Congressman Charles Rangel last week joined an effort in the House to commemorate the enslaved Blacks who built the U.S. Capitol by constructing a statue in their honor in the Capitol's Emancipation Hall.

“Thousands of Black men and women held in bondage lent their bodies and their lives to the construction of the Capitol building,” Rangel said. “A statue in their collective honor would serve as a reminder of their contributions and of how far we have come. Their names may be unknown to the Capitol's visitors, but to their families, their peers, and their friends, they were human beings, made of flesh and blood − not stone. Our nation is great, not in spite of the mistakes of our past, but because we acknowledge them, remember them, and use them to strive towards a more perfect union."

If enacted the measure, led by Congressman Gary Ackerman of New York, would authorize the Architect of the Capitol to commission of a statue within 180 days of the bill’s enactment.

“The creation of this statue would be the least we can do to pay tribute to the blood, sweat and tears of the slaves who help build the Capitol of the free world,” Ackerman said. “Throughout our nation’s history, little has been known about the role that slave labor played in the construction of the U.S. Capitol. Hopefully, the displaying of this statue would continue Congress’ efforts to remedy this shameful omission from history and ensure that the story of these slaves is not only told, but never forgotten.”

Construction of the Capitol began in earnest in 1793 and lasted until 1826. The number of enslaved Blacks who participated in its construction is not known, but records note the first names of various enslaved Americans who participated. Enslaved Blacks not only quarried the stone that makes up the building's floors, walls, and columns, but they were involved in carpentry, masonry, carting, rafting, roofing, plastering, glazing, painting, and sawing. One enslaved man, Philip Reed, notably forged the Statue of Freedom that sits atop the Capitol Dome. By the time the statue was placed there in 1863, Reed had gained his freedom.

Congressman Rangel has also introduced legislation, H.Con.Res. 73, commemorating the 1801 British Slave Trade Abolishment Act − an act that represented a blow to the practice of human trafficking for the purposes of slavery and set a legal precedent for abolition in the United States.

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Thanks to the efforts of Congressman Charles B. Rangel, the U.S. House of Representatives passed housing legislation last week that would temporally suspend the community service requirement for public housing residents across the nation.

The Rangel-sponsored amendment to the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act would temporarily exempt residents from the current requirement of eight hours every month by forbidding the use of any federal funds next year to administer the rule. The full bill passed the evening of July 23 by a vote of 256-168.

Rangel has criticized the requirement as unfair and insulting since it was first introduced as part of the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998, working to delay its original implementation until 2002. Since then, he has sponsored various efforts to eliminate the provision, which he and other advocates say is an unfunded mandate that duplicates the efforts states and communities undertake through welfare reform to move people back into the work force.

“Frankly, we should not be wasting money on enforcing such an inappropriate provision,” said Congressman Rangel. “Repealing the community service requirement will actually free up funds for HUD and the public housing agencies to spend on the real needs of those who live in public housing.

The motion, which passed by a voice vote, was part of a larger package that funds transportation, housing and urban development needs for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. The bill now moves to the Senate, which must pass the legislation before it can be signed by President Barak Obama.

Housing advocates praised Congressman Rangel and Congress for passing the measure.

"Congressman Rangel is to be congratulated again for blocking funding of implementation of the community service requirement, which is an outrage to public housing residents in NYC and across the country,” said Community Service Society of New York President and CEO David R. Jones. “We look forward to repeal of the requirement, for once and for all, by Congress this coming year."

HELPING AMERICA GET BACK ON ITS FEET
The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act provides both short-term help in the form of housing and jobs for those hurt most by the economic downturn and long-term solutions like improved infrastructure to put our economy on sound footing for the future.

The legislation specifically:

• Keeps our transportation system safe, secure and up-to-date. Provides funding to improve and repair our nation?s aging highway system and modernize our air traffic control system to make travel safer, easier and more efficient. Also includes investment in the next generation of high-speed passenger rail and new commuter rail and light rail systems.
• Provides Resources to Get Through the Current Economic Crisis - The bill increases funding for rental vouchers and housing assistance for the neediest Americans ? the disabled, elderly and homeless veterans. It also invests in counseling to help families who are at risk of foreclosure stay in their homes and weather the mortgage crisis.
• Funds Important Economic Development Projects - - In order to spur economic development in vacant urban commercial and industrial sites, the bill invests in grant programs that revitalize neighborhoods and turn deserted areas into commercial destinations. The legislation also encourages economic development in rural communities by establishing a fund to drive rural innovation and entrepreneurship and support small businesses.

"Too many Americans are still struggling for us to turn our heads and look the other way," said Rep. Rangel. "We must do all that we can to provide continued relief to those who have lost their homes and their jobs in this tough economy.”

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The United States Senate passed a bill today sponsored by Congressman Rangel to add National Korean War Armistice Day, July 27, to the short list of calendar dates that the American flag should be especially displayed on buildings.  The legislation will now go to the White House for President Obama to sign into law.

The Korean War Veterans Recognition Act (H.R. 2632) honors the 6.8 million Americans who served during the Korean War period.  The Korean War itself last only three years (1950-1953), yet the U.S. suffered 52,246 deaths and more than 8,100 POW/MIAs still remain.  Congressman Rangel served in the Army and fought in Korea from 1950 to 1952.

"This bill is just a small way to recognize those who made the sacrifices to defend our great Nation and the principles for which we stand," said Congressman Rangel.  "I thank the Senate for passing this bill, especially the support and leadership of Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy for picking up the bill in the Senate.  Having our flag to annually commemorate the day of Korean War Armistice lets our surviving veterans, their families, and their communities know that our Nation will always remember and thank them."

On July 27, 1953, three years after armed forces from North Korea crossed into democratic South Korea and launched an offensive invasion, an armistice was signed, which unofficially ended the Korean War and ensured South Korea's independence and democracy. Sandwiched between World War II and the Vietnam War, the Korean War is often overlooked in the public consciousness and referred to as the "Forgotten War."  

"We lost so many American lives and so many were captured," said Congressman Rangel.  "So much pain was caused to so many families and to so many communities.  Now there are only two million of these veterans left and 1,000 of them die every day.  This bill is important not only to our veterans but to our nation's commitment to defending freedom across the world especially in these times of global conflict."

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Historic legislation will reduce out-of-control costs, improve choices for patients, and expand access to quality, affordable health care.

Democratic leaders joined Congressman Charles Rangel Tuesday in announcing healthcare legislation that will provide affordable, quality care for the vast majority of all Americans.

“Reforming America’s health care system to control costs and improve access to quality affordable care is not only the moral thing to do, it is also critical to our economic recovery and the long-term fiscal health of our nation,” said the Ways and Means Chairman in introducing the American Affordable Health Choices Act with the House Leadership jointly with the Committees on Education & Labor and Energy & Commerce

As Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rangel has worked diligently with the White House and his Congressional colleagues to develop a solution that puts patients – not profits – first, while reducing the burden of ballooning health care costs on American families, businesses and our fiscal future.

President Barack Obama thanked Rangel and the other committee chairs for their continuing efforts.

"I thank Chairmen Rangel, Waxman, and Miller for their hard work on this bill that fundamentally reforms the health care system," said the President in a statement. "As this process moves forward, I look forward to continuing to work with all House members in ensuring this legislation helps all Americans and plays an essential role in reducing deficits and bringing fiscal sustainability to our nation.”

The announcement comes one day after Rangel met with President Obama to advance the White House's overall goals of strengthening employer-provided care while fixing what is broken. The proposed legislation is consistent the President's agenda by ensuring that 97 percent of Americans will be covered by a health care plan that affordably offers quality and standard benefits.

Rangel has consistently promised that he would do all he could to meet the President's summer deadline for an agreement.

"There's an urgent need to get something done because real lives are at stake," said Rangel. "Thousands of Americans are depending on us to give them options, to give them hope that they won't have to go out into the working world worried that a slip here or a headache there will lead to a lifetime of bills, heartache or worse."


FULFILLING THE PROMISE OF UNIVERSAL CARE

Rangel said that the plan announced by Democrats is a strong starting point to protect what works in our health care system and put the nation back on the path to prosperity and fiscal responsibility.

“This plan tells every American – if you have coverage and a doctor you like, keep it,” said Rangel. “If you don’t, this plan will help you find and afford quality care.”

The comprehensive proposal promises to specifically:


LOWER COSTS FOR CONSUMERS
 

• No more co-pays or deductibles for preventive care

• An annual cap on out-of-pocket expenses—keeping Americans from financial ruin
   
• An end to rate increases for pre-existing conditions, gender or occupation.
   
• Group rates of a national pool if you buy your own plan
   
• Guaranteed affordable oral health, hearing and vision care for kids

PROVIDE GREATER CHOICE
 

• If you like your doctor and current plan you can keep them

• More choice, with a public health insurance option competing with private insurers

PROVIDE STABILITY & PEACE OF MIND
 

• End to denials for pre-existing conditions like heart disease, cancer or diabetes

• Get needed care, no lifetime limits

• Job and life choices no longer based on health care coverage

OFFER HIGHER QUALITY CARE

• Doctors, not insurance giants, in charge
• More family doctors and nurses entering the workforce, helping to guarantee access
• Benefits must include mental health

ONLINE LINKS

Click on the links below for more information on the Democrats' plan for health care reform:

General Questions and Answers
What’s in the health care reform bill for you?
The cost of inaction
Myth vs. Fact on health care reform
Strengthening Medicare

Energy & Commerce Clearinghouse
Ed & Labor Clearinghouse:
Ways & Means Clearinghouse
HTML Summary of the Bill
PDF Summary of the Bill
Bill text
President’s Statement

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Rangel’s Bill On Its Way To the President's Desk After Unanimously Passing the Senate Wednesday Night.

Congressman Charles B. Rangel on Thursday announced that the United States Senate passed legislation designating a new State Department building in New York City after late Commerce Department Secretary and New York resident Ron Brown.

The bill, originally introduced by Congressman Rangel and championed by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and California Senator Barbara Boxer, passed the Senate unanimously Wednesday night.

"This bill, which I have introduced in the past three Congresses, is long overdue," said Rangel. "Thanks to the leadership of Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer, and the support of my New York colleague, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, this dedicated public servant -- a beloved son of this city and our village of Harlem -- will finally be recognized as one of the greatest international salesman that our nation has had in its history."

The Ronald H. Brown United States Mission to the United Nations (U.N.) Building, will be located at 799 United Nations Plaza across the street from the United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly. The new 26-story building, to be completed this fall, will house the United States delegation to the U.N., which carries out the nation's participation in the world body.

"My relationship with Ron Brown was longstanding and personal," added Congressman Rangel.  "While in school, I was a desk clerk at the famous Theresa Hotel in Harlem where Ron's father worked as the manager.  Ron and his family lived there, so I got to know him at an early age and witness the beginnings of a remarkable career that he staked out for himself."

"As Secretary of Commerce under the Clinton administration, he became one of the greatest ambassadors that the American government ever had abroad," Congressman Rangel said.  "He did more than just extend trade and get people to buy our goods and services.  He extended love, attention, and sensitivity, especially in the developing countries where we had not spent the time that we should have.  He not only sold our wares, but was able to sell our reputation as a country that wanted to help other countries."

“I am proud to have supported Chairman Rangel’s legislation that will provide a long overdue and fitting tribute to the late Commerce Secretary Ron Brown,” said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “Ron Brown was a truly remarkable person and an outstanding public servant for our country. Naming this building in his honor will ensure that his important legacy of expanding economic opportunity, while enhancing America’s reputation around the world, will be passed on to all future members of the United States delegation to the United Nations."

