[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 53 (Tuesday, April 29, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H1916]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      AMERICA'S UNINSURED CHILDREN

  (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, Mother's Day is fast approaching and there 
has been no committee action to date on passing legislation to cover 
America's uninsured children. Last week, the House Committee on 
Appropriations failed to pass an amendment to fully meet the 
President's funding request for the Women, Infants, and Children's 
Program.
  According to the nonpartisan Center on Budget and Public Priorities, 
180,000 participants will be cut off from this vital nutrition program 
by this September as a result of Republican actions. Even though the 
General Accounting Office has reported that each dollar invested in the 
prenatal component of WIC averts over $3.5 of Medicaid and other 
spending, Republicans felt that this prevention program did not warrant 
their full support.
  Last week's vote on the Committee on Appropriations sends the wrong 
message to the American people. We should be working to ensure that our 
children are healthy and expand insurance options instead of rejecting 
proven preventive programs. Maybe the Republican leaders will surprise 
us by passing children's health care legislation through the committee 
process before Mother's Day. Democrats are waiting for Republican 
leaders to join us in helping our Nation's children.

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