Towards Fiscally Responsible SCHIP Legislation

Floor Speech

(Mr. WALBERG asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. WALBERG. Madam Speaker, I support renewing SCHIP to aid children in low-income families. But the bill that the Democratic leadership plans to bring to the floor this week is an absolute train wreck that will lead to a nanny-state, government-run health care system.

This bill would cause 3.2 million seniors in 22 States, including over 14,000 in my district, to lose their Medicare Advantage benefits. The Congressional Budget Office says this bill would shift 2.1 million children who are currently in private health care plans to less effective, government-run health care.

Additionally, this bill guts several fiscal responsibility measures designed to keep Medicare spending in check, encourage illegal immigrants to apply for SCHIP and Medicaid benefits by eliminating the requirement that persons applying for such services show proof of citizenship or nationality, and makes it possible for people 25 years old to receive SCHIP benefits.

In summation, this bill takes a program designed to aid children of low-income families and instead expands our welfare state and sides with bureaucracy rather than the needy children and seniors.

Madam Speaker, I strongly encourage my colleagues to oppose this form of legislation.

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