Press Releases

Washington , D.C. - The Children's Defense Fund and 72 other groups concerned about protecting the health of children teamed up today to urge Congress to restore nearly $1.1 billion in expired State Children's Health Insurance (SCHIP) funds before adjourning for the year. The money reverted to the Treasury on Sept. 30 when the federal government closed the books on its 2004 budget. In letters to every House and Senate member, the coalition argued that it is essential to use these funds to maintain insurance coverage of children in low-income working families. Never before has Congress left these funds in the Treasury rather than use the money to provide health coverage to children who need it most.

SCHIP serves nearly 6 million children, but more than 200,000 could lose coverage by 2007 if the money is not rescued from this "use-it-or-lose-it" rule. Otherwise, six states are likely to have insufficient 2005 funding to cover all children enrolled in their SCHIP programs, and by 2007 as many as 18 states could face similar shortfalls.

Before sending today's letter to every representative and senator, CDF gathered endorsements from a broad swath of public and private organizations concerned with children's health coverage. Signatories included Catholic Charities USA, United Way of America, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems, Ascension Health, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the National Council of La Raza, Church Women United, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Urban League, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors. A complete list is below.

"It would be unconscionable for the 108^th Congress to call it quits without protecting these children only weeks after finding the time and energy to lavish absurd tax breaks on wealthy corporations," said Gregg Haifley, deputy director of government relations for the Children's Defense Fund. "In the few remaining days of this lame-duck session, our lawmakers have the opportunity to salvage the full benefit of this program in the same bipartisan spirit that helped to create it seven years ago."

Here is a complete list of signatories:

Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN)
Alan Guttmacher Institute
Alliance for Children and Families
Ambulatory Pediatric Association
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Association of People with Disabilities
American Association on Mental Retardation
American Dental Hygienists' Association
American Friends Service Committee
American Pediatric Society
American Psychiatric Association
American Psychological Association
AMERIGROUP
Association for Community Affiliated Plans
Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs
Ascension Health
Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs
Catholic Charities USA
Catholic Health Association of the United States
Center for Adolescent Health & the Law
Center for Medicare Advocacy Inc.
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Child Care Law Center
Child Welfare League of America
Children's Defense Fund
Children's Health Fund
Children's Law Center
Church Women United
Coalition on Human Needs
Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders
Disability Service Providers of America
Easter Seals
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Families USA
Family Violence Prevention Fund
Family Voices
First Candle / Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Alliance
Generations United
HIV Medicine Association
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Justice Policy Institute
Learning Disabilities Association of America
National Association for Home Care & Hospice
National Association of Community Health Centers
National Association of Protection and Advocacy Systems
National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems
National Association of School Psychology
National Association of Social Workers
National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors
National Council of La Raza
National Health Law Program
National Low Income Housing Coalition
National Mental Health Association
National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
National Partnership for Women & Families
National Practitioners Network for Fathers and Families
National Respite Coalition
National Urban League
National Women's Law Center
North American Council on Adoptable Children
Presbyterian Church ( U.S.A. ) Washington Office
Rebecca Project for Human Rights
RESULTS
School Social Work Association of America
Society for Adolescent Medicine
Society for Pediatric Research
Title II Community AIDS National Network
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
United Way of America
USAction
Voices for America 's Children
Youth Law Center

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The mission of the Children's Defense Fund is to Leave No Child Behind and to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start, and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. CDF provides a strong, effective voice for all the children of America who cannot vote, lobby, or speak for themselves. We pay particular attention to the needs of poor and minority children and those with disabilities. CDF educates the nation about the needs of children and encourages preventive investment before they get sick, into trouble, drop out of school, or suffer family breakdown. CDF began in 1973 and is a private, nonprofit organization supported by foundation and corporate grants and individual donations. We have never taken government funds.