[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 146 (Wednesday, October 14, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H10903]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         CONGRESS FAILS TO ACT ON ISSUES AFFECTING OUR CHILDREN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Ms. Christian-Green) is recognized 
for 5 minutes.
  Ms. CHRISTIAN-GREEN. Madam Speaker, first I would like to thank my 
colleague, Mr. Pallone, for setting the record straight on the patients 
bill of rights and managed care reform. But, Madam Speaker, my desire 
to be a Member of the Congress of this United States comes chiefly from 
wanting to help create a better world for my two daughters and all 
children. That is why this Congress' failure to act on so many bills 
and issues affecting our children is so frustrating and distressing to 
me and mothers across this country.
  We talk a great deal about child abuse and neglect as a tragic crime 
that it is, but is not what the leadership of this House has failed to 
do on children's issues also child neglect? It is a sad indictment that 
the 105th Congress, even in these waning hours, still has not passed 
the President's education initiative to ensure that our children will 
have smaller classes and more teachers, safe and sound school 
buildings, the tools they need to be successful in life and the after-
school programs that are proven to reduce juvenile crime. This Congress 
has also neglected the needs of working or would-be mothers and their 
children by failing to provide safe child care and training for those 
who provide it.
  As we go back to our districts to ask our constituents to give us 
another 2 years to represent them in Congress, what will we say to 
those mothers who after we Democrats turned back more of the draconian 
measures of welfare reform began to look forward with hope for training 
and jobs so that they can have a better life for themselves and their 
children. We can only tell them that their hopes are being dashed 
because this Congress, under Republican leadership, has failed them by 
not providing the child care they need.
  Madam Speaker, the 105th Congress by not passing a real patients bill 
of rights has also failed to provide mothers with the security of 
knowing that when our children are sick or injured needed care will be 
there, that their doctors will be able to refer them to the specialists 
required or be able to make the necessary decisions to bring them back 
to good health.
  In my own District of the Virgin Islands and the other territories 
the issue of health care in children care and children comes together 
at its worst. It would be a travesty, Madam Speaker, if we were to 
adjourn continuing to shortchange the children who live in the offshore 
areas of the United States by not giving them equitable funding under 
the children's health insurance program.
  We must not go home at the end of this week leaving American children 
in the territories without health care coverage, especially when 
Medicaid in the territory is capped at levels that lock many outside of 
Medicaid's doors as well. Madam Speaker, it is un-American for any 
citizen to be treated unfairly or excluded from these basic programs 
because of where they live.
  Dr. Marian Wright Edelman reminds us that service is the rent we pay 
for being here on earth. Unfortunately my colleagues on the other side 
have not been serving our children because of their failure to bring 
these bills to the floor, so they have not been paying their rent for 
being in this Congress, and the voters of this country will send them 
an eviction notice on November 3.
  I call on all of my colleagues to start paying our rent by insuring 
that children have adequate child care, Head Start and after school 
care, that they are protected from those who would neglect and abuse 
them, that the care is put back into health care and that their schools 
return to be the centers of learning and safe haven that they once were 
and that all America's children are treated fairly.

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