Children's Health Bill Vital

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), Vice Chair of theCommittee on Energy and Commerce, spoke on the House floor today insupport of H.R. 2, the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA),which would provide new health care coverage for 4.1 million low-incomechildren, covering a total of over 11 million children nationwide.Nearly 85,000 children in Colorado are currently enrolled in thechildren's health program, and under this measure, additional kids whoare eligible will have access to the program. The measure passed withstrong bipartisan support on a vote of 289 to 139, and now moves to theSenate for its consideration. The children's health care program isexpected to be one of President-elect Obama's first pieces oflegislation signed into law.

Click here to watch Congresswoman DeGette deliver her floor statement.

Below are her remarks on the House floor as prepared for delivery:

"Six million children in this country who are eligible for SCHIP andMedicaid do not have health insurance. These children's parents workbut they cannot afford to ensure that their children have well childcare and have to resort to the emergency room for the most basicservices like treatment like an ear infection – this is wrong.

"Today's bill will help these families, but with a number of changesthat will vastly improve the legislation. It allows states to givecoverage to pregnant women and people who are here legally andpreserves simplified outreach and enrollment procedures. Madam Speaker,in the face of the current economic downturn, it is even more vitalthat we enact this bill. Sharp increases in unemployment are adding tothe ranks of  the uninsured, while at the same time, state budgets areshrinking and the safety-net is struggling to meet this increaseddemand.

"We need to provide this care for our kids because in the mostcivilized country in the world, no child should go without health care."

For a summary of the bill, please click here.