Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007

Floor Speech

CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2007 -- (House of Representatives - October 25, 2007)

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Mr. BURGESS. I appreciate the gentleman yielding.

Madam Speaker, I wonder if I might ask if I could engage the highly regarded chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee for purposes of a colloquy.

Mr. DINGELL. I would be happy to oblige my good friend.

Mr. BURGESS. I thank the chairman.

As the chairman knows we, of course, worked on this together last night on the Rules Committee until late into the night, so I know the chairman and I are both a little under the weather today.

Mr. Chairman, under the changes that have been made in regards to the income disregards in the bill, could a State in its current practice still allow a family to exclude from income $500 a year for child care expenses?

Mr. DINGELL. The answer to the question is yes.

Mr. BURGESS. I thank the chairman.

Could a State allow a family to exclude from income $20,000 a year for housing expenses?

Mr. DINGELL. That would be a matter to be determined by the State in which the transaction and the events occurred.

Mr. BURGESS. I am not a lawyer, but if I were a lawyer and ask for a ``yes'' or ``no'' answer, I would assume that's a yes.

Mr. DINGELL. Well, it's a ``yes'' if the State so decides. It's a ``no'' if they decide not.

Mr. BURGESS. Further, then, if the Chair will indulge me, could a State allow for a family to exclude from income $10,000 per year for transportation expenses?

Mr. DINGELL. Again, the response is that that is up to the State, and there is nothing in the legislation to preclude that.

Mr. BURGESS. So the answer would be a ``yes'' if to transportation expenses.

If the chairman would, then, could a State allow a family to exclude from income $10,000 a year for clothing expenses?

Mr. DINGELL. Again, the answer is if that is so determined by the States, the answer is yes.

Mr. BURGESS. So State income disregards, now, are up to $40,500, if I am doing my math correctly? Or if I could then just ask one last question, several people have alluded on this floor today that 6.6 million children will lose their health insurance if the House does not act.

Mr. Chairman, you know and I know that this Congress, this Speaker, is not so insensitive as to allow this health insurance to expire for these children. We will do an extension. We will do what is required to continue to allow coverage for the children until Congress passes the bill; is that not correct?

Mr. DINGELL. Well, I would certainly hope so, but I can't guarantee.

Mr. BURGESS. Again, reclaiming my time, I cannot think that any Speaker of the House would be so insensitive as to allow this program to expire.

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