New York, NY - Today, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton was joined by Senator Liz Krueger, Councilwoman Eva Moskowitz, Phil Coltoff, CEO of the Children's Aid Society, Dr. Danielle Laraque, Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Verna Eggleston, Commissioner of the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA), and dozens of parents and children to celebrate changes to the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), that will bring New York nearly $1 billion in additional funding for children's health coverage.

The bill, of which Senator Clinton was an original co-sponsor, along with Senators Jay Rockefeller (VA) and Lincoln Chafee (RI), passed the House and Senate unanimously shortly before the August recess.

At the end of Fiscal Year 2002, $1.2 billion of previously allocated but unused SCHIP funds returned to the Federal treasury and another $1.5 billion would have reverted to the Federal treasury on September 30, absent passage of this important legislation. Because the Clinton-backed bill will now become law, the $2.7 billion in expiring funds will now go to the states for their intended purpose - health coverage for children. This action alone will prevent 360,000 children nationwide from losing coverage between now and Fiscal Year 2007 and will provide New York State with nearly $1 billion in additional funding.

"Hundreds of thousands of children throughout New York and across the country will now, still have access to SCHIP programs," Senator Clinton said. "Too many New Yorkers are already suffering in the current economic climate. It is critical that programs such as SCHIP, which serve as a crucial safety net for the Americans most affected by the current economy, be preserved."

"New data recently released shows that between 1999 and 2002 the number of uninsured children decreased by 20% and most of that was due to programs like SCHIP. Now more than ever, our support of SCHIP will make a critical difference in the health of our children. After working for 2 years on this legislation, I am thrilled that Congress has passed into law this important first step in assuring the necessary funding for states like New York that have applied federal funds to the important goal of providing health insurance for children" Senator Clinton said.

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, without the measures this bill proposes, New York would lose roughly $550 million in unspent 1998/1999 funds to the Federal treasury. Additionally, the bill would give New York an extra $400 million in funds redistributed from other states that, unlike New York, do not use all of their SCHIP allotments funds. This is especially critical as New York's annual allotment will not even cover one half of the Federal share of its program expenditures.

In 2002, Clinton supported a similar proposal, which was blocked by the House Budget Committee in the final days of the last Congress.

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