[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 16]
[House]
[Page 22157]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               STRENGTHENING THE SUCCESSFUL SCHIP PROGRAM

  (Mr. PAYNE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, as the House prepares to vote on the Child 
Health and Medicare Protection Act, known as the CHAMP Act, later 
today, I think it is important to refute some of the misleading talking 
points that Republicans are seizing on as they oppose this health 
insurance for millions of American children.
  First, Republicans claim that by strengthening the State Children's 
Health Insurance Program, known as SCHIP, we are advancing ``government 
doctors,'' advancing ``government health plans.''
  This could be no further from the truth. Government does not deliver 
SCHIP services. Instead, it is private doctors and private health plans 
through private insurance. This program is operated successfully in my 
State of New Jersey and around the Nation.
  Second, Republicans say that we are trying to expand the program to 
reach middle-income families. Again, that is false. We are not 
expanding the program. Today, 5 million children are eligible for SCHIP 
but are not enrolled. We are strengthening the program so that we can 
reach almost all of these children, the vast majority of whom come from 
low-income families.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to pass this bill.

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