Children's Defense Fund

Press Releases

January 16, 2003
Contact:
Ron Eckstein: (202) 662-3609
Current Press Releases
Press Release Archive

SENATORS, GROUPS: PRESERVE CHILDREN'S HEALTH CARE

Groups Representing Tens of Millions of Members Urge
Children's Health Coverage Protections

Washington, D.C. — Children's Defense Fund President Marian Wright Edelman today joined Senators John Rockefeller (D-WV) and Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) to strongly urge Congress to include legislation protecting Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funding in the Omnibus Appropriations bill. Compromise legislation originally introduced this past fall would have put unspent CHIP funds back into the program's coffers and protected it for the next two years, but the bill did not clear the Senate before they adjourned last year.

Children's Defense Fund President Marian Wright Edelman noted that while 9.2 million American children remain uninsured, Congress has a responsibility to preserve coverage for the 4.6 million children who are already enrolled in CHIP.

"There simply is no way to explain why so many children in hard working families in the richest nation in the world do not have health insurance coverage," said Edelman. "As a nation, we simply cannot afford tax cuts for millionaires when we are denying health insurance cards to children. There are still 9.2 million uninsured children in America. This is about more than just saving funding. This is about doing what is right. Failure to save these funds will turn back the clock on the progress we have made."

Senator John Rockefeller said that this is the wrong time to deny almost a million children health coverage.

"It is completely unacceptable to have a major spending bill that does not include CHIP," said Senator Rockefeller. "With the rising cost of health insurance, the economic downturn and the spike in the unemployment rate, more parents are going to turn to CHIP for their children's health care. By ignoring funding for this incredibly important program, hundreds of thousands of children will go without health care. We cannot turn our backs on our nation's children."

Senator Lincoln Chafee highlighted that denying CHIP funding restoration will add a difficult burden on state governments confronting budget crises.

"This remedy is critical to the stability of CHIP programs nationwide," said Senator Chafee. "Unless funds remain available to states—many struggling with severe budget deficits—their only option will be to deny health care to thousands of low-income children."

The Children's Defense Fund, along with more than 130 national groups representing tens of millions of members committed to children's health care, this morning in a letter called on Congress to preserve $2.7 billion in expiring CHIP funds. Among those that signed today's letter are the National PTA, United Way of America, the American Academy of Pediatrics, National Council of La Raza, National Urban League, National Alliance of Black School Administrators, National Black Caucus of State Legislators, and the National Association of Counties, and numerous unions, women's groups, and faith-based organizations.

Thirteen Republican Senators yesterday made a similar request of Majority Leader Frist, and the National Governor's Association also asked Congress to save the $2.7 billion in CHIP funds. According to the Office of Management and Budget, the result of the CHIP shortfalls will be a reduction in enrollment of 900,000 children between 2003 and 2006. Analysis of state data shows that at least 20 states face federal funding shortfalls over the next several years.

# # #

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.

© 2005 Children's Defense Fund | Contact Us

 

All active news articles
]]