Madam Speaker,  I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2, the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act.  This legislation represents a crucial and long overdue investment in the health and wellbeing of our nation’s most valuable assets – our children. 

Since 1997, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) has successfully provided health coverage to millions of low income children across the country who would not otherwise be able to access these services.  I have been especially proud of the RIte Care program in my home state of Rhode Island, which covered approximately 24,000 children last year under both the SCHIP and Medicaid programs.  However, too many children and their families remain without access to proper health services.  We must reaffirm our commitment at the federal level to ensure states have the means to address the health care needs of our constituents, particularly in the midst of an economic crisis that has resulted in dramatic increases in unemployment levels.

H.R. 2 will ensure health coverage for a total of 11 million American children by reauthorizing SCHIP for four and a half years and extending coverage to an additional 4 million uninsured children who are currently eligible for, but not enrolled in, SCHIP and Medicaid.  Two-thirds of uninsured children are eligible for coverage through SCHIP and Medicaid, but better outreach and adequate funding are needed to identify and enroll them.  This bill provides $100 million in grants for new outreach activities to states, local governments, schools, community-based organizations and other safety-net providers.  It also improves SCHIP by ensuring dental coverage for children, mental health services on par with medical and surgical benefits, as well as improved access to private coverage options through premium assistance subsidies. 

Finally, H.R. 2 reauthorizes and improves SCHIP without adding to our ballooning federal deficit.  Since the cost of the bill is completely offset, it will allow us to make a much-needed investment in the health of our children without requiring them to pay for it in the future. 

As many of my colleagues know, universal access to health care has been a top priority of mine throughout my tenure in Congress.  I can think of no better place to start than by guaranteeing that children across the country receive the health care services they both require and deserve.  I, therefore, urge all of my colleagues to support passage of this measure.