Providing for Consideration of H.R. 2, Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009

Floor Speech

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2, CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM
REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2009

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Mr. SESSIONS. Madam Speaker, I will be asking for a recorded vote on this closed rule.

With the current program not expiring until March 31 of this year, we have seen enough Members question the underlying legislation, and I think we deserve an open and honest debate in the committees of jurisdiction before we take a vote on such a large expansion--$35 billion more of government programs.

This legislation spends billions of dollars to substitute private health insurance with government-run coverage. It enables illegal aliens to fraudulently enroll in Medicaid and in SCHIP. The bill creates the most regressive tax increase in American history, using funding gained from taxing the poor to pay for expanding SCHIP eligibility to higher income families. This legislation increases the number of adults on SCHIP, allowing even more resources to be taken away from the low-income, uninsured children who need it the most.

Madam Speaker, this legislation moves us closer and closer to a government-run program and further and further away to access for quality health care of our choice.

I encourage all of my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the rule and to vote ``no'' on the underlying legislation. We should ensure that SCHIP meets its original intent and that it covers the poorest children first.

We have been very clear about saying that the Republicans in this body have asked for the opportunity to have regular order to discuss this issue in committee and have asked for the opportunity to have Republicans and Democrats present their ideas and hear them accepted for amendments before the Rules Committee. We object to the way that this Rules Committee has handled this issue.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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