Children's Health And Medicare Protection Act Of 2007 --Continued--

Floor Speech

CHILDREN'S HEALTH AND MEDICARE PROTECTION ACT OF 2007--Continued -- (House of Representatives - August 01, 2007)

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Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the CHAMP Act and the reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP.

This bill will cover the nearly 11 million children who fall into the gap between Medicaid and private insurance.

Not only will the CHAMP Act provide health insurance for millions of additional children, but also the peace of mind for millions of families who work hard to provide all of life's essentials for their families.

For my state of Oregon the passage of the CHAMP Act means many of the 107,000 uninsured children will have access to health care.

And while the legislation before us today is a suitable and necessary short-term solution, the long-term need remains: America is falling short of our moral obligation to provide all children with access to health care.

Access to health care is not only a struggle for those with the lowest incomes; it now also is a struggle for those we have traditionally considered middle-class, and therefore should be able to afford health insurance.

Since 1965 Medicare has ensured our Nation's senior citizens have access to health care. That success should be extended to cover our youngest citizens. I am developing new legislation will do just that.

My MediKids legislation would provide access to comprehensive health care for all children and expecting mothers. Every child would be automatically enrolled at birth. But parents would retain the right to choose to enroll their children in private plans or others such as SCHIP or Medicaid.

MediKids also would act as a safety net. If parents have a lapse in other insurance, a common concern and constant worry among many families, MediKids would provide coverage.

America has the best health care in the world, but fewer and fewer families can actually afford it. We should not make our children, and their parents, wait any longer.

I urge my colleagues to support the legislation before us, but to continue to work toward a long-term solution for today's and tomorrow's youngest citizens.

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