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Cornyn: SCHIP Debate Must Focus On Helping Low-Income Texas Children, Not Partisan Games

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, renewed his call today for the Senate to reauthorize and expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) in a responsible manner that covers low-income children first. But Sen. Cornyn again questioned why congressional Democrats refuse to negotiate a bipartisan compromise with the President and Senate Republicans.

Despite Congress’ failure to send a single appropriations bill to the President, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid scheduled another debate and vote today on SCHIP legislation that for a second time last week failed to achieve a veto-proof margin in the House. Even if passed by the Senate, the President has vowed to veto this bill again, leaving Congress in the same place as three weeks ago. To view a transcript and/or a video of Senator Cornyn’s floor speech today, please click here.

In addition, excerpts of Senator Cornyn’s floor remarks today are below:

“I realize today is Halloween, and so millions of children will be showing up at our homes saying ‘trick or treat.’ Unfortunately, Congress has been up to more tricks than treats lately, and I say that with a sense of irony, but also a sense of great disappointment.

“Almost three weeks ago, on October 11, I sent a letter to Senator Reid, the Senate Majority Leader, and the Speaker, Congresswoman Pelosi, urging them to work across the aisle with Republicans and Democrats to come up with a sensible compromise on the reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Today, as we know, is October 31, and we've still not been able to come up with a compromise that is reasonable and fiscally responsible which the President will sign.

“The families and the children in my state of Texas who are, unfortunately, put on edge and suffering some sense of anxiety wondering whether this important program will continue to serve the needs of low-income children, are being, unfortunately, taken advantage of and disadvantaged. Why in the world would Congress play this kind of game and make those that are the most vulnerable among us the most anxious about their future and whether they will be able to get the health care which everyone in Congress believes that low-income children ought to receive?

“The recent debate on SCHIP has focused too much on our political gains and not enough on the well-being of our poor children. This bill has become just another political football -- in a game that's been raging for months….When even a health care package for low-income children is delayed because some want to engage in partisan games and political posturing, you know things have gone too far. They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and yet expecting different results. Well, by that definition, this is insanity.”

Sen. Cornyn serves on the Armed Services, Judiciary and Budget Committees. In addition, he is Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Ethics. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee’s Immigration, Border Security and Refugees subcommittee and the Armed Services Committee’s Airland subcommittee.

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