The Health and Homeland Security Committee (HHS) handles issues dealing with health care, particularly as they relate to Medicaid, and federal-state safety net programs such as TANF, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance and other social services. Additionally, the committee focuses on homeland security, the National Guard and homeland defense, criminal justice and public safety and veterans affairs.
Governor Martin O’Malley, Maryland —Chair
Governor Brian Sandoval, Nevada —Vice Chair
Governor Robert Bentley, Alabama
Governor Lolo Moliga, American Samoa
Governor Jan Brewer, Arizona
Governor Neil Abercrombie, Hawaii
Governor Sam Brownback, Kansas
Governor Bobby Jindal, Louisiana
Governor Mark Dayton, Minnesota
Governor Susana Martinez, New Mexico
Governor John Kitzhaber, Oregon
Governor Alejandro Javier García Padilla, Puerto Rico
2013 Winter Meeting HHS Committee VideosExecutive Briefing: Nationwide Public Safety Network
As lawmakers at both state and federal levels of government look for ways to improve the quality of health care and reduce the costs of public programs, governors are developing innovative Medicaid programs and must retain flexibility to implement these measures.
Following the National Governors Association (NGA) Winter Meeting, the Council of Governors (CoG) finalized a consultative process with the Department of Defense (DoD) to maintain an ongoing dialogue that will ensure governors’ priorities are better incorporated into the budget process in future years.
As reform proposals are considered by Congress and the Administration, NGA also released Governors’ Principles for Homeland Security Grant Reform.
