I am speaking out in strong opposition to the President's veto of the KidsCare bill, known as S-CHIP here in Washington. And I am profoundly disappointed that we were unable to override that veto today.
There are over 264,000 uninsured children in Arizona - that's about one out of every five kids. Across America there are over ten million uninsured children.
I am deeply concerned that economic decline and growing unemployment will increase those numbers. Just last week, the Joint Economic Committee, came out and stated that:
"Worsening economic conditions will likely create substantial increases in demands in states' Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs..."
The JEC specifically linked employment woes to demands for programs like KidsCare. Nation-wide they projected that between 700,000 and 1.1 million children per year will be added to the enrollment numbers in Medicaid / S-CHIP due to the slow down in employment.
That makes acting to ensure a strong KidsCare program in Arizona and across the country absolutely critical. It also reveals how out of touch the president is and how willing he is to disregard our children.
As the universal healthcare debate continues, there should be no debate about insuring our kids. Kids can't work and kids can't pay premiums.
I thank 259 of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle for voting today to reauthorize of KidsCare today.
Democrats and Republicans must stay united for the children in our country. We are their Representatives, we are their voice, and we must speak out for them.
That is why I'm speaking out today. It is why I will continue to speak out here in Washington and in Arizona. And it is why I'm not alone. I am joined by thousands of voices from across Southern Arizona in calling on this Congress and this President to fully reauthorