Robert P. Casey Jr.
Casey stresses health program in IUP visit
February 22, 2008
Source: Pittsburgh Tribune Review
By Kari Andren
Pennsylvania's junior U.S. senator stressed the importance of extending health insurance coverage to all children in Indiana County at a roundtable discussion Thursday on the campus of Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Sen. Bob Casey Jr. said the Children's Health Insurance Program covers about 1,400 children in Indiana County, but an estimated 1,000 children are still uninsured.
Casey said the insurance program is tested and proven to be effective, so "it's about time" to fix the problem of county children being uninsured.
"It's our obligation to do everything we can for Indiana County and other counties to bring that number (of uninsured children) down," Casey said.
Statewide, about 165,000 children are covered under the insurance plan, but another 133,000 are still not covered.
"And that's a conservative estimate," Casey said.
In a separate meeting prior to the roundtable discussion, Casey, a Democrat, conferred with Indiana County commissioners who gave him a list of priorities they would like to see him take back to Washington.
On the top of the list was the Brush Valley water expansion project, which aims to provide running water to outlying areas in the county.
Casey said he appreciates knowing the priorities of county and state governments because these projects must be a team effort to succeed. This was his first visit to the county.
Others in attendance were IUP President Tony Atwater; state Sen. Don White, R-Indiana; Jon Longwill, chief of staff for state Rep. Dave Reed, R-Indiana; Indiana County Commissioners Dave Frick and Patricia Evanko; and local business owners, bankers and members of the community.
Throughout the discussion, Casey talked about other challenges facing the state that carry through to the County.
The only way to stay competitive nationally, he said, is to "develop, nurture and build a skilled work force."
Casey said Pennsylvania must focus on job training, education and creating an environment that keeps young, talented people in the state.
He also discussed the economic stimulus package that passed in the U.S. Senate Feb. 7. Casey said the economic outreach doesn't go far enough.
He would have liked to have seen more "bang-for-your-buck" investments in areas such as unemployment insurance, food stamps and home heating programs included in the stimulus package.
In the short term, he said, the package gives a needed economic jolt, but the long-term problems, including housing and mortgage rates, still exist.
"It's a crisis across the country," Casey said. "There are still places where it's a clear and present danger for Pennsylvanians."
