Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007

Floor Speech

Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007

Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, I would like to thank every Member who has worked on this piece of legislation, and there has been a lot, especially Mr. Barton and Mr. Deal who have gone beyond the call of duty in their work. I have been in meetings with them for many hours, so I appreciate their work.

I think we are all disappointed that it has taken so long to come up with a solution, but in the end we have arrived at a correct decision.

When SCHIP was first brought to the floor in 1997, I was a new Member of Congress. It was a bipartisan bill that was enacted by a Republican House and Senate. And it was signed into law by a Democrat President.

This year's process has been anything but bipartisan. I think it would be fair to say that the political rancor in the debate that has occurred over the last several months has surpassed anything that most of us have seen while we have been in Congress. But it is time to move forward and it is time that we remember what is important in this whole process, and that is the children that need health care in America, that are simply the poor in this country.

In my home State of Alabama, SCHIP has been a tremendous success and has helped a new generation of children live happier and healthier lives.

I'm pleased that this Congress has decided to extend this vital program into 2009 and provide a level of certainty to State health directors that did not exist under our previous resolutions. This is a good solution, and I encourage my colleagues to support it.

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