[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 66 (Tuesday, April 24, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H4034]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  2015
                     AMERICANS WITHOUT HEALTH CARE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Schwartz) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. SCHWARTZ. Mr. Speaker, the United States is the world's leading, 
industrial Nation. We are the wealthiest Nation in the world, and we 
are a country at the cutting edge of medicine and health care, leading 
the world in discovery of new medicines, treatments and methods of 
care.
  Yet we are a Nation that, despite spending the most per capita on 
health care, has some of the highest rates of infant mortality, the 
lowest rates of life expectancy, and the highest proportion of 
uninsured, when compared to other industrialized nations. We are a 
Nation where nearly 45 million Americans do not have health insurance. 
We are a Nation where over one-half of all uninsured are adults working 
full time, and we are a Nation where 9 million children are without 
health coverage.
  Too many Americans, too many hardworking families, too many children, 
are without care and they are suffering the consequences. Democrats 
believe something must be done, and Democrats will lead our Nation in a 
new direction. We have solutions to drive down the cost of care. We 
have a plan to expand health coverage opportunities for working 
families, for small businesses, and for the self-employed. We 
understand that we must provide Americans with access to affordable 
health care, and we will start with America's children.
  America's uninsured children are twice as likely to forego needed 
care. They are more likely to use costly emergency services for routine 
care, and they are more likely to miss school and to underperform, 
compared to their peers who have health coverage. America's uninsured 
children come from working families. Six million children have at least 
one parent who works full time.
  America's population of uninsured children is growing. Last year, for 
the first time since 1998, the number of uninsured children in our 
country has increased. This trend is alarming, it is unacceptable, and 
it cannot continue.
  That is why Democrats are committed to continuing and expanding the 
State Children's Health Insurance Program, which is commonly known as 
SCHIP, by reauthorizing this initiative and dedicating an additional 
$50 billion over the next 5 years so that we can expand coverage to 
qualified families. This is a significant and wise investment, and it 
demonstrates that we as a Nation understand why health coverage matters 
for families, for the healthy development of children, and for the 
continued economic competitiveness of our Nation.
  More than 14 years ago, the Pennsylvania State legislature enacted 
legislation establishing one of the Nation's first state-supported 
public/private children's health insurance initiatives for children of 
working families. I authored this proposal and I championed its 
enactment. This is one of my proudest accomplishments in my years of 
public service. I am proud of this effort not only because it led to a 
dramatic increase in the access to care for Pennsylvania's children, 
but also because it inspired Federal action.
  Five years after Pennsylvania enacted its CHIP program, the U.S. 
Congress recognized that providing America's children health coverage 
is one of the most cost-effective worthwhile investments we can use as 
a Nation. So using Pennsylvania's law as a model, we enacted SCHIP. 
SCHIP has been an unqualified success, which is why the Democratic-led 
Congress wants to significantly strengthen it, and Governors like Ed 
Rendell of Pennsylvania want to expand it. Unfortunately, President 
Bush does not.
  The President's budget did not include funding to even maintain 
coverage for those children already enrolled in SCHIP. It would also 
severely restrict those children who qualify for SCHIP. At a time when 
there is broad bipartisan support for moving forward and expanding our 
efforts to cover more children, sadly the President wants to move us 
backwards and cover fewer children.
  Mr. Speaker, every child in America deserves access to health care. 
Our children deserve access to primary doctors who will help make sure 
that they enter school healthy and ready to learn, and that their 
hardworking parents deserve the ability to afford the insurance that 
provides for their care.
  We have a plan to insure all of America's children. I look forward to 
working with my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans alike, to enact 
this top priority for this Democratic Congress and for America's 
families.

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