Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2008

Floor Speech

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008

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Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Chair, budget resolutions give us the opportunity to debate national priorities, the vision that we have not just for the next 5 years, but for our future. And nothing is more important for that future than providing opportunities for our children.

Over the past weeks, many of my constituents have called and written to ask that we reject the President's budget priorities, particularly in the area of children's health. Nine million children are uninsured. Every 46 seconds, a baby is born without health coverage. In the richest country in the history of the world, every day children are forced to go without the medical care that they need. The President's budget doesn't solve this crisis. It doesn't even come close.

The President wants to cut Medicaid, and his budget provides $7 billion less than what is needed just to maintain current caseloads in the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Shortfalls would continue. States would have to put more children on waiting lists. Benefits would be reduced.

The Progressive Caucus believes that no child should be forced to stand in a long line when it comes to health care. Our budget provides enough funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program to cover every eligible child. Our budget truly puts children first. Like the Spratt budget, which provides an additional $50 billion in SCHIP money, we are setting the priorities that will keep American children healthy and make our country strong.

The Republicans care about families all right, rich families. And they care about children. It just doesn't happen to be the children of ordinary working families in this country. The Progressive Caucus budget does take care of those families.

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