Speaker Fecteau delivers floor speech prior to budget vote
First and foremost, I want to thank my colleague on the other side of the aisle, the Representative from Winter Harbor, Rep. Faulkingham, and members of the Appropriations Committee for their hard work over the last many weeks.
It is a shame that we find ourselves with a non-concurrent matter before this body regarding the enactment of the supplemental budget as an emergency enactor.
On February 4th, I joined leaders from the four caucuses [and] members of the Appropriations Committee to negotiate an agreement on the supplemental budget. After a great deal of consideration, we found an initial agreement on a number of requests from our Republican colleagues, which became known as Part X in the supplemental budget before us today. Part X included:
Quarterly Fraud Waste and Abuse Reports (X-1)
A new structure for how DHHS reports MaineCare, TANF and SNAP information to the legislature in order to provide greater accountability for those costs (X-2)
Repeal of the Easy Enrollment program, an expedited enrollment tool for CoverMe and MaineCare (X-7)
Clarifying language to make explicit [that] gambling winnings are considered toward income eligibility for MaineCare (X-3)
Clarifying language to ensure that no MaineCare payments are processed for incarcerated individuals while they are incarcerated (X-4)
Support for the report out of AFA unfortunately dissipated at that time.
So we have spent the following weeks trying to figure out how to achieve a two-thirds vote in this body. These negotiations resulted in a new agreement, in addition to the one that was reported out of the Appropriations Committee, between caucus leaders. An agreement that included additional concessions from my side of the aisle. This includes several new provisions related to general assistance. Now known as Part Y, this includes:
Annual training for GA administrators (Y-1)
Annual communication from DHHS to GA administrators regarding rules and compliance expectations (Y-2)
A limit of GA Housing to 12 out of 36 months (Y-3)
Program Integrity Audit done by a contractor (Y-5) and a report by DHHS to the Legislature (Y-6)
These two agreements were each the product of weeks – weeks– of negotiation across the aisle. They involved discussions between party leaders, committee chairs and leads, and difficult compromises.
Tonight, in this body, in this chamber, the house did its job. Moments ago, we passed this emergency supplemental budget, maintaining our commitment to Maine people.
I am proud to be a member of this chamber.
The house stayed true to its word and showed Maine people that hard, earnest negotiations– they still mean something around here.
The supplemental budget amendment also includes a 1.95% COLA for direct care workers - supporting the important and valuable work they do. Again, I’m proud of the House for taking the necessary action to stand shoulder to shoulder with those caring for aging Mainers, adults and children with disabilities. And I know that those workers are proud of this House chamber as well.
We have heard from our colleagues that they wanted cost savings in the supplemental budget - and the agreement we reached will deliver cost savings.
When we elect leaders, we place our faith and trust in them to find agreement and common ground. We have put individuals in those leadership roles whom we trust to do the very best to negotiate on our behalf.
We find ourselves, after days and weeks of negotiation, with a motion before us to insist.
To insist on behalf of those worried that they will lose access to health care.
To insist on behalf of those worried that nursing homes that are caring for our loved ones will close.
We have a motion before us to insist for those worried that they may lose their livelihoods due to damage from an invasive pest that will devastate our northern and western forests.
Is this the best the Maine Legislature can offer to Maine people who are waiting for us to deliver? Waiting for us to deliver on MaineCare, on tax conformity, and protecting our economy by spraying for spruce budworms?
The House has done its job. The House has stood with Mainers who are counting on us. Hospitals, nursing homes, services for children and adults with disabilities, treatment providers – they are counting on us. Tonight, the House delivered.
Thank you to my colleagues in this chamber for your hard work, your earnest negotiations, and willingness to stand behind difficult compromise. It’s never easy. It’s my ninth year in the legislature. It is never easy. It’s not meant to be. But when we come to agreement – that means something. It should mean something.
Tonight, the Maine Legislature should be doing the right thing. The House will insist, because now is the time to make good on our word and to show Maine people that a deal is a deal, especially when the deal puts Maine people at the center. When Maine people come first.
