Campaign Update
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Congress Squanders Opportunity for Long-Term Investment in Children's Health
The 100% Campaign (The Children's Partnership, Children Now, and Children's Defense Fund California) and PICO California issued the following statement today regarding Congress' failure to override the President's veto of the bipartisan State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) reauthorization bill that would have provided health coverage for ten million low-income children:"Though it is a new year, unfortunately President Bush and some Members of Congress are stuck in the dark ages when it comes to children's health. We are incredibly disappointed that Congress once again failed to override a Presidential veto of bipartisan SCHIP reauthorization legislation. While Congress and the President have at least ensured that states have enough funding to cover currently eligible children until March 2009, they have squandered the opportunity to expand health coverage to millions of other uninsured children in California and across the country.
"Through the SCHIP program - known as Healthy Families in California - nearly one million California children get the check-ups, immunizations, and medications they need to lead healthy lives, succeed in school, and become productive members of society. It is critical that our federal leaders approve a long-term solution that will allow states to continue their steady progress in covering uninsured children in California and throughout the country."
Californians for Healthy Kids applauds the work of the majority of Members of Congress who support investing in children's coverage.
Stay tuned for information about how you can continue to support health care reform and coverage for all children in California.
For more information, please contact Krystal Moreno Lee at klee@childrennow.org or 916-443-1680.
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