House Passes Critical Children's Healthcare Legislation

Press Release

House Passes Critical Children's Healthcare Legislation

Today, Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo (D-Palo Alto) voted for House passage of H.R. 2, the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (SCHIP) to provide health insurance to 11 million low-income children. The bill the House passed today is expected to be signed into law this evening

"After years of vetoes by President Bush, it is extremely gratifying to see legislation enacted to ensure healthcare for 11 million children in our country," said Eshoo. "With rising unemployment rates, the loss of healthcare coverage for American families is devastating. In California alone, the SCHIP program is adding 30,000 new enrollees each month. In rough economic times, this bill will make sure that healthcare is provided to those who need it most."

SCHIP of 2009 will reauthorize the national children's healthcare program for 5 years and cover 4 million additional children, including nearly 700,000 additional children in California. The legislation invests $32 billion over 5 years and is fully paid for by a tobacco tax, adding nothing to the federal debt.

"We will not have healthy adults in our country unless we have healthy children. Providing health coverage for children is not only the right thing to do—it's more cost-effective for taxpayers than using the emergency room as a primary healthcare provider."

The House approved H.R. 2 by a bipartisan vote of 290 to 135. Eshoo, a Member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, has been a champion of the SCHIP since Congress established the landmark program in 1997.

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