Montana Governor Steve Bullock joined other governors during the National Governors Association summer meeting held last week to highlight what they said would be the damaging impact the pending Senate healthcare bill on Montana and states across America.
“The way the majority party in Congress has been approaching healthcare threatens all of the progress we’ve made in Montana,” said Bullock. “Instead of gutting Medicaid – a program that works – they should be focusing on what we can all agree on: we need to bring costs down and we need to bring stability to the marketplace. The revised Senate bill still slashes Medicaid, still threatens coverage for Montanans with pre-existing conditions, and still means higher costs for less care for million of Americans.”
In a televised interview with MSNBC, Bullock said the proposed healthcare plan would abandon around 75,000 Montanans who receive coverage through the state’s Medicaid expansion. He also said the notion that giving the state’s authority to run the program is a hollow promise, since it would come without funding.
While at the conference, Bullock was formally seated as the vice-chairman of the bipartisan National Governors Association and will serve alongside the chair, Republican Governor Brian Sandoval of Nevada, for the upcoming year.
“It’s our job as governors to deliver for the people of our states,” said Bullock. “We deal with real-life, onthe-ground impacts and together, our focus remains on fighting for hard-working families in each of our states. I’m pleased my fellow governors from across the nation have placed their trust in me to help lead this organization. I’m confident that we will continue to work across party lines to deliver results that grow the economy, create more jobs, and protect the quality of life of families across the nation, now and for future generations.”
During the past week Bullock also attended a ceremonial bill signing in Missoula on legislation that will raise the production cap on Montana’s microbreweries from 10,000 barrels to 60,000 barrels. He noted that the effort should create jobs, grow other local businesses and encourage stewardship of Montana’s water.
Also in Missoula he joined legislators in highlighting bills from the 2017 session that will strengthen laws to protect victims of sexual assault and help victims recover. “It’s a longstanding and deep Montana value that we look out for our neighbors, particularly those who may be facing unbearable realities. These pieces of legislation will be truly life changing, for the better, for our neighbors and fellow Montanans,” said the governor.
