Child Health Crisis

Expect congressional leaders to continue the fight for the program’s expansion

January 23, 2008 CBNNews.com - "For the second time in three months, the House failed Wednesday to override President Bush's veto of a children's health insurance program."

WASHINGTON (AACAP) - "Throughout the fall, lawmakers continued to meet and negotiate on the terms of a long-term reauthorization. SCHIP officially expired September 30 and continued to operate through continuing resolutions, the last of which expired December 14. On December 19th Congress passed a bill that the President is expected to sign that will continue the SCHIP program in its current form until March of 2009. Despite their failure to expand the program to cover 10 million children, some expect congressional leaders to continue the fight for the program’s expansion through the early part of 2008."

Background:
SCHIP covers approximately 6 million low income children whose families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid and those who are either not offered or cannot afford private coverage. The House and Senate passed legislation multiple times to reauthorize SCHIP and boost funding for the program by $35 billion over five years.

"The president is deluding himself if he doesn't think this veto will hurt millions of children," said Rep. Frank Pallone, a New Jersey Democrat.

Please contact your Representative and urge them to support this important legislation. If they did support the bill, then thank them for their support of children.

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Children's Health Insurance Crisis

Expect congressional leaders to continue the fight for the program’s expansion

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