Dreier Votes to Extend Children’s Health Care, Protect Middle Class from Massive Tax Hike

December 19, 2007

WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman David Dreier (R-San Dimas, CA), Rules Committee Ranking Republican, voted today to extend the State Children’s Health Care Program (S-CHIP) until 2009. He also voted to protect millions of middle class families from a massive tax increase that was looming due to Democratic inaction on patching the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). S. 2499, the Medicare, Medicaid and S-CHIP Extension Act of 2007 was approved with broad bipartisan support. H.R. 3996, the Alternative Minimum Tax patch, was also approved with overwhelming bipartisan support.

"Keeping our nation’s most vulnerable insured and preventing an undeserved tax hike from hitting the middle class have been two of my top priorities all year," said Dreier. "I’m glad that on our final day in session, we were finally able to cast votes to make sure we took care of these important items. Republicans have been fighting all year to extend healthcare for children of the working poor, we just didn’t want to see it expanded to cover adults, those who already have private insurance, and illegal immigrants. And we have always been supportive of preventing the AMT from hitting millions of middle class American families, but we didn’t want to raise taxes to do it."

S. 2499 ensures that the popular S-CHIP program will continue to provide health care coverage for children through 2009 without expanding it to cover illegal immigrants and adults. H.R. 3996 will ensure that the AMT does not create an average $2,000 tax increase for millions of middle class Americans.