Smith Opposes Massive Expansion of Government-Run Health Care

Press Release

Smith Opposes Massive Expansion of Government-Run Health Care

Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) today voted against H.R. 976, legislation massively expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), while increasing cigarette taxes to partially offset the bill's cost.

SCHIP was established under The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 to provide health coverage to uninsured children who would not otherwise qualify for Medicaid.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, under H.R. 976, two million new individuals - some as old as 21 - will opt out of private health insurance plans in order to receive government health insurance. The bill has also been criticized for substantially weakening the requirements individuals applying for SCHIP must fulfill to prove citizenship or nationality, instead relying on the Social Security Administration to verify information provided by the applicant.

"Obviously, providing quality health care service to America's children from legitimately low-income families is a top priority of Congress, and SCHIP is an important program. Instead, Congress passed a bill which opens loopholes for illegal immigrants, expands the program to cover individuals with higher incomes, and encourages more federal spending.

"I don't like betting the future of children's health care on an unstable funding source like tobacco taxes - nor do I like the fact that an underlying assumption of this bill is that 22 million more smokers would be needed to pay for it," Smith said.

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