Brown also served as deputy executive director at the National Urban League, helped revive and reunite the Democratic Party as the Democratic National Committee Chairman, and was instrumental in the election of President Bill Clinton in 1992.  Brown was the first African American to chair a national political party and serve as Secretary of Commerce, being appointed in 1993.  As Secretary, he effectively utilized and expanded the role of the Department and was known for his amiable political style and his deft skill in negotiations.  He effectively promoted U.S. trade, expanded foreign markets for American businesses, placed a focus on Africa, and spurred domestic job growth and economic development. 

Brown's life was abruptly cut short on April 3, 1996, when the plane carrying his delegation to the region of the former Yugoslavia crashed on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. The Department of State had requested that Brown personally undertake an official Commerce Department trade mission to boost economic reconstruction in the war-torn area.

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Tells Crime Subcommittee That Decades-Old Policy "Isn't Working."

Congressman Charles Rangel today brought his case for ending the disparity in cocaine sentencing to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. He told the panel that the current 1986 law − which mandates the same 5-year sentence for possession of 5 grams of crack as it does for 500 grams of powder − has failed as a deterrent, and instead, has unfairly condemned many to unreasonably long prison sentences.

Excessively punitive mandatory minimums for crack offenses have led to disproportionate rates of incarceration for Blacks and Hispanics. The Obama Administration last month renewed its call to eliminate the disparity entirely.

"This is a remarkable time in our nation's history. We now have a president who doesn't think how we acted in the past should determine how we move forward in the future," Rangel told the subcommittee. "This policy isn't working. It's not working for Blacks; it's not working for minorities − it's not working for this country."

Congressman Rangel touted his bill, The Crack-Cocaine Equitable Sentencing Act of 2009, as a way to inject fairness and equity into federal cocaine sentencing. It would remove the mandatory minimum for simple possession of crack − the only such mandatory minimum of its kind − and increase all other crack triggers to powder cocaine levels, resulting in a 1:1 ratio.

Advocacy groups in the audience distributed candy bars before the hearing, highlighting the fact that offenders caught with the weight of one candy bar in crack cocaine get an automatic 10 years in prison. Republican Congressman Roscoe Bartlett and Democratic Congresswomen Sheila Jackson-Lee and Maxine Waters joined Congressman Rangel on the panel to testify in support of eliminating the disparity.

This country houses over 2.2 million prisoners in its jails − that means more than 1 in 100 Americans adults are behind bars. Congressman Rangel pointed to our burgeoning prison population, the most in the world by far, as proof that in addition to the injustice, choosing incarceration over rehabilitation makes little fiscal sense. The United States spends an estimated $60 billion each year on corrections.

"Locking people in jail doesn't make any monetary sense; it doesn't make any social justice sense," Rangel said. "The whole system, I would hope, the President and attorney general would want to address. What a message that would send to America and to the world."

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Congressman Charles B. Rangel introduced a bill today that eliminates the disparity in the federal sentencing of crack cocaine and powder cocaine offenses, echoing President Obama's call to end the unjust policy. The law currently mandates a minimum 5-year sentence for a conviction of 500 grams of powder and the same for only 5 grams of crack − a 100-to-1 disparity resulting in an average difference of 40 months in jail time for two drugs experts say have no significant differences.

"The drumbeat for change has never been louder: Unfair sentences for low-level crack cocaine offenders just have got to stop," Rangel said. "President Obama has made it clear that eliminating the disparity is a priority of his, and it is now up to my colleagues in Congress to follow suit and do away with the 20-year legacy of an unjust and nonsensical drug policy."

The Obama Administration today, through Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, reiterated to the Senate its commitment to completely eliminate the sentencing disparity. Congressman Rangel's bill, the Crack-Cocaine Equitable Sentencing Act of 2009, elevates the triggers for crack cocaine offenses to powder cocaine levels and eliminates the mandatory minimum for simple crack possession − the only such mandatory minimum for drug possession on the books.

