Washington, DC - Rep. Peter Welch issued the following statement in response to the Bush Administration's proposal last Friday evening to adopt new, restrictive standards for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP):

"By attempting to gut successful children's health care programs, President Bush has yet again demonstrated his morally misguided priorities. In Vermont, we have recognized that our children deserve access to quality health care and that this care is critical to a healthy childhood. Earlier this month, the House followed Vermont's model by passing the Children's Health and Medicare Protection (CHAMP) Act, which will provide health care to an additional 5 million low-income children. It is unacceptable that President Bush would attempt to undermine this bipartisan effort and abandon some of our most vulnerable children. I will continue to work in Congress to assure that states like Vermont are able to provide its children with the quality healthcare they deserve."