[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 144 (Wednesday, September 26, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1985]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. KEITH ELLISON

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 25, 2007

  Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the SCHIP 
bill that will provide millions of children in America with health 
coverage. The bill passed Tuesday, 265-159.
  The bi-partisan compromise will include $35 billion more for the 
SCHIP program allowing Congress to cover 4 million more additional 
children, bringing the total number of children covered to 10 million. 
Next year alone, this new SCHIP bill will provide Minnesota with $50 
million in additional dollars to help insure Minnesota's children.
  This compromise reauthorizing SCHIP is supported by 43 Governors, 16 
of them Republican, including Republican Governors Arnold 
Schwarzenegger and my home state Governor Tim Pawlenty.
  But unfortunately, Madam Speaker, it has been widely reported that 
the President has promised to veto this bill to provide children with 
health care.
  Last February, I spoke on the floor of the House to criticize the 
budget cuts contained in the President's budget. Like the budget, we 
could easily look at the SCHIP bill and say, this is all about numbers, 
it is just a plan and it is an impersonal thing. But, in fact, Madam 
Speaker, this bill is a moral statement about who matters in our 
society.
  This bill is a reflection of our own humanity. It talks about who 
counts, who doesn't, who matters, who doesn't, and what are our 
priorities.
  As the late Senator and former Vice President Hubert Humphrey from my 
State of Minnesota stated so eloquently:
  ``The moral test of any government is how it treats those in the dawn 
of life, the children; those in the dusk of life, the elderly; and 
those in the shadow of life, the disadvantaged.''
  The SCHIP bill brought to the House floor today clearly shows the 
priorities of this Congress.
  We are for children having access to health insurance.
  We are for providing health care for 4 million additional children.
  We are for families not having to worry about the health care for 
their children.
  This SCHIP bill is a clear measure that Congress values the 
hardworking energy, the blood, sweat and tears of Minnesotans or 
Americans.
  Mr. President, let's not play politics with the health care of our 
nation's children. Step up to plate and truly leave no children behind 
by signing this SCHIP bill into law.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  On Page E1985, September 26, 2007, the following appeared: . . . 
signing this SCRIP bill into law.
  
  The online version should be corrected to read: . . . signing 
this SCHIP bill into law.


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