[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 126 (Thursday, August 2, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H9549]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CHAMP ACT AND DEMOCRATIC EFFORTS TO ENSURE MORE CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO 
                            HEALTH INSURANCE

  (Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the House approved the 
CHAMP Act, a comprehensive health care bill that sustains and 
strengthens both the Children's Health Insurance Program and Medicare. 
In one bill, we are insuring quality health care coverage for America's 
seniors and children.
  Under the CHAMP Act, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office 
estimates that 5 million children will gain health care coverage 
through the SCHIP program. Any time when the number of uninsured 
children is increasing, Congress should do everything in its power to 
provide health care services to more children.
  The CHAMP Act strengthens the CHIP program so that we finally reach 
nearly every child who is eligible for health insurance. The CHAMP Act 
will also take care of seniors by protecting Medicare beneficiaries' 
access to their physicians, providing new preventive benefits, 
expanding programs, and assisting low-income seniors with out-of-pocket 
costs, and protecting rural communities' access to health care.
  Mr. Speaker, by supporting the CHAMP Act, this House showed its 
commitment to assist this Nation's two most vulnerable groups, our 
children and our seniors.

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