[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 15 (Monday, January 26, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S797-S798]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, in the last Congress, the Senate passed an 
extension of the Children's Health Insurance Program with an 
overwhelming majority of 69 votes. In a Congress too often marred by 
partisan divide, this strong vote last session in favor of healthy 
children briefly stood as a bright example of the good that comes from 
Government--putting people ahead of politics.
  Regrettably, President Bush chose to veto our bipartisan children's 
health legislation and because of a few too many loyal House 
Republicans in a narrowly divided House, that veto was upheld.
  In Nevada, low-income families have been forced to put their children 
on waiting lists for future health coverage. In the year and a half 
since the veto, millions of children have been shut out of regular 
checkups, medicine, and hospital trips.
  From coast to coast, more than 4 million children who would have been 
covered if our legislation had passed are not getting regular checkups 
or the care they need when they get sick.
  Jeopardizing the health of American children is not a political 
victory for anyone. It is a loss for everyone, and it is long past time 
we corrected it.
  This week, we have the chance, beginning tonight, to keep our promise 
to America's children by passing a new Children's Health Insurance 
Program. With the support of Democrats and Republicans in Congress and 
a new President in the White House poised to sign this bill into law, 
we can ensure that more low-income families can provide their children 
with the medical care they need to grow up strong and healthy.
  Our legislation give States the resources and ability to insure an 
additional 4 million children. Our legislation covers the lowest income 
children first by giving States new tools to enroll uninsured children 
who qualify for Medicaid and rewarding States for successful 
enrollments in the Children's Health Insurance Program.
  Our legislation doesn't just provide more children with health care 
but also improves the quality of care they receive.
  In Nevada and across America, the number of uninsured children is 
rising. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that for every 1-point 
rise in our

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national unemployment rate, 700,000 more children join the ranks of the 
uninsured. In Nevada and across America, the number of uninsured is 
rising every day. The number of uninsured children is rising every day, 
which makes it seem so unbearable for America to have so many uninsured 
children. The number of children who are not getting checkups, 
medicine, and emergency care is rising every day.
  This week, the Senate will engage in an open, fair, and lively debate 
on this critical legislation. There will surely be points where 
Republicans and Democrats disagree on specifics. Democrats would have 
written this legislation to cover more children, but we compromised to 
create a bill Republicans would support.
  Republicans may raise points of concern during the debate, and 
Democrats will consider their differing views. But during this debate, 
we should remember that the overwhelming majority of Democrats and 
Republicans agree on the fundamentals of this legislation.
  I look forward to a productive debate, and I look forward to 
President Obama signing into law an extension of the Children's Health 
Insurance Program that will allow children of Nevada and all 50 States 
to get the care they need and deserve.

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