House Approves Revised Children's Health Care Bill

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) joined an overwhelming majority in the U.S. House of Representatives to pass new legislation providing health insurance to ten million children through the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). After the House fell just 13 votes short of the veto override last week, Democrats modified the bill to address many of the concerns raised by House Republicans who voted to sustain the President's veto. The bill passed 265 - 142

"Nothing should stand in the way of helping American's children get the health care they deserve and need to grow up strong and healthy," stated Rep. Hoyer. "Today, the House again prevailed in passing legislation to provide health care to 10 million uninsured poor children. In doing so, we have opened another door of opportunity for this critical children's health care bill to become law."

After last week's unsuccessful veto override, House leaders reached out to detractors of the bipartisan CHIP legislation to address their concerns. Previously, some House Republicans wrongly claimed that the bill provided health care for illegal immigrants, adults and children from high-income families. The latest version of the CHIP legislation includes clarifications that address each of these concerns, while continuing to provide coverage to 10 million children.

"Republicans and Democrats worked very hard in a bipartisan way to come to agreement on a bill to insure 10 million children," stated Rep. Hoyer. "No one said during these negotiations that we were covering too many children. Instead we addressed the concerns raised by some Republicans regarding income, eligibility and coverage for adults."

"This legislation does what the President promised to do in 2004 - cover children who are eligible but not included in the program," continued Hoyer. "This legislation gives him another opportunity to do right by America's children. So I hope and expect he will sign this bill."

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