Legislation Likely to be One of the First Bills Signed into Law by President Obama

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today issued the following statement after the House passed a historic expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Rep. Markey is a senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, which has oversight responsibility for SCHIP, and a strong supporter of it.

"I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this important legislation to expand the highly successful State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)," said Markey. "This bill will allow the program to provide health insurance to an additional 4 million low-income children on top of the nearly 7 million who already benefit from the program."

"In my home state, SCHIP enrollment is part of the reason why Massachusetts has the lowest rate of uninsured children in the country. More than 180,000 Massachusetts children receive health coverage through SCHIP, and this reauthorization will allow the state to cover even more children who currently do not have health insurance."

"It is unfortunate that the previous two attempts to reauthorize SCHIP were vetoed by President Bush, who chose to side with big corporations over children. With the current economic crisis causing significant job losses, millions of Americans also are losing their health coverage, making today's vote even more urgent."

"While President Bush twice dashed the hopes of millions of low-income families in need of health care for their children, the incoming Obama administration recognizes the value of ensuring that all low-income children get the health care they need."

#  #  #