September 20,2007

Baucus Rejects President’s Delay On Children’s Health, Says Congress Will Help More Kids Now Through Chip

Finance Chairman working with colleagues to finalize agreement to renew, improve Children’s Health Insurance Program to reach millions more low-income, uninsured kids now

Washington, DC – Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) today rejected a call by President Bush to delay improvements to the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and said again that the President must drop his threat to veto legislation that would provide health care to more children in need. Baucus is working with Democratic and Republican colleagues in the Senate and in the House on a final agreement to renew and improve the Children’s Health Insurance Program in a way that will reach millions more low-income, uninsured American children whose parents cannot afford health care. The President said today that instead of completing this work on CHIP, Congress should temporarily extend the program as-is – a move that would cause thousands of low-income children to lose their health care.

“The Children’s Health Insurance Program works to get low-income kids the doctors’ visits and medicines they need to stay healthy, and we shouldn’t wait to help more children in need. The move the President is suggesting will kick kids out of doctor’s offices all across the country. The President may be willing to cut off health care for low-income kids, but here in the Congress, we will not.

“The Senate and the House are coming together on a real renewal and improvement of the Children’s Health Insurance Program before the current authorization expires on September 30. We are focused on keeping CHIP for kids, and on helping American children who are most in need. The President must drop his threat to block this help for kids, and join Congress in the next 10 days for a real renewal of the Children’s Health Insurance Program.”

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