[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 27262]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




HOUSE REPUBLICANS HAVE TWO CHIP PLANS BEFORE THEM--THEY HAVE TO DECIDE 
                               THIS WEEK

  (Mr. SIRES asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. SIRES. Madam Speaker, this week, Republicans must decide if 
they're going to support a bipartisan bill that provides health care 
for 4 million more children or if they're going to back a Bush 
administration plan that will leave 800,000 more children uninsured.
  Today, the Children's Health Insurance Program ensures that 6 million 
children have access to private health insurance.
  Earlier this year, President Bush proposed increasing CHIP funding by 
$5 billion over the next 5 years. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget 
Office concluded that this plan will result in 800,000 children losing 
their health coverage.
  The President's proposal is unacceptable to many of us. Our 
bipartisan compromise bill allows us not only to insure all the 
children currently in this program, but also allows us to cover an 
additional 4 million children who are already eligible but not enrolled 
in CHIP.
  Madam Speaker, House Republicans have a decision to make. I hope they 
stand up for 10 million children to help us override the President's 
veto.

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