Kansas legislators are moving closer to approving an expansion of the state’s Medicaid program to thousands of non-disabled adults though the action could prove largely symbolic.

The state Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee endorsed a bill Thursday that would expand Medicaid’s health insurance coverage to as many as 180,000 adults. The committee’s voice vote advanced the bill to the Senate for a debate that’s expected next week.

The House approved the measure last month.

But Republican Gov. Sam Brownback opposes expanding Medicaid as encouraged by the federal health care overhaul of 2010. Republicans in Congress expect to repeal the law and a House GOP proposal includes a provision that would block the Medicaid expansion in Kansas.

Supporters of the measure said they can’t predict what will happen in Congress.