DeLauro Statement on Renewal of Children's Health Insurance Program

Press Release

DeLauro Statement on Renewal of Children's Health Insurance Program

Urges President Not to Veto Highly Successful Program

Washington , D.C. - Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (Conn.-3) issued the following statement applauding the passage - by a bipartisan coalition - of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which will reauthorize the program for an additional five years.

"Passage of the Children's Health Insurance Program means that the children and families of this country win. Over 9 million children in this country are without health insurance - a portion of the 47 million uninsured Americans - and we all pay the price. The bill does not include everything we would like to have seen in this reauthorization, yet it reflects a consensus around the need for action in this critical area. Today we renew our commitment to a proven program that serves millions of kids and their families every day," said DeLauro.

"For the President to veto this program, would be to turn his back on the ten million children in need and penalize the most vulnerable among us. This legislation will provide health care coverage to an additional 4 million children, on top of the 6.6 million children who are currently covered ensuring they get much needed doctor visits, as well as dental and mental health coverage."

CHIP provides health coverage to American children whose parents do not qualify for Medicaid, but can't afford private insurance. The $35 billion agreement struck by House and Senate negotiators will bring health coverage to approximately ten million children in need, preserving coverage for all 6.6 million children currently covered by CHIP, and reaching millions more low-income, uninsured American children in the next five years. This includes 28,500 eligible but uninsured children in Connecticut .

Continued DeLauro, "This is about recognizing and embracing our nation's most serious and constant challenges - challenges that the federal government has the ability, the capacity, the resources, and the moral obligation to help us meet.

"We all have a stake in solving this crisis. And no one - not even the president - should be able to undermine the great promise of a healthy future for our next generation."

Source