[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 663]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          SCHIP VETO OVERRIDE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Arizona (Ms. Giffords) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. GIFFORDS. Madam Speaker, I am speaking out today in strong 
opposition of the President's veto of the KidsCare bill, also known as 
SCHIP here in Washington. I am profoundly disappointed that we were not 
able today to override the President's veto.
  In the State of Arizona, there are over 264,000 children that 
currently do not have health insurance. That's about one out of every 
five kids. Across the country, it's estimated that over 1 million 
children do not have health insurance.
  I am deeply concerned, in addition, because of the slowing of the 
economy, about the fact that we're going to see unemployment rates 
increase. And just last week, the Joint Economic Committee came out and 
stated that ``worsening economic conditions will likely create 
substantial increases in demands in States' Medicaid and Children's 
Health Insurance Programs.''
  The JEC specifically linked employment woes to demands for programs 
like KidsCare. Nationwide, they projected that between 700,000 and 1.1 
million children per year will be added to the enrollment numbers for 
Medicaid and SCHIP due to the slowdown in the economy. That makes 
acting to ensure a strong SCHIP or KidsCare program in Arizona and 
across the country absolutely critical, but it also reveals how out of 
touch the President is and how willing he is not just to disregard our 
children, but to disregard the future of our Nation.
  As the universal health care debate continues, there should be no 
debate about health care for kids. Kids can't work; kids can't afford 
to pay health insurance premiums, and that's why I'd like to thank the 
259 colleagues on both sides of the aisle for voting today to 
reauthorize KidsCare.
  Democrats and Republicans alike must stay united for the children of 
our country. We are their representatives; we are their voices, and we 
must speak out for them. That is precisely why I am speaking here 
today. It is why I will continue to speak out here in Washington and 
back home in Arizona and why I am not alone. I am joined by thousands 
and thousands of voices across southern Arizona in calling for Congress 
and the President to fully reauthorize KidsCare.
  In this economic climate, we must not fail to recognize health care 
as one of the most costly economic challenges confronting businesses, 
confronting families, and confronting the children of our country.

                          ____________________