[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 52 (Wednesday, April 14, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S2290]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                TRICARE DEPENDENT COVERAGE EXTENSION ACT

  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise to speak in favor of the TRICARE 
Dependent Coverage Extension Act.
  Last month, President Obama signed the health care reform bill into 
law. It was a historic day. For the first time in American history we 
committed to ending the abuses of the insurance industry. We committed 
to covering every single American. It extends the solvency of Medicare 
for nearly a decade. It ends the punitive practices of insurance 
companies that deny coverage based on gender, age, or race. It expands 
universal coverage to 32 million Americans who have been without 
insurance. And we pay for it with an emphasis on wellness and quality. 
We say goodbye to quantity medicine by emphasizing quality medicine. It 
was a very big deal. But there is more to do.
  I voted for health care reform because I listened to the people of 
Maryland at diners and in the grocery store, at roundtables, tele-town 
halls, in hearings, and in letters and emails. Time and again I heard, 
``Save my Medicare.'' I heard, ``Don't take my mammograms away.'' I 
heard, ``They turned me down for health insurance because I had a C-
Section.'' I voted for health care reform because I listened to the 
stories of the people. I know that the best ideas come from the people.
  Over the recess I heard from another group in Maryland. I met with my 
wonderful Veterans Advisory Board. They represent Vets from World War 
Two to Desert Storm. They are my eyes and ears in the veterans' 
community. One of my board asked me a question. He said, ``We think 
health care reform is great but we think there is a problem.'' The part 
of the health care bill that extends parents' health insurance to kids 
age 26 and younger left out military families. I promised him that if 
there was a problem, that I would fix it! Wow was he right. Military 
families in the TRICARE system were left out.
  TRICARE is a critical benefit for our military and their families. It 
covers active duty military, retired military, Coast Guard, National 
Guard and Reservist in a certain status, and the uniform corps of the 
Public Health Service and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric 
Administration. They were all left out. That is why I am here today--to 
right this wrong.
  I am proud to join Senator Udall and my colleagues in introducing the 
TRICARE Dependent Coverage Extension Act. This bill says that if 
military children can't get insurance through an employer that their 
parents can keep them on their TRICARE insurance until they reach age 
of 26. This is the right thing to do. If the kids of a hedge fund 
manager can stay on their parents' health care until they are 26, then 
kids in military families should be able to be covered to age 26 too.
  I am so proud of the men and women of our military. I stand here 
today saluting them for their honor, courage, and commitment to our 
country. Make no mistake. I have my marching orders. I commit to making 
this right for them. I will fight to see this bill signed into law. 
Because promises made must be promises kept.

                          ____________________