[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 26 (Tuesday, March 4, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H715]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             CHILDREN'S HEALTH CARE COVERAGE A TOP PRIORITY

  (Ms. DeLAURO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, may I first associate myself with the 
remarks of my colleague in terms of the opportunity to talk about 
issues that come up and do it at the beginning of the day. I think the 
1-minutes are a useful tool, and helpful to the public in terms of 
following the debate here.
  Mr. Speaker, I came to Congress to fight for working families, and 
there is no issue more important to the health of families than the 
health and well-being of their kids. Expanding health care coverage for 
the 10 million uninsured children in this Nation must be at the top of 
our legislative agenda.
  There are kids without health insurance in all kinds of families. The 
vast majority, 90 percent, are the children of working parents. But 
their parents either lack health insurance themselves or their health 
plans do not cover their kids.
  Children living without health insurance are hurt in so many ways. 
They are less likely to have a family doctor, less likely to receive 
preventive care, less likely to receive treatment, even for serious 
illness, and thus are less likely to grow up healthy and to be 
productive adults.
  I urge the leadership to move the expansion of children's health care 
to the top of their legislative agenda, so we can make sure that the 10 
million uninsured kids in this country have a chance to grow up 
healthy, ready to learn, and to succeed in life.

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