Washington, D.C. – Following votes earlier this year in the House and the Senate, today the U.S. House passed a plan to strengthen the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and send the bill to President Obama to be signed into law. This bill, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization Act, will provide healthcare coverage for 11 million children. This includes nearly 7 million children currently enrolled and an additional 4.1 million children eligible, but not yet enrolled in SCHIP and Medicaid.

As one of America’s leading champions for SCHIP, U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz strongly praised today’s vote.

“For more than a decade, first as a state Senator, and now in Congress, few things have mattered as much to me as working to get quality, affordable health coverage to American children. We’ve known a long time in Pennsylvania how much a difference SCHIP makes in children’s and families lives, and that is why we know how meaningful today’s vote is.

“For so many families that are having tough kitchen table conversations about how to pay for healthcare for their kids, we’ve just extended them a critical lifeline.

“These hard working families want to do the right thing and ensure that their kids have access to healthcare, but, for too many families receiving either no or few benefits, or just struggling to get by, health coverage had remained out of reach. Strengthening CHIP will now enable us to cover 11 million American children. 

“With President Obama’s signature, we are not just ensuring that millions of children have access to health coverage: we are one step closer towards our shared goal of getting quality, affordable healthcare to every American.”

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