Campaign Update
Friday, September 28, 2007

SAVE CHILDREN’S HEALTH: YOUR ACTION NEEDED TODAY

Inside This Issue:

1. Bipartisan SCHIP Reauthorization Bill Passes Congress, Heads to the President’s Desk
   
2. Pediatric Residents Rally in Support of SCHIP

After months of work, the House and Senate have developed bipartisan compromise legislation to reauthorize the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). If SCHIP is not reauthorized, the program – known as Healthy Families in California – will expire on September 30th. 

Last night, the Senate passed the compromise reauthorization legislation by a veto-proof margin of 67 to 29. Tuesday night, the House approved the bill by 265-159 with 45 Republicans (including California Congresswoman Mary Bono) joining most Democrats in support. California’s Democratic Representative Diane Watson voted “present.”, However, the House tally falls short of the 290 votes necessary for a veto override.

If signed, the SCHIP reauthorization legislation would provide an additional $35 billion in funding over the next five years to continue to provide health insurance to the 6.6 million children who receive health insurance with SCHIP funds now and to provide an additional 4 million uninsured children with health insurance. In California, SCHIP funds will provide coverage to more than one million children and pregnant women. Funding would come from a 61-cent tobacco tax increase.

The SCHIP reauthorization bill is now headed to President Bush, who has threatened to veto it. Millions of uninsured children in America are now counting on President Bush. Only he can help them get the health care they need. The President’s SCHIP proposal would provide $5 billion over 5 years – not even enough funding to cover those children who are currently eligible for the program. Under the President’s plan, 200,000 to 400,000 California children would lose coverage by September 2008.

Read the press release Californians for Healthy Kids sent today.

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD! If you want to speak out on SCHIP, you can:

a) Urge President Bush to make coverage for millions of uninsured children a priority by signing the SCHIP reauthorization bill, H.R. 976. You can contact the White House at 202-456-1111 or comments@whitehouse.gov.

b) Both California Senators voted in support of the SCHIP reauthorization bill. Visit this site to find out how your Representative voted.  Contact your Senators and Representatives to either thank them for voting yes or express your disappointment for voting no and risking the health of California’s children. Click here to find your Representative and here for California’s Senators.

c) Write a letter to the editor in response to articles about SCHIP urging President Bush to sign the bill.  Contact Jenny Kattlove at jkattlove@childrenspartnership.org or 310-230-5004 for assistance.

On Tuesday October 2nd, pediatrics residents across the country will rally to support SCHIP. In California, events are planned at UCSF, UCSD, Davis, Stanford, Children's Hospital Oakland, and Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Residents and other advocates will gather at 12:15pm local time in each location.

Please contact Alani Cridge Navarro at 916-443-1869 or acnavarro@childrennow.org for more information.

The 100% Campaign, a collaborative effort of The Children's Partnership, Children Now and Children's Defense Fund, was created to ensure that all of California's children obtain the health insurance they need to grow up strong and healthy.
www.100percentcampaign.org

The PICO California Project is the united effort of 20 California congregation-community organizations affiliated with the PICO National Network. Collectively, we represent 350 congregations and 400,000 families statewide and are actively organizing in over 70 cities in Northern and Southern California.
www.picocalifornia.org