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Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, issued the following statement in support of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Act of 2007. The legislation is the work of a bipartisan bicameral agreement that will allow Congress to send President Bush a bill before the September 30th deadline. Pallone spoke in support of the legislation during House floor debate tonight.
Earlier this year, the New Jersey congressman was one of four authors of a House passed bill that reauthorized the CHIP program for the next five years. Portions of that bill were included in the final agreement being debated today.
"Ten years ago, a Republican led Congress and a Democratic President put politics and partisanship aside, and worked together to establish the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), to provide health coverage to children from low-income families.
"Since then the percentage of low-income children without health insurance in the U.S. has fallen by one-fourth and more than six million children, most of whom would otherwise be uninsured, have been enrolled.
"While the program has been an indisputable success, it has come under growing strain due to rising health care costs and a decline in employer sponsored coverage. As a result, for the past two years the number of uninsured kids in America has actually increased. Just a few weeks ago, the Census Bureau released a new report showing that the number of uninsured children in America increased from 8 million in 2005 to 8.7 million in 2006.
"What’s worse is that approximately two-thirds of those uninsured children are eligible for health care through Medicaid or CHIP, but remain un-enrolled. In a country as wealthy and compassionate as ours, that is a disgrace.
"So ten years later, a Democratic Congress and Republican President have been tasked with renewing this landmark program. Unfortunately, instead of choosing to work together in a bipartisan fashion as we did ten years ago, the President has chosen to do everything he can to derail our efforts.
"He has offered his own unworkable plan that would shortchange the program. He has issued veto threats. And most recently he has tried to circumvent Congress and dismantle the program administratively. In spite of all this, the one thing he has not managed to do is deter us in our efforts to cover more kids.
"In spite of the President’s resistance, Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate have come together to develop a compromise that will strengthen CHIP. This bipartisan bill will allow us to provide important health benefits to 10 million children of hard-working American families.
"Under our agreement, we will spend an additional $35 billion to maintain coverage for those already enrolled and reach four million children who are currently eligible but have not signed up. We are creating a more stable funding formula so States can plan their programs better, as well as new resources to assist States with outreach, education and enrollment. We are also strengthening benefits and improving quality under the program. This is a reasonable compromise that preserves the promise our colleagues made to America’s children ten years ago.
"Madam Speaker, today we are taking an important step in making sure that millions of children from hard-working American families are able to obtain the health coverage they need to grow up happy and healthy. This is not about public or private. It’s not about Republican or Democrat. It’s about right and wrong. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation. Thank you."
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