[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 150 (Thursday, October 4, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S12766]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                                 SCHIP

  Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to talk about a 
program that is important to me and to the low-income children in this 
country: the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
  I am a strong supporter of the State Children's Health Insurance 
Program, and want the program to cover all uninsured, lower income 
children. I fully support a reauthorization of this program, but I also 
support the President's decision to veto the flawed SCHIP bill sent to 
him by Congress.
  The SCHIP legislation that was vetoed by the President yesterday 
includes frivolous spending, expands coverage to children already 
covered by private insurance and neglects the original intent of the 
program--to provide health coverage for low-income children. While I 
support the reauthorization of SCHIP, I do not support legislation that 
expands the program and serves as an initial step towards government-
run health care.
  The State Children's Health Insurance Program works! It has enrolled 
low-income eligible children in a health coverage program to ensure 
that they have adequate access to coverage and services. While the 
program is certainly a success, there are some oversights that need to 
be addressed. Congress has been given the opportunity to tackle these 
issues with the reauthorization of the program. In Colorado we have yet 
to enroll all of the currently eligible children of low-income families 
into the SCHIP program. We should focus our attention on enrolling 
these children instead of fighting over an expansion of the program. 
Expanding eligibility requirements would only make it harder for the 
neediest children in Colorado, and the Nation, to receive coverage.
  I am a strong supporter of the State Children's Health Insurance 
Program, and want the program to cover all uninsured, lower income 
children. I support giving Americans the opportunity to access health 
care, and giving them the ability to purchase affordable suitable 
private coverage. I support the effort by many Members of this body to 
spend in a fiscally responsible way, without increasing taxes or using 
budget gimmicks. More importantly, I support putting children first.
  The State Children's Health Insurance Program was put in place to 
cover low-income children who would otherwise not have access to health 
coverage. The SCHIP agreement that passed the House and Senate not only 
disregards the original intent of the program, but also reauthorizes 
the program in a fiscally irresponsible manner that will end up costing 
the taxpayers $12.5 billion in the final year of the authorization. For 
example, the revenue source for the reauthorization is being sold as a 
tax increase on cigarettes which is expected to reduce the number of 
people smoking, but this is an unstable revenue source. I don't agree 
with paying for a program as important as the State Children's Health 
Insurance Program with an unsustainable income.
  The State Children's Health Insurance Program can be reauthorized in 
a way that increases the number of enrolled children who are currently 
eligible for the program. While I oppose the expansion of the program, 
I do not oppose reauthorization and therefore I am cosponsoring the 
SCHIP Extension Act of 2007, S. 2086, which will fully fund the current 
program for 18 months, and give Congress more time to discuss the best 
way to reauthorize the program. SCHIP was scheduled to expire on 
September 30 and it is imperative that Congress reauthorize the current 
program to ensure that children of lower income families still receive 
health coverage. I will also be cosponsoring the Kids First Act, as an 
alternative proposal for the reauthorization of the SCHIP program.

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