that people can keep the health coverage they are eligible for and rely on. We should be making it easier—not harder—for patients and families to get the care they need.”

Mara Youdelman, Managing Director, Federal Advocacy, National Health Law Program: “The National Health Law Program greatly appreciates the introduction of the Patients Over Paperwork Act. This legislation will protect Medicaid coverage for individuals who would otherwise be at high risk for losing Medicaid solely due to increased paperwork and red tape.”

Hannah Wesolowski, Chief Advocacy Officer at the National Alliance on Mental Illness: “Medicaid is a lifeline for millions of Americans with mental health conditions, and any additional requirements for people to maintain Medicaid eligibility results in people losing coverage when they can’t navigate the administrative burden. Doubling the frequency of eligibility checks will only increase these barriers, resulting in people losing coverage despite being eligible. The Patients Over Paperwork Act restores a reasonable renewal process that protects coverage and keeps people connected to treatment. NAMI thanks Rep. Larsen for this important legislation and is proud to support this bill.”

The full text of the Patients Over Paperwork Act is available here.

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