Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009

Floor Speech

CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2009 -- (House of Representatives - January 14, 2009)

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Ms. DeGETTE. Madam Speaker, 6 million children in this country who are currently eligible for SCHIP and Medicaid do not have health insurance. These children's parents work, but they cannot afford to ensure that their children have well-child care, and they have to resort to the emergency room for even the most basic services, like treatment for an ear infection. This is wrong.

Today's bill will help these families, but with a number of changes that vastly improve the legislation. It allows States to give coverage to pregnant women and people who are here legally. It preserves simplified outreach and enrollment procedures.

Madam Speaker, in the face of the current economic downturn, it is even more vital that we enact this bill. Sharp increases in unemployment are adding to the ranks of the uninsured, while at the same time State budgets are shrinking, and the safety net is struggling to meet this increased demand.

Because, Madam Speaker, we need to provide this care for our kids because in the most civilized country in the world, no child should go without health care.

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