Washington - The U.S. House will take the first vote today on an updated Children's Health Insurance Program bill, one that maintains the priorities covered in the first CHIP bill vetoed by President Bush.
U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), who has lobbied his colleagues to look out for New Jersey's children from the time the first bill was drafted, again worked hard to maintain this level of support in the new bill, lobbying the Chairman of the Finance Committee and the Senate Majority Leader.
"Children who fall into the abyss between Medicaid and private health insurance have nowhere else to turn, but we have to look out for them," said Sen. Menendez. "That means overcoming the heartbreaking hypocrisy of President Bush, who claims we can't afford this investment in children's health while demanding $200 billion for the Iraq War this year."
"Congress isn't letting the president's cold-hearted veto stop us from fighting to invest in our priorities, like the health of our children. And I will not stop standing up for New Jersey children, who will be covered in this legislation. I look forward to sending this investment in children's health to the president again. If he plans another veto, he will have to look 10 million children in the eye and tell them again that their president doesn't believe they are worthy of a strong federal commitment."
Included in the new bill is a provision to maintain federal support of New Jersey's strong Children's Health program, FamilyCare, which covers children from families that earn up to 350 percent of the Federal Poverty Level because of the high cost of living in the state. Also included is an exemption to continue coverage for working and low-income parents in New Jersey, which in turn helps increase coverage of children.
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