Thank you, Chairman Pallone.

I am so proud that the first hearing of our Subcommittee is on the subject of uninsured children.  It is but the first step in what is sure to be a challenging process to figure out how we can ensure access to healthcare for every child in this country.  After all, that should be our goal.

And I was so encouraged that during the first days of this new Congress, Speaker Pelosi emphasized that the agenda we take up will be one that is for our children.  Covering all children is not a partisan issue, but too often it is not on the forefront of political debate.  Children don’t get to vote and it is harder for them to have a voice in Congress.  That is why it is so important that we hold this hearing today to set the tone for our Subcommittee’s work that affirms our commitment to reauthorization SCHIP and ensuring it is fully funded.

Although Santa Barbara, which I represent, is often remembered for the soap opera of the same name and the wealthy families it portrayed, the reality is that Santa Barbara County has the highest percentage of uninsured children in California.  California offers SCHIP health coverage to working families and their children through the innovative Healthy Families program.  And while Healthy Families has made great strides, the fact remains that 14% of all children in California are still uninsured.  That is nearly 1.4 million children.

One million of those children live in families with incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level.  As a former school nurse, I can tell you that translates into one million children who are not receiving proper primary care, are not receiving dental care, are being sent to school sick, are suffering from preventable illness.  Unfortunately, the President recently released a budget proposal that would not address this huge problem.

Rather than expand coverage for these vulnerable children, the majority of whom are in working families, the President’s budget would result in approximately 285,000 children in California alone losing access to SCHIP coverage.  And curtailing coverage off for the adults in those families would only serve to further reduce the number of children who receive proper health coverage and ultimately, proper health care.

I am confident that today’s witnesses will well explain the need for expanding SCHIP and ensuring its viability rather than taking the President’s cues and breaking the program apart.

Thank you.

Pictured above: (center) Congresswoman Capps meets with Central Coast firefighters to discuss emergency preparedness.