Bishop: "We Will Not Stop" Until 10 Million Children Are Insured

Washington, D.C. - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted upon legislation to reauthorize the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and provide health care to 10 million children, including 470,000 Georgia children. The vote followed last week’s failed veto override of another version of the legislation.

The latest version of the SCHIP measure still provides an additional $35 billion to the program over the next five years. However, it responds to House Republicans’ objections to the previous SCHIP legislation by capping income eligibility at 300% of poverty (or $62,000 annually for a family of four), shoring up provisions to prohibit illegal immigrants from enrolling in the program, and requiring that all childless adults be removed from SCHIP by December 31, 2008. The bill was approved by a vote of 265 to 142, and first must be considered by the Senate before it is sent to the President, who has said he intends to veto the legislation.

Following the vote, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr., Representative of Georgia’s Second Congressional District and a supporter of the SCHIP reauthorization bill, released the following statement:

“I am disappointed that the President is ignoring our good-faith efforts to respond to his concerns and continuing to disregard the needs of our children by threatening to veto this legislation. We have met many of his objections and are serious about getting this legislation passed. We are not going to stop until we can get coverage for 10 million children.”