Washington, DC - Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI15) made the following statement today in support of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), which will provide health care coverage for 11 million children. The bill, which Congressman Dingell was an original co-sponsor of, passed the House 290-135 and was signed by President Obama this afternoon with Congressman Dingell joining the President at the White House for the signing ceremony.  In 1997, Dingell was one of the original leaders of the initial CHIP program when it was passed into law.  In the 110th Congress, Congressman Dingell was the lead sponsor in the House of the CHIP reauthorization that was vetoed twice by President Bush.

“I rise today to voice my support for the extension of the Children’s Health Insurance Program.  As a long time supporter of the program, I am pleased that today we will have a bill to send to the President to get signed into law.  And this time there will be no veto pen to stand in the way of providing health coverage to 11 million children. 

“High health care costs are straining already-strapped families nationwide.  No where is this truer than in my home state of Michigan, where the unemployment rate tops 10 percent.  With families struggling to save for retirement, save for college, and pay their mortgage, this legislation will help state governments provide health care to children who otherwise would be left behind.

“Recently, there has been much talk about investments, both the good kind, and the bad kind.  The bad kind has pushed our financial system to the brink of insolvency and caused economic crisis on a scale unseen since the great depression.  But good investments, such as SCHIP, invest in our children and in our future.

“This expansion is a bipartisan effort, a collaboration of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle.  Of this I am truly grateful, for it is only when we work together to face the difficult and pressing issues of the day that we can get things done and move our country forward.

“I am confident that this legislation will be signed into law, and I look forward to working with the Administration on national health care reform.  As someone who has spent more than 50 years on this effort, I know this is just the beginning of what is to come.  We will not, cannot, stop, until all Americans have access to quality, affordable health care."

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