Press Release

ARCURI CONTINUES FIGHT FOR CHILDREN’S HEALTH CARE

Washington, DC -- Today, U.S. Representative Michael A. Arcuri (D-Utica) voted once again for legislation to provide health care to over 10 million children nationwide, including 396,042 children currently enrolled in New York’s SCHIP program (CHPlus), and extend coverage to an additional 268,000 eligible New York children who are not enrolled.

The Democratic Majority in the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3963 a revised version of the Children’s Health Insurance bill. The Senate is expected to pass this bill next week and send it to the President.  

“Today, I proudly voted once again to give American children – nearly 19,000 children in the 24th district – access to the health care they and their families so desperately need,” said Arcuri. “It is unacceptable that in the richest country in the world there are children from working families who go without any health care at all.

“This week, I visited a local preschool and child care center in Utica, NY, that serves almost 80 children who depend on CHIPlus to stay healthy. These are children from working families, some with disabilities, whose health and well-being is in jeopardy. Providing quality health care to our children is an investment in our future.

“This bill varies in some areas from the earlier bill passed by Congress, clarifying certain sections, but it is unchanged in its commitment to health care for 10 million low-income children.

“I strongly urge the President to sign this revised, bipartisan bill into law and stop standing in the way. As a father I know the worry parents face when a child gets sick, and I will do whatever it takes to move our country closer to providing every child in our nation with the affordable, high-quality health care they deserve.”

On Monday, October 22nd Arcuri visited Upstate Cerebral Palsy’s Carbone Children’s Center in Utica to tour the facility and discuss Congressional action to reauthorize SCHIP.

Earlier this month, Congress sent the President H.R. 976, the bipartisan State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) bill. The bill passed by bipartisan votes of 265 to 159 in the House and 67 to 29 in the Senate. The President vetoed H.R. 976 and the House did not override his veto.

The SCHIP short-term extension expires on November 16th.

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