[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 13 (Monday, January 28, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E83-E84]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2007--VETO 
            MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. EDWARD J. MARKEY

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 23, 2008

  Mr. MARKEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge a ``yes'' vote on 
overriding President Bush's veto of the urgently needed reauthorization 
of the Children's Health Insurance Program. Over the last several 
months, President Bush has had an opportunity to work with a bipartisan 
majority of Congress and provide health insurance to over 10 million 
low-income children. However, he decided instead to place himself on 
the wrong side of the history of health care and play politics with the 
health of American children.
  The Children's Health Insurance Program is a highly successful 
program with a proven track record that is supported by an overwhelming 
majority of the American public. We need to reauthorize and build on 
the success of this program and override this ill-timed and 
unconscionable presidential veto.
  A recent Joint Economic Committee report estimated that between 
700,000 and 1.1 million additional children will enroll in Medicaid and 
CHIP programs each year due to slowing employment growth.
  In fact, the JEC report notes, ``The association between poor 
economic conditions and children's enrollment in Medicaid/CHIP is 
large, consistent, and statistically significant.'' So what does the 
president do as working families strain to make ends meet in the face 
of a looming economic crisis? He vetoes health care for poor children! 
This is unacceptable.

[[Page E84]]

  To my Republican colleagues, who are considering how to vote on this 
bill today--given the current economic landscape, I urge you to reject 
the President's radical stand against poor, sick children and join the 
overwhelming majority of the American public who support this important 
program.
  It has been said that ``Health is the first wealth.'' Well, what does 
it say about our country when many families that work hard to make ends 
meet are forced to choose between providing health care for their 
children and putting food on the table? If we are to give low-income 
families a chance to succeed in our society, we must give them access 
to the health care that they need and deserve.
  We have known for some time that our nation has 9 million uninsured 
children, with the vast majority coming from families that cannot 
access affordable coverage. This number will only grow, as more and 
more families feel the squeeze of the increasing costs of living and 
unemployment rates.
  Sadly, most of our Republican colleagues turned their backs on these 
families by voting to sustain President Bush's veto in October. Health 
coverage for all of our Nation's children should be a priority. 
Worsening economic conditions only reinforce the need to cover children 
from low-income families, in which parents are forced to choose between 
health care and necessities like food and shelter. No parent should 
have to choose between caring for a sick child and putting food on the 
table.
  I urge an ``aye'' vote to override this veto.

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