E-MAIL
FREQUENTLY
SIGN UP
WALZ BACKS BIPARTISAN BILL TO PROVIDE HEALTH CARE FOR 11 MILLION CHILDREN
Says this legislation would provide 30,000 uninsured children in Minnesota with health care coverage
For Immediate Release
February 4, 2009
Contact: Meredith Salsbery
507-388-2149
WASHINGTON D.C. — Today, Congressman Walz joined a bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives to support the final passage of legislation that will provide health care to 11 million children in modest-income families.
The House approved the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization Act by a vote of 290-135. The legislation will now be sent to President Obama for his signature.
“At a time when millions of Americans are losing their jobs and companies are doing everything possible to cuts costs, more and more families face the horrible prospect of going without health insurance,” said Walz. “No child in Windom or Wabasha or anywhere throughout our country should go without medical care. After three years of fighting for this legislation, which President Bush vetoed twice, I am very pleased that President Obama will sign this bill into law.”
This bipartisan bill reauthorizes the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) through FY 2013. It preserves the coverage for all 7.1 million children currently covered by SCHIP, including 5,400 children in Minnesota. It also provides coverage for 4.1 million uninsured children who are currently eligible for, but not enrolled in, SCHIP and Medicaid, including more than 30,000 children in Minnesota.
 |
