Remarks by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) at a Rally in Support of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)

REMARKS BY HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI (D-CA) AT A RALLY IN SUPPORT OF THE STATE CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM (SCHIP)

REP. PELOSI: Thank you very much.

President Sweeney, thank you for your kind words of introduction. Thank you for your tremendous leadership on behalf of America's working families, starting with our children.

And George Corpeus (ph) and all of you who are here today to support -- the Alliance For Retired Americans are here to support America's children, one generation looking into the future, making the future better for the next. It's a pretty exciting day.

When people ask me what are the three most important issues facing the Congress, I always say the same thing: our children, our children, our children -- their health, their education, the economic security of their families, the retirement and security of their grandparents, healthy, safe neighborhood and environments in which they can thrive, and a world at peace in which they can participate.

Thank you President Sweeney, for all that you have done for America's children, America's children, America's children. Thank you. (Applause.)

I'm very pleased to be joined here today by some of the members of the House Democratic Caucus, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee -- (applause) -- a member -- a member of the committee of jurisdiction, the Ways and Means Committee; Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz of Pennsylvania -- (applause) -- one of our majority makers, made us a majority; the Congresswoman from Ohio, Congresswoman Betty Sutton. (Applause.) And then to acknowledge a couple of the members, I just want to talk for a moment about the legislation.

When the SCHIP bill passed the Congress of the United States, the House of Representatives, we were on the floor and it was the end of the day. And I quoted the poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, "The Children's Hour," and I said that when we passed that bill, it would be the children's hour for the Congress of the United States. Many who spoke that evening said that it was the proudest time, their proudest moment in Congress, when we were taking such a giant step for America's children.

And I want to thank and acknowledge Chairman John Dingell, whom you'll be hearing from momentarily, for making that great moment possible for us. (Applause.) He, along with Frank Pallone, who is the chair of the subcommittee on the Energy and Commerce Committee, were leaders in this effort. (Applause). They worked with Congressman Chairman Charlie Rangel on the Ways and Means Committee who can't be with us today, but he and Pete Stark, who I believe will be joining us, the chair of the subcommittee, made that great step forward possible for America's children.

Isn't it exciting to see them here? Don't we want the absolute best for them? Wasn't Steve great in how he made that presentation quoting the Gospel of Matthew? Thank you, Steve, for your beautiful words. (Applause.)

And Ruby, so eloquent for her generation. What a wonderful occasion this is.

But it's only as great as the impact that it can make on the policy, on the Congress of the United States. Thank you for all of you for the Alliance for Retired Americans for coming to the Hill today. I understand from Ed Quail that you're going to have over 200 visits to member's offices -- oh, you're applauding back there for the 200 members. (Laughs, applause.) Two hundred member's office(s). Know how important, because all the maneuvering and the leadership that the distinguished Chairmen Dingell and Pallone and Rangel and Stark did, all that our leadership -- I know will be joined by Chris Van Hollen momentarily, part of our leadership -- did would not have borne the fruit that it did without the outside mobilization, of which you were a very major part and which we continue to depend.

As you know, when I -- as many of you know, when I took the gavel as the first woman speaker of the House, I took it surrounded by children. Thus, this is a comfortable environment for me. (Laughter.) It reminds us constantly of our responsibility to the future. But when I took that gavel, I said that I take this gavel on behalf of all of America's children.

Ruby so -- spoke so beautifully about the fact that she has health care, but she wants it for all of America's children.

So thank you, Alliance for Retired Americans. Thank you, George Corpeus (ph). Thank you, President Sweeney. Thank all of you for what you are doing for all of America's children.

And let's hear it for these children. Aren't they just great? (Laughs, applause.)

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