| Clyburn Responds to President's Mischaracterization of Children's Healthcare Bill
Monday, October 15, 2007
 Printable Format
Washington, D.C. – House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn released the following statement today in response to President Bush’s Arkansas press event in which he continued to voice his opposition to the bipartisan State Children’s Health Insurance Plan (SCHIP) bill that overwhelmingly passed in the House and Senate.
“The President is standing against an overwhelming bipartisan majority in the House and Senate, 43 governors, over 270 advocacy groups and most importantly 10 million children by blocking passage of the children’s health care bill.
“And he continues to misrepresent the legislation. This consensus bill puts poor kids first, just as the President claims it should. Although it specifically targets the lowest-income uninsured children for outreach and enrollment in the program it is intended to grant relief to middle-income families who earn too much for Medicaid coverage but not enough to afford private insurance. No state currently covers children in families earning $83,000 and the bipartisan bill does not call for coverage of children in families at higher income levels. Finally, this bill expands the current program, which provides health care coverage for children through private health care plans that contract with their states, just as the President suggests it should work.
“As we work to override the Bush Administration’s veto of this vital legislation, I strongly encourage those who opposed this bill to reconsider their position and join the majority of Americans who support the reauthorization of the children’s healthcare program.”
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