"No one condones the suffering inflicted on society by drug abuse and crime. But neither should we accept the needless devastation caused by disproportionately harsh drug laws," Rangel said. "At the time these stiff penalties were enacted, they were seen as the well-intentioned cure to a frightening epidemic. But instead of reducing drug addiction and crime, those laws have swelled our prisons, jailed young Black and Hispanic men at disproportionate rates, left a generation of children fatherless, and driven up the costs of a justice system focused more on harsh punishment than rehabilitation."

Over 500,000 of this country's 2.2 million prisoners are locked up for drug crimes, the majority on petty charges with no history of violence or high-level drug dealing. African Americans are approximately 13 percent of drug users but make up 38 percent of all drug arrests and 59 percent of those convicted of drug offenses. Excessively punitive mandatory minimums are fueling that racial gap, targeting minority communities where crack cocaine is the drug of choice. Although a majority of crack users in the United States are white, 90 percent of those sentenced under these severe crack cocaine penalties are Black or Hispanic.

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The United States House of Representatives has passed a bill sponsored by Congressman Rangel to designate a new State Department building in New York City after Ronald H. Brown, the late Commerce Department Secretary and New York resident who died in a plane crash in 1996.  The legislation now awaits action in the Senate.

The 26-story building, located at 799 United Nations Plaza across the street from the United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly, would house the United States delegation to the U.N., which carries out the nation's participation in the world body.

"I want to thank Ron Brown's family, his community, and the Central Harlem community for the support that they have given to this bill, as well as the community who loved and respected him all of his life," said Congressman Rangel in remarks he made on the House floor.  The Congressman noted Brown's connections to New York where he grew up and earned a law degree at St. John's University. 

"My relationship to him was really outstanding since, while I was in school, I was the desk clerk at a rather famous hotel in Harlem called the Theresa Hotel," added Congressman Rangel.  "Ron Brown’s father was the manager of that hotel, so I got to know Ron at a very, very early age, and was able to see the remarkable career that he staked out for himself."

Congressman Rangel said the designation in Brown's name is fitting.  "As Secretary of Commerce under the Clinton administration, he became one of the greatest ambassadors that the American government ever had abroad," he said.  "It wasn’t that he was just extending trade and getting people to buy our goods and services.  It’s that he was extending love, attention, and sensitivity, especially in the developing countries where we had not spent the time that we should have.  He not only sold our wares, but he was able to sell our reputation as a country that wanted to help other countries."

Brown also served as deputy executive director at the National Urban League, helped revive and reunite the Democratic Party as the Democratic National Committee Chairman, and was instrumental in the election of President Bill Clinton.  Brown was the first African American to chair a national political party and serve as Secretary of Commerce.  As Secretary, he effectively utilized and expanded the role of the Department and was known for his amiable political style and his deft skill in negotiations.  He effectively promoted U.S. trade, expanded foreign markets for American businesses, placed a focus on Africa, and spurred domestic job growth and economic development. 

The Department of State requested that Ron personally undertake an official Commerce Department trade mission to boost economic reconstruction of the war torn region of former Yugoslavia.  On April 3, 1996, he died on that mission when the plane carrying him crashed on the coast of the Adriatic Sea.
 

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Rangel Praises Plan As Delivering Immediate Relief and Hope to Millions of Americans.

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-NY) praised the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Friday, saying that it provided hope not only for those people who are jobless, but also the hopeless.”

A 246-183 majority passed the bill in the House, sending the recovery package onto the Senate where it passed by a 61-36 margin.

"This is debate is not about political philosophy, its about delivering immediate help to the millions of families and small businesses struggling to survive these tough economic times," said Rangel who represents the New York neighborhoods of the Upper West Side, Harlem, East Harlem, Washington Heights, Inwood and Marble Hill. "It provides real money for people who need real assistance during these tough times to keep putting food on their tables and a roof over their heads.

The Congressman lauded the members of the New York delegation for their support of the bill, especially fellow Ways and Means Committees colleagues Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Queens) and Rep. Brian Higgins (D- Buffalo) for their assistance during negotiations. He also praised the leadership of New York's senior Senator Charles Schumer, who wield his influence as a member of the Senate Finance Committee and Vice Chair of the Senate Democratic Conference.

Under the bill approved by the House, 3.5 million jobs will be created or maintained, including 215, 000 jobs in New York State and 7,900 in the 15th Congressional District. White House officials also estimated that 95 percent of American working families will take home a little more in each paycheck. Millions more will get the relief they deserve through an expanded child tax credit, and even millions more will have additional resources to stay out of poverty’s deadly grasp because of an enhanced earned income tax credit.

“This economic crisis demands comprehensive action and this recovery package delivers relief to every sector of our economy to help families, create and save jobs, and invest in a 21st Century economy, said Rangel. "We are making targeted investments in education and health care to ensure that American children can stay healthy and get the best education possible. We are also providing funding to local communities to put folks back to work modernizing our bridges, roads and schools. All of these investments will help reinvigorate the American economy so that we can compete and win in the global economy."

What the Bill Means For NY Families, Individuals
Among those that will see immediate relief will be the unemployed: more than 670,000 New Yorkers who are currently out of work will benefit from the $25 per week increase in unemployment insurance as well as the additional 33 weeks of benefits that the Federal government is looking to provide until December 31, 2009.

In addition, the bill would provide assistance for workers who have lost their health insurance by providing a nine-month 65 percent subsidy for COBRA healthcare premiums, (Under current law, eligible workers may continue to receive health coverage through a previous employer’s health plan for up to 18 months, but are responsible for 102 percent of the cost of that coverage.

The package helps return money back to working Americans by protecting an estimated 26 million middle-class families from being hit by the AMT and through the refundable Make Work Pay tax credit of up to $400 per worker ($800 per couple filing jointly). Seniors will receive a one time $250 payment through their Social Security, SSI, Railroad Pension or Veterans pension, while low-income workers with three or more children will also get an increase in their Earned Income Tax Credit. Millions more families would now be eligible for up to $1275 from the child tax credit.

The recovery package would also help families cope with the rising cost of education expenses though an enhanced tax credit for tuition and school expenses. Families with children in college will see as much as $10,000 over four years in tax credits for higher education . (The College Tax Credit will benefit an estimated 295,000 students statewide ) Students with Pell grants - an estimated 461,816 in New York State -- will see the maximum stipends increased by $ 500. The bill also adds $300 million nationwide for work-study programs that help needy students pay for their education.

Direct Help for the City, State
The recovery package would also help State and local governments cope with increasing hardships and budget deficits by investing in infrastructure projects to improve roads, schools and bridges while also creating jobs. Relief will be targeted to areas that need it most to create “Recovery Zones” aiding communities in areas of high unemployment growth.

In addition to more funding for local law enforcement, state and local government will be able to bridge budge gaps with aid help in the following areas:

HOUSING - The New York City Housing Authority will receive over $290 million for long need repairs such as the elevators that have failed in so many of its buildings. The package also establishes a new national program to upgrade HUD-sponsored low-income housing (elderly, disabled, and Section 8) to increase energy efficiency, including new insulation, windows, and frames.

EDUCATION - New York City will get in excess of $1 billion in education money with funds for special education, Title I, state equalization funds and for school construction and modernization. The State will also receive additional funds for Head Start as well as significant share of the over $50 billion set aside for stabilizing state budgets with respect to education. These funds will be channeled to school districts all over the state will also help fill the state's budget gap.

TRANSPORTATION - New York State could get as much as $1.3 billion in surface transportation funds for highways, streets, bridges, bike paths etc with cities and counties will get a 20% share of this grant. The metropolitan area of New York City, Northern New Jersey and Westchester will get over $800 million to fund transit projects. The state will also receive an additional $654 million for water and sewer projects.

HEALTHCARE - The package will help reduce potential state budge cuts by bringing in over $11.5 billion to the state, New York City and the counties in additional federal contributions to the Medicaid program over the next two years. This will enable Albany to reduce the level of budget cuts needed to balance the state's budget. Hospitals and other health care providers will receive assistance to up grade their computer systems so that all health care providers can better use information technology and provide better health care. The Congressman was also influential in continuing moratorium on harmful Bush Administration Medicare and Medicaid regulations that would have taken well over $250 million a year from the state's health care providers.

Benefits for Businesses Large andSmall
New York businesses, large and small would also receive benefits to help them grow and create new jobs. Companies would benefit from the continuation of bonus depreciation and expensing for smaller corporations. Small business will also be able to take advantage of a more liberal rule on applying operating losses to previous years' tax liability.

The job creation tax incentives include credits to hire unemployed veterans and disconnected youth. New greener jobs would also be generated with critical investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency. Workers will also see maximum tax free employer provided transit benefits increased to $230 a month, a move that will not only help offset increased transit fare increases but also encourage more people to use public transportation.

An Important First Step
Although more work needs to be done to get the American economy back on track, Rangel said that the negotiated package was an important step forward. The stressed that the legislation has unprecedented accountability and transparency measures to help ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and effectively—including no earmarked projects and a new recovery.gov website allowing Americans to track the investments.”

“The recovery bill helps modernize our economy, keeping America at the forefront of new technology through critical investments in renewable energy to immediately create green jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.," said Rangel. "We are also making landmark investments in health information technology to reduce health care costs, lower medical errors and improve the quality of care for patients nationwide.

“President Obama has issued a call to action, and Congress has responded. I truly believe that history will record this as one of our bravest moments, when we met the challenge of a sour economy and worked together to build a brighter future."

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Legislation is Expected to Provide Health Coverage for 918,853 Children in New York.

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-NY) joined President Obama at the White House to sign H.R. 2, the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act, into law. The House approved the legislation earlier today by a vote of 290-135. This landmark, bipartisan legislation reauthorizes the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Today’s bill protects coverage for 651,853 low-income children in New York already covered by SCHIP, and expands it to include an additional 267,000 children who would otherwise be uninsured.

“What a difference a President makes,” said Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-NY). “President Obama and Congress are demonstrating that change has come to Washington, and we are moving forward to improve the quality of life for American families struggling during these hard times. I cannot think of a better investment than the health of our children. Extending the Children’s Health Insurance Program is not only good policy; it is the right thing to do.”

Enacted in 1997, SCHIP provides health insurance to children whose families have incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid but too low to afford private coverage. The new law strengthens SCHIP financing, increasing health insurance coverage for low-income children and improving the quality of health care that children receive by providing a four-and-a-half year reauthorization.

The renewal, which is paid for through an increase in the Federal tobacco tax, is expected to benefit as many as 11 million children nationwide. Specifically, the legislation preserves the coverage for seven million children currently covered by SCHIP, including preserving the coverage of 651,853 children in New York. It also provides coverage for four million uninsured children who are currently eligible for, but not enrolled in SCHIP and Medicaid nationally, including 267,000 children in New York. That could mean as much as a 66 percent reduction in uninsured children in the State of New York.

The program provides sufficient Federal funds to improve outreach efforts on the state and local levels so that more low-income families can get enrolled. It also provides states the option of extending coverage through SCHIP and Medicaid to immigrant children and pregnant women who have been in the country legally for less than five years.

“This legislation is more critical than ever,” said Rangel. “More and more American parents are losing employer-sponsored health care for their children. President Obama and Congress are demonstrating that change has come to Washington, and we are moving forward to improve the quality of life for American families struggling during these hard times," said Rangel.

Click here for a revenue estimate of tax provisions included in the bill.

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