SOCIAL SECURITY COMMISSIONER CONFIRMS THAT BILL WOULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS TO RECEIVE FEDERAL BENEFITS

Washington, Sep 25, 2007 - "Instead of reauthorizing the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) program to provide health coverage for needy children, this measure would expand access to the program to families that can afford health coverage," stated Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Ocala).  "In addition, this bill would not prevent illegal aliens from receiving SCHIP funds."  Michael Astrue, the Social Security Administrator, confirmed in a letter that the bill would change current law to make it easier for illegal immigrants to get SCHIP and other federal benefits.
The House Republican leadership established the SCHIP program in 1997 to insure children whose families are low-income but not poor enough to qualify for Medicaid.  The House today approved H.R. 976 the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007. The bill provides significant increases in federal funds to states to enable them to dramatically expand CHIP, costing $60.2 billion over five years. Using these new funds, a state could qualify a family of four making more than $100,000 a year to receive taxpayer subsidized, government-run healthcare under a program that was originally intended for low-income children. 
Added Stearns, "In addition, to including massive tax increases, H.R. 976 defines children eligible for SCHIP to include any person up to the age of 21.  When it started, SCHIP cost $4 billion a year; now it will expand to more than $60 billion over 5 years.  This bill should focus on low-income children and not open up this healthcare program to illegal aliens.  The American taxpayer deserves much better."