[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 10 (Friday, January 16, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E107-E108]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2009

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                               speech of

                          HON. JOHN M. McHUGH

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 14, 2009

  Mr. McHUGH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2, the 
Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009. Given 
the importance of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) 
to my constituents, I am pleased that the House is working to extend 
SCHIP through Fiscal Year 2013.
  Every bill that works its way through Congress has provisions that 
are less than ideal and this bill is no exception. Clearly, if given 
the opportunity, I would write much of this bill in a different way. 
That opportunity, of course, will not materialize.
  However, accessibility to quality health care is one of the great 
challenges we face as a Nation. It is a particularly acute problem in 
Northern and Central New York, which I have the privilege of 
representing. According to one source, there are currently over 400,000 
children without health insurance in New York State.
  The importance of the SCHIP program to my district is hard to 
overstate. In fact, nearly 20,000 children in the 11 counties I 
represent are currently enrolled in the Child Health Plus as the SCHIP 
program is known in New York State.
  The bill before the House today would strengthen and expand the SCHIP 
program by providing an additional $35 billion over the next four and a 
half years. As a result of this increase in funding, an additional 4 
million children--267,000 in New York State--are projected to be 
enrolled in the program, thereby ensuring that a total of 11 million 
children

[[Page E108]]

nationwide have access to health care. Thus, I will support this 
measure.

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