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Press Release

February 4, 2009

Rep. Susan Davis Votes to Provide Health Care to 11 Million Children

President Obama signs bill into law

WASHINGTON - Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) joined a majority in the House of Representatives to provide health care to 11 million low-income children. The bill was approved on a bipartisan vote of 290-135 sending it to President Barack Obama who signed the bill into law shortly after the vote.

“This is a first step toward fulfilling a promise of providing all Americans with health care coverage,” said Davis.  “No one, especially a child, in our nation should have to go without medical care.  The SCHIP program is a success story for providing quality health care for children in the nation who otherwise would not have access to such benefits.  The expansion of this important program will give more parents the peace of mind that their sons and daughters will have access to health care if they need it.”

The Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (H.R. 2) reauthorizes the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and protects coverage for 7 million children, including more than 1.5 million in California, while extending health care coverage to more than 4 million more low-income children.

Enactment of the bill means that San Diego County will be able to increase outreach and enrollment to the 21,000 eligible children in the county.     

Similar efforts to expand SCHIP were vetoed by former President Bush.  SCHIP was established with bipartisan support in 1997 by President Clinton and Congress.

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