[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 6, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S128]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KERRY:
  S. 142. A bill to amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act 
to ensure that every uninsured child in America has health insurance 
coverage, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Finance.
  MR. KERRY. Mr. President, today I am introducing the Kids Come First 
Act, legislation to ensure every child in America has access to health 
care coverage. The Kids Come First Act is the first bill I am 
introducing in the 111th Congress because I believe that insuring all 
children must be at the top of the agenda this Congress.
  Long-term health care reform is vital, but we must also do all that 
we can now to make sure our children have access to health care. That 
is why I have incorporated the Small Business Children's Health 
Education Act as part of Kids First this Congress.
  The 111th Congress faces many challenges, from the economic situation 
at home to the continuing conflicts in the Middle East. But perhaps no 
issue bears more directly on the lives of more Americans than health 
care reform. Today, nearly 46 million Americans are uninsured, 
including 11 million children. Health care has become a slow-motion 
disaster that is ruining lives and bankrupting families all over the 
country. We cannot stand by as the ranks of the uninsured rise and 
American families find themselves in peril.
  Children from low income households are three times as likely to be 
uninsured and more than 60 percent of uninsured children have at least 
one parent working full time. As we continue to face uncertain economic 
times we must do more for the children of this country who lack health 
coverage. Too many families are struggling with how to make ends meet. 
This is the time to take one worry off their plate and make health 
insurance available for all children.
  The Kids Come First Act calls for a Federal-State partnership to 
mandate health coverage to every child in America. The proposal makes 
states an offer they can't refuse. The Federal Government will pay for 
the most expensive part: enrolling all low-income children in Medicaid, 
automatically. In return, the States will pay to expand coverage to 
higher income children. Under this legislation, States will save more 
than $6 billion a year, and every child will have access to healthcare.
  I think it is unacceptable that in the greatest country in the world, 
millions of children are denied access to the health care they need. 
The Kids Come First Act expands health care coverage for children up to 
the age of 21. Through expanding the programs that work, such as 
Medicaid and SCHIP, we can cover every uninsured child.
  Insuring children improves their health and helps families cover the 
spiraling costs of medical care. Covering all kids will help reduce 
avoidable hospitalizations by 22 percent and replace expensive critical 
care with inexpensive preventative care. Also, when children get the 
medical attention they need, they do better in school.
  To pay for the expansion of health insurance for children, the Kids 
Come First Act includes a provision that provides the Secretary of 
Treasury with the authority to raise the highest income tax rate of 35 
percent to a rate not higher than 39.6 percent in order to offset the 
costs. Prior to the enactment of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief 
Reconciliation Act of 2001, the top marginal rate was 39.6 percent. 
Less than one percent of taxpayers pay the top rate and for 2009, this 
rate only affects individuals with income above $372,950.
  In addition to expanding access to health insurance, we need to 
improve enrollment of eligible children. In February 2007, the Urban 
Institute reported that among those eligible for the State Children's 
Health Insurance Program, children whose families are self-employed or 
who work for small business concerns are far less likely to be 
enrolled. Specifically, one out of every four eligible children with 
parents working for a small business or are self-employed are not 
currently enrolled. This compares with just 1 out of every 10 eligible 
children whose parents work for a large firm.
  We need to do a better job of informing and educating America's small 
business owners and employees of the options that may be available for 
covering uninsured children. To that effect, the Kids Come First Act 
includes a provision that creates an intergovernmental task force, 
consisting of the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Labor and 
the Secretary of Treasury, to conduct a campaign to enroll kids of 
small business employees who are eligible for SCHIP and Medicaid but 
are not currently enrolled. To educate America's small businesses on 
the availability of SCHIP and Medicaid, the task force will make use of 
the Small Business Administration's business partners, including the 
Service Corps of Retired Executives, the Small Business Development 
Centers, Certified Development Companies, and Women's Business Centers, 
and with chambers of commerce across the country.
  Additionally, the Small Business Administration is directed to post 
SCHIP and Medicaid eligibility criteria and enrollment information on 
its website, and to report back to the Senate and House Committees on 
Small Business regarding the status and successes of the task force's 
efforts to enroll eligible kids.
  Health care for our children is a top priority that we must address. 
I believe it can be done in a fiscally responsible manner. We must 
invest our resources in our future by improving health care for 
children.
  Since I first introduced the Kids Come First Act in the 109th 
Congress, more than 500,000 people have shown their support for the 
bill by becoming Citizen Cosponsors and another 20,000 Americans called 
into our ``Give Voices to Our Values'' hotline to share their personal 
stories.
  It is clear that providing health care coverage for our uninsured 
children is a priority for our nation's workers, businesses, and health 
care community. They know, as I do, that further delay only results in 
graver health problems for America's children. Their future, and ours, 
depends on us doing better. I urge my colleagues to support and help 
enact the Kids Come First Act during this Congress.
                                 ______