[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 153 (Wednesday, October 10, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H11399]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             SCHIP OVERRIDE

  (Mr. PASCRELL asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. PASCRELL. It's time, Mr. Speaker, for truth in advertising to 
correct some of the misinformation being used to justify President 
Bush's inexplicable veto of the children's health care bill.
  The bipartisan Children's Health Care Program reauthorization does 
not expand the Children's Health Insurance Program; it maintains 
current law. The agreement is targeted towards State needs. Responsible 
spending to cover low-income children is incentivized in the bill.
  The belief that SCHIP will lead to socialized medicine is nothing 
more than a red herring. The fact is that the bipartisan compromise 
combines the best of public and private approaches to provide health 
coverage for children.
  Now for the biggest lie: Those siding with President Bush's claim 
that the agreement provides health coverage to illegal immigrant 
children are also wrong. Undocumented immigrants, illegal immigrants, 
have never been eligible for Medicaid or SCHIP. Read the bill. Read the 
law.
  The bipartisan agreement requires proof of citizenship before 
enrollment in SCHIP, similar to requirements for the Medicare program. 
Get it right, tell the truth to the American people, and get on with 
it.

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