Washington - U.S. Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today called on Senate leaders to enact emergency legislation to fully funds the State Childrens Health Insurance Program before projected shortfalls force needy children off insurance rolls. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), the lawmakers were joined by 17 of their colleagues in urging swift action to avert a projected $927 million shortfall in the SCHIP program a shortfall that will force states to cut critical health insurance aid to its neediest children.

"We wanted to convey our deep concern about the critical funding shortfalls our states, among others, face in the State Childrens Health Insurance Program," the lawmakers wrote. "If not immediately addressed, these shortfalls would place healthcare coverage for over 600,000 children at risk. We ask you to ensure that, before the 109th Congress finally adjourns, Congress enacts legislation that addresses the SCHIP funding shortfall in order to fully protect healthcare coverage in our states."

SCHIP is jointly funded by states and the federal government, and provides comprehensive health insurance coverage to more than 4 million low-income children who would otherwise be uninsured. Under current law, 17 states are estimated to have nearly $890 million less in federal SCHIP funds than they need in FY07 to maintain their existing enrollment of children. Without a fix to the SCHIP funding shortfall, 610,000 children would be at risk of losing their health insurance coverage.

"It is unacceptable and incomprehensible that today in the United States of America more than 9 million children are without health insurance and too often do not receive the care they need to grow and develop," Snowe said. "At a time when the overall picture for access to health insurance has been discouraging, SCHIP stands out as a success story and should serve as a building block for the future. To continue that success, we must dedicate the resources necessary to both ensure that children currently enrolled in SCHIP do not lose coverage, and make every effort to enroll more uninsured children in the program."

"SCHIP provides critical health coverage to American children most in need," Menendez said. "We must act now, before the Senate adjourns, to fix this projected shortfall that will force states to choose who to place on the budget chopping block. The Senate has an opportunity to fix this problem, avert a shortfall, and ensure our countrys neediest children receive the health care they need."

The number of uninsured Americans reached a record level of 46.6 million in 2005, with 1.3 million more than in 2004, and 5.4 million more than in 2001 primarily because of the erosion of employer-based coverage.

Lawmakers joining Snowe and Menendez in their letter include Senators Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Ted Kennedy (D-MA), Mark Dayton (D-MN), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Jack Reed (D-RI), Russell Feingold (D-WI), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Barack Obama (D-IL), Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), John Kerry (D-MA), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), and Lincoln Chafee (R-RI).

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