[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 9 (Thursday, January 15, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E94-E95]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2009

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 14, 2009

  Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, today I rise in support of the Children's 
Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act. This is a landmark 
measure which will extend the life-changing benefit of health insurance 
to an additional 4 million American children. That means millions of 
parents won't have to bring their child to the emergency room because 
they're running a fever and have nowhere else to go. Millions of 
parents who can take their child to a dentist if their teeth hurt. 
Millions of parents who can take care of their children in a way most 
families take for granted--that when they're sick, they can go to the 
doctor.
  SCHIP has been an incredible success story, extending the benefits of 
health care to 7 million children, and more than 750,000 in California 
alone. These are children whose families have incomes that are too high 
to qualify for Medicaid but who do not receive health insurance through 
their employment and can't afford it on their own. SCHIP is based on a 
simple premise--that insuring kids' health care is the right thing to 
do. It's much cheaper to insure children, and this investment will 
yield healthier generations of adults, improved quality of life, and 
long-term health care savings. The experience of the 11 years since 
SCHIP was originally created proves the wisdom and prudence of 
providing care for prevention and wellness in our children.
  In addition to reauthorizing the program, this bill improves SCHIP by 
creating new incentives to seek out millions of children around the 
nation who are eligible but not enrolled. Two-thirds of uninsured 
children are currently eligible for coverage through SCHIP or 
Medicaid--this bill provides greater funding in grants for new outreach 
activities to States, local governments, schools, community-based 
organizations, and others. With this bill, more kids who are eligible 
will get enrolled and stay enrolled for a benefit that they are 
entitled.
  The legislation is fully paid for by an increase in the tax on 
cigarettes--a provision that I hope will also help discourage youth 
smoking.
  During these trying economic times, and with rising unemployment, the 
need for this SCHIP bill has become more critical now than ever before. 
This recession has forced more and more American parents to face 
difficult choices--finding affordable health insurance for their 
children shouldn't be one of them.
  A vote for this bill is a vote for an America that takes care of its 
children. In the richest nation in the history of the world, it is 
simply

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wrong that millions of children, our most vulnerable citizens, go 
without basic access to health care. With a yes vote, 4 million more 
children will enjoy the benefits of a healthy future and a real chance 
in life. I urge a ``yes'' vote.

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