The following is a press release from the office of Sen. Phil Berger, R-Rockingham
Governor Roy Cooper continues to pretend in public that he just wants to sign a compromise budget, saying yet again that nobody responded to his July proposal.
But the truth is, Republicans responded to his proposal immediately by asking the Governor to drop his Medicaid-or-nothing ultimatum.
Pat Ryan, a spokesman for Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) said, “Governor Cooper will not sign any budget unless it includes Medicaid expansion. It’s a little odd that he keeps asking for a counter-offer that he’s said he’ll never sign. If he would just drop his ridiculous ultimatum, we could probably have a budget next week.”
At a press conference last month, Governor Cooper was asked about his Medicaid-or-nothing ultimatum. He responded by again insisting that Medicaid expansion be included in the budget — “end of discussion.”
For months, Republican leaders have asked Governor Cooper to drop his Medicaid-or-nothing ultimatum so that a budget could be negotiated and signed into law. But Governor Cooper has refused to do so, and he has also refused to support a special legislative session dedicated solely to what he claims is his top priority.
Governor Cooper refuses to sign any budget without Medicaid expansion. There are not enough votes in the Senate to pass Medicaid expansion, and Cooper has refused to separate the two. Therefore, there is no new budget.
