[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 17]
[House]
[Page 23645]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1015
                   CHILDREN DESERVE HEALTH INSURANCE

  (Mr. BRALEY of Iowa asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, it is getting harder for American 
families to make ends meet, especially when it comes to the rising cost 
of health insurance.
  New census data shows that the number of Americans without health 
insurance nationwide rose by nearly 2 million in 2006. In addition, the 
number of children without health insurance grew by 700,000 to nearly 
8.7 million children. These new numbers mean that one in nine American 
kids don't have health insurance, including 22 percent of Hispanic 
children and 14 percent of African American children.
  These numbers are appalling for a Nation as wealthy as ours. That is 
why the Democratic Congress passed the CHAMP Act; to reauthorize the 
Children's Health Insurance Program for 6 million children and to 
provide 5 million more children with health insurance, covering a total 
of 11 million children. But President Bush has threatened to veto this 
critical bill, despite strong bipartisan support among Congress and 
Governors.
  Mr. Speaker, these new census numbers can't be ignored. It is time to 
stop playing politics with children's health insurance. It is time for 
the President to support and sign the CHAMP Act.

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