[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 42 (Tuesday, March 10, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H3111-H3112]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              HEALTH CARE

  (Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, health care reform is an 
essential component to our Nation's economic recovery. The expansion 
and reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program 
that was passed by this Congress and signed into law by President Obama 
expands health insurance to an additional 4 million children, covering 
11 million children in all, including dental coverage and mental health 
parity.
  The $20 billion investment that we have made in health information 
technology in our Recovery and Reinvestment Act will modernize the 
health care system, saving money, reducing medical errors, improving 
quality, and creating health care jobs across all sectors.
  The recovery package's $87 billion in funding to the State Medicaid 
programs is a significant boost to our State's economy in Maryland. It 
is a budget gap filler for our State.
  And finally, the President's budget, with an over $630 billion down 
payment, prioritizes health care reform. At long last, the nearly 50 
million people without health care will finally get their health care 
for all, quality, affordable, accessible health care for all. And I 
thank the President and this Congress for their leadership on health 
care.

[[Page H3112]]



                          ____________________