Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following statement regarding Senate passage of the do-over SCHIP bill and the urgent need to responsibly reauthorize the program in a way the President will sign:



“For the last several weeks, Republicans have requested true bipartisan negotiations so that we can create a serious plan to extend health coverage for those SCHIP was meant to cover: low-income children. But Democrats were unwilling to sit down at the table, insisting instead on sending a bill to the President they know he will not sign.



“Senate Republicans are committed to finding common ground on this issue, but we cannot do it alone. We must forge a bipartisan compromise to maintain current coverage and extend coverage to additional low-income children which the President can sign.”



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