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Long Branch, NJ --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, issued the following statement in response to a U.S. Census Bureau Report released today that shows the number of Americans living without health insurance increased by 2.2 million between 2005 and 2006 to a total of 47 million Americans. The number of uninsured children also increased from 8 million in 2005 to 8.7 million in 2006.
"It is hard to imagine in a nation as wealthy as ours that the number of uninsured Americans increased over the last year by 2.2 million people. Unfortunately, since President Bush took office seven years ago, the number of uninsured Americans has consistently increased without any action from the White House.
"I am particularly troubled that the number of uninsured children has increased for the second year in a row. Before 2005, thanks to the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), we saw annual reductions in the number of uninsured children. Clearly, these disturbing increases over the last two years demonstrate a need to strengthen this important health care program that provides access to health insurance for our most vulnerable children.
"Last month, the House acted and passed the Children's Health and Medicare Protection (CHAMP) Act, which would allow us to provide health insurance to five million more children. I hope these sobering statistics will serve as a wake-up call to President Bush to reconsider his veto threat of this critically important legislation. The days of White House inaction and indifference must end."
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