[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 30 (Tuesday, March 11, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H813-H814]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, last Thursday the Washington Times reported 
that at long last House Republicans have finally developed an agenda 
for the 105th Congress. The news was also accompanied by a report that 
in the first 2 months of the 105th Congress the House was in session 
for a grand total of 58 hours, compared with 296 hours in the first 2 
months of the last Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, one would think that with all this spare time and with 
daily pressure from congressional Democrats, the Republicans would have 
included as a goal in their agenda the implementation of a plan to 
provide health insurance for the Nation's 10 million uninsured 
children. As far as the Republican agenda goes, however, health care 
for children is apparently not meant to be. There is no mention of any 
kind of children's health insurance plan in the Republican's vision of 
the future.
  Since last spring, Democrats have been working to push the issue of 
children's only health care to the top of Congress' agenda, and our 
Families First agenda included a children's only plan. Day after day in 
this Congress Democrats have taken to the floor to protest the 
Republicans' failure to basically address anything more substantive 
than the propriety of hanging the Ten Commandments on the walls of 
Government buildings and courthouses. This is what we dealt with last 
week.
  Mr. Speaker, Democrats are intent on passing a children's only health 
bill. Two weeks ago our Minority Leader Gephardt and our Senate 
Minority Leader Daschle sent a letter to Republican leaders Gingrich 
and Lott asking them to allow this issue to move forward. Last week we 
sent another letter, signed by over 175 members of the Democratic 
Caucus, asking the Speaker to provide a date certain for the 
consideration of a children's only health bill, and to date the 
Democrats have literally heard nothing from the Republicans on this 
issue.
  I have to say, though, we have heard plenty from elsewhere around the 
country. We learned the week before last from New York City's public 
advocate that despite the existence of a State plan to insure children 
in New York, the rate of uninsured children in New York City grew by 6 
percent in the last 5 years. We also learned that this happened at a 
time when many of New York's parents were working for companies that 
had over 1,000 employees. The public advocate's report, Mr. Speaker, 
underscored the need for a Federal children's only health plan for 
parents who make too much money to qualify for Medicaid but not enough 
to afford health insurance for their children.
  Again I would say that, not having time to wait for this Congress to 
do something, many States around the country have taken matters into 
their own hands. Massachusetts, for instance, has implemented a 
children's only plan, similar to various proposals developed by 
congressional Democrats, that assists parents who would otherwise be 
unable to afford health insurance for their children. The Massachusetts 
plan is an important example to cite, in that it illustrates the value 
of not only providing health care for a sick child but of providing 
preventative care that obviates the need for more expensive care 
further down the line.
  I want to stress how important preventative care is. It is wise not 
only for budgetary reasons but, simply put, it is the humane thing to 
do. More than half of the uninsured children with asthma, just as an 
example, never see a doctor during the year. Many of these children end 
up hospitalized with problems that could have been prevented and could 
have cost less to treat. Similarly, one-third of uninsured children 
with recurring ear infections never see the doctor. Many suffer 
permanent hearing loss.
  Democrats believe these problems should be prevented because they can 
be prevented. Our concern, again, Mr. Speaker, is rooted firmly in the 
notion that the right thing to do is to make sure every child in this 
country has access to medical care.
  I have to point out that in their agenda released last week the GOP 
claims it wants to strengthen America's families by fighting child 
abuse

[[Page H814]]

and neglect. I find it ironic that this goal can be included in their 
agenda and yet they propose to do absolutely nothing about health 
insurance for children.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe the GOP needs to go back to the drawing board. 
It is incredible that a health plan for children did not make it into 
their agenda, and I hope, and we will continue to press, that they will 
change their minds and bring up legislation that addresses the issue of 
kids' health insurance.

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