[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 10281]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   DEMOCRATS REFUSE TO IGNORE THE NEEDS OF THE UNINSURED AND LOOK TO 
                       EXPAND SCHIP FOR CHILDREN

  (Mr. SIRES asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. SIRES. Madam Speaker, this week is Cover the Uninsured Week. This 
year's focus centers on expanding health care coverage for America's 
children.
  For 6 years, President Bush and the Republican Congress ignored our 
Nation's health care crisis. As a result, the number of uninsured 
increased by 7 million, to 47 million Americans; 9 million of them are 
children.
  Studies show us that a child's health can be greatly improved if they 
have health care coverage. Children with access to health care are 
better prepared to learn in school and are better prepared to succeed 
in life.
  The new Democratic Congress refuses to ignore America's uninsured, 
and that is why we passed a budget last month that provides a 
significant increase in funding of the SCHIP program. The $50 billion 
increase in funding over the next 5 years would allow us to provide 
health care to millions of children who are currently uninsured.

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