Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Allyson Y. Schwartz made the following statement on the House floor prior to the vote to override the President’s veto of bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).  Schwartz serves on both the Ways and Means and the Budget Committees.

“Today, we will vote again to override the President’s veto of the CHIP reauthorization bill.

“In the past 6 months, while President Bush and his Republican allies have doggedly refused to take action on CHIP, the demand by America’s working families for accessible health coverage has only increased.

“Amid this economic downturn – with skyrocketing energy prices, a record number of foreclosures, fewer new jobs – the rate of unemployment has jumped dramatically in the last year leaving an additional 900,000 Americans jobless.

“Two-thirds of unemployed individuals lose health coverage for their families when they lose their job -- so it is times like these when their children need CHIP the most. 

“According to the Joint Economic Committee, more than one million additional children may become eligible for subsidized health coverage like CHIP as a direct result of this job loss. 

“Now is not the time to turn our backs on these children. 

“It is time for my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to join us to support America’s working families when times get tough.

“Let us join together and override this misguided veto, and help America’s working families and their children weather this economic downturn.”

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