Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today issued the following statement after members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, on a bipartisan basis, voted to delay the implementation of seven major Medicaid regulations:

"I have worked with members of California's Congressional Delegation and governors from across the nation in calling for a suspension in these rules to allow a more thorough review by Congress.  If these rules move forward as envisioned, more than $12 billion in federal Medicaid payments to California would be at risk over the next five years.  This would impact services to vulnerable Californians and cut reimbursements to safety net and teaching hospitals across the state as well as local governments, school districts and numerous state agencies.  I applaud the many members of the California Congressional Delegation for their support of this legislation and I am confident this positive first step will result in a bill the President can sign into law in the near future."