On the 19th of July, the Senate Finance Committee voted 17-4 to reauthorize and expand the CHIP Program. This is a program that allocates monies to help low income working families get health care for their children. It now heads to the full Senate for debate. A similar bill was vetoed by President Bush last year.
This is exactly the kind of work that the Congress needs to be doing for the people. What kind of country is this, the richest in the world, where a low income WORKING family cannot get health care coverage for their children. This program, much like Head Start, has been hailed by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office as one of the most efficient programs the government runs. It was co-sponsored by two republicans and two democrats.
The bill brought forth to the floor of the Senate would increase the funding from 25 to 35 billion over 5 years. Keep in mind that the entire cost to federal government to pay for this program is less then 5 months operations in Iraq. This amount would provide health care for 6.6 million kids whose parents are working and trying to obtain the American Dream. Here is the Finance Committee's press release. I don't know if anyone out there is as fried up about this as I am, but you can pick your senator out on this site, and write them an email encouraging them to support this bill in the full senate.
JD.
A deep dive into carpets, shame, and identity
5 years ago
1 comment:
Hey JD, my politically savvy friend,
Why did Bush veto the C.H.I.P. bill the last time it was proposed?
I completely agree with you that we as a nation cannot afford to be stingy when it comes to the health and well-being of our children. I'd much rather pay for healthcare and education now to give them a chance at a good life than pay for their imprisonment ten or twenty years from now. I think we should be putting MORE money into education and programs that promote child welfare.
I try to remember these things when I start grumbling about paying taxes!
Rosiecat
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