[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 18]
[House]
[Page 25554]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               FUNDING FOR SCHIP VERSUS FUNDING FOR IRAQ

  (Mr. CARNAHAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CARNAHAN. Madam Speaker, yesterday this House made the historic 
step of reauthorizing the Children's Health Insurance Program, known as 
SCHIP, so we can give 10 million low-income children health care. This 
plan not only ensures current enrollees do not lose coverage, but it 
will help cover 3 million additional children in low-income families 
who are currently eligible for the program but not yet enrolled.
  Unfortunately, President Bush has threatened to veto the bill over 
and over. He instead supports his own plan which would actually result 
in thousands of low-income kids losing their health care coverage, 
according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
  It is also important to mention that the plan we passed is fully paid 
for. This is in stark contrast to the over $400 billion that the 
President has already asked the taxpayers to spend in Iraq. In fact, 
for the cost of just over 3 months in Iraq, we could insure these 10 
million children for 5 years without adding to our Nation's debt.
  Madam Speaker, it is time for the President to reconsider his ill-
advised veto threat and pledge to protect health coverage for America's 
children in need.

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