WASHINGTON, DC -- Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA) joined with a bi-partisan coalition of his colleagues today and voted in favor of ensuring health coverage for 10 million low income children.

“For years I have been a supporter of both The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) of Pennsylvania and the federal CHIP program,” said Congressman Fattah. “The well-being of too many children is compromised because they have no health insurance, they must be given a chance to live strong and healthy lives.”

It only cost $3.50 a day to cover a child through the CHIP program. By today’s standards that’s less than a gallon of gas in San Francisco, a gallon of milk in San Diego and a pack of cigarettes in Kentucky.

“Just as we are willing to pay for life’s necessities, we must be equally unwilling to allow our nation’s youngest and most vulnerable citizens to live lives without the protection of health insurance,” said Congressman Fattah. “We must invest in the future of America’s children.”

This bill reauthorizes the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for five years and preserves the coverage for all 6.6 million children currently covered by CHIP, including preserving the coverage of 179,807 children in Pennsylvania.

The legislation also expands health care coverage to 3.8 million additional low-income children, who are currently uninsured, including 133,000 uninsured Pennsylvania children.