[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 9 (Tuesday, January 22, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H378]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          SCHIP VETO OVERRIDE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, a new report by the Joint 
Economic Committee shows that a million more children a year may need 
public health insurance due to worsening economic conditions, even 
apart from the growing trend in public coverage.
  If history is any guide, an economic downturn will lead to 
substantial increases in the demand for children's health and Medicaid, 
including some 70,000 additional children in each year of a downturn in 
my home State of New York.
  Yet the administration is proposing a range of cutbacks to these 
programs that will make the problem even more severe. And State budgets 
are already strained by the weak national economy and the growing 
housing crisis.
  This is a perfect economic storm that can be avoided if Congress 
votes today or tomorrow to override the President's veto of legislation 
that would bring health care to 10 million children in need.
  Over the next 5 years, our bill would preserve coverage for the more 
than 6 million children currently covered by children's health care and 
extend coverage to nearly 4 million children who are currently 
uninsured. Overriding the President's veto of SCHIP reauthorization 
would guarantee sufficient funding levels for the Children's Health 
Program to serve future enrollment needs. Additional Medicaid 
assistance to the States would also provide shelter from the coming 
economic storm. Increasing the Federal Medicaid match percentage to the 
States as part of a stimulus package would help ease the blow of the 
economic slowdown on our children, families, and States.
  I urge my colleagues to override the President's veto of children's 
health care tomorrow.

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