Wexler Hails Expansion of Health Care for Children
Legislation Provides Health Care to 11 Million Children Across the Country

(Washington, DC) Today, Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL) lauded the House of Representatives for passing legislation that renews and expands the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). With a soaring unemployment rate in Florida that puts the employer-based health care benefits that many families enjoy at risk, this legislation is critical to offering basic coverage to thousands of low-income and middle class children. The bill ensures that the 7 million low income children currently enrolled in SCHIP can continue to receive coverage and extends coverage to up to 4 million uninsured children across the country. Currently, over 300,000 Florida children depend on SCHIP for their health care.

In 2007, Congressman Wexler spoke in favor of a similar bill, which was defeated by President Bush and his Republican allies in Congress. As President-elect Obama prepares to take office, the Democratic majority in Congress made it a priority to make improving access to health care for the children of struggling low income and middle class American families a priority. H.R. 2 is one of the first major pieces of legislation to pass the 111th Congress, with a vote of 289 to 139.

“We must not let the health of our children become a casualty of this economic crisis. Florida’s unemployment rate has soared to a devastating rate of 7.3%, endangering health care coverage for thousands of workers and their children,” said Congressman Wexler. “In the past two months, over a million Americans have lost their jobs. Unemployment benefits are no match for the staggering cost of health care today. Just this past week the Sun Sentinel reported that the average COBRA policy for a family in Florida costs over a $1,000 a month.  Children deserve the chance to live healthy, productive lives. I strongly hope that the Senate will quickly pass this important legislation so that President-elect Barack Obama can sign it soon after taking office.”

To read the text of the legislation, click here.

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Congressman Wexler is Chairman of the Europe Subcommittee and a senior member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the House Judiciary Committee; and he also sits on the Financial Services Committee.

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