http://www.stateline.org/live/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=136&languageId=1&contentId=114230
Saturday, May 20, 2006
States suing feds over seniors' Rx costs
By Daniel C. Vock, Stateline.org Staff Writer
Fifteen states want the U.S. Supreme Court to block the federal
government’s plan to bill them for a portion of costs for the new
Medicare prescription drug benefit passed by Congress.
The case tests Congress’ power to bill states directly for the costs
of a federal program.
States not only object to chipping in for the drug benefit for
seniors, but they also worry it will set a precedent that Congress
could use to force states to pay for federal initiatives in the
future.
Five states -- Texas, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri and New Jersey -- used
a special constitutional provision to go straight to the nation’s
highest court to sue the Bush administration in March.
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Lovely
Harry
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