[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 38 (Tuesday, March 6, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H2171]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 SCHIP

  (Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak about 
the immediate crisis in Georgia's PeachCare program.
  Georgia's SCHIP program is expected to have $131 million in shortfall 
this fiscal year. This shortfall has forced the Georgia Department of 
Community Health to announce that by March 11, in only 5 days, it will 
no longer accept new enrollees. This means that by next week nearly 
300,000 children in Georgia will remain uninsured and unable to 
participate in this hugely successful program.
  The leadership in the Georgia General Assembly seems to think that 
eliminating some children from the program will help resolve the 
PeachCare crisis. The Governor has so far not stated publicly that he 
will use available State money to sustain PeachCare during this 
shortfall crisis. And Congress, for its part, has been unable to act 
quickly enough to appropriate the funds that Georgia and the other 13 
shortfall States need.
  The Georgia General Assembly, the Governor, and the Congress must act 
immediately to save the PeachCare program. Georgia must continue to 
provide health care to children who are currently enrolled in the 
PeachCare program and to all of those children who are eligible for the 
program.
  Long live the Dixie Chicks.




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