[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15402]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          CHIP AND CHC PROGRAM

  (Ms. BONAMICI asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge swift reauthorization 
of the Children's Health Insurance Program and the Community Health 
Center Program. CHIP keeps kids covered by providing basic healthcare 
to about 9 million children and pregnant mothers, including thousands 
of Oregonians.
  The providers and families in our States deserve certainty that that 
funding for these programs will be there when they need it. The lapse 
of these programs is already hurting our constituents and our 
communities.
  At Virginia Garcia, a teaching health center in my district, payments 
for their residency program stopped abruptly. The clinic's executive 
director said that they cannot, in good conscience, stop these 
residencies, but they are very nervous about spending precious reserves 
when they had anticipated these grants would be fully funded.
  There is no excuse for delay when it comes to the health of our 
children and families. We must continue commonsense investments in our 
Nation's health by reauthorizing the Children's Health Insurance 
Program and the Community Health Center Program immediately.

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