Children's Health Care Delivered To America's Kids
Click here to watch Congresswoman DeGette deliver her floor statement on the children's health program.
This program will provide health care to 11 million childrennationwide. It will preserve coverage for 84,649 children currently inthe program and is expected to offer new health care coverage to 62,900low-income children throughout Colorado. This bipartisan bill is fullypaid for.
Below are her remarks as prepared for delivery:
"We will pass this bill today, and we will pass this bill for millionsof women like Susan Molina, who are trying to work and support theirchildren and do the right thing for them.
"Susan is a single mother in my district. Her abusive husband left herand she has struggled to work and pay for health insurance for her twochildren as she worked tirelessly to move from a janitor to anapartment manager position.
"In 2006 Susan's two children lost the health insurance under CHIPbecause her new job paid just slightly more than 200% of poverty level.
"Susan tried to work her way up to be a responsible member of society.Eventually she got her children in SCHIP and they had health care andshe could work. But then, as she testified to Congress – to ourcommittee, she lost her SCHIP coverage and felt like a failure as a mom.
"She was working, she was in school trying to get her GED, but shestill had to take her kids to the emergency room when they got an earinfection.
"Frankly, madam speaker, it's about time that the most civilizedcountry in the world gave health care coverage to all of its children."
On President Obama signing the bill:
"I look forward to joining President Obama as hesigns this important piece of legislation into law. For too long,millions of low-income children were denied the opportunity for healthcare. I am committed to finding ways to provide and improve access tohealth care for children in Colorado and nationwide."