WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, today joined by the majority of his House colleagues advanced H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act. This bipartisan legislation will permanently fix the broken Medicare payment formula. It will also strengthen the program in the long term, and extend the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which covers nearly 45,000 children in Michigan (MIChild). Upton helped broker a deal with bipartisan leaders of the House Energy and Commerce and House Ways and Means Committees on the legislation. The House advanced H.R. 2 by a bipartisan vote of 392-37.

“This is a long time coming. Most of us came to Congress to fight for our nation’s kids, seniors, and their families. Today’s vote is a defining moment for this Congress and for Medicare. Our bipartisan agreement puts us on the road to real reforms to strengthen Medicare for our seniors and puts the broken Sustainable Growth Rate in the rear view mirror forever,” commented Upton. “We strengthened Medicare and extended MIChild, and our important community health centers. This deal is good for Michigan’s seniors; it’s good for Michigan’s children.”

Upton reached an agreement with Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, D-New Jersey, Ways and Means Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, and fellow Michigan Congressman Sander Levin, a Democrat who is Ways and Means Ranking Member. Bipartisan House leaders were also instrumental, including Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California. President Obama on Wednesday morning signaled that he would sign the bill, stating during a speech at the White House, “I’ve got my pen ready to sign a good bipartisan bill.”

Upton, who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has long pursued a permanent solution to the SGR budget gimmick that has threatened seniors’ access to health care through the years and led to 17 temporary patches during nearly two decades at the cost of $170 billion. The bipartisan agreement is an important opportunity to end these repeated, costly distractions and begin the important work of truly strengthening Medicare for today’s seniors and for generations to come. H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, builds upon the foundation established by Upton’s committee in the last Congress, which passed similar legislation out of committee by a vote of 51 to 0.

To watch video of Upton’s floor statement, please click here.

Learn more about Upton’s efforts to replace the SGR and strengthen Medicare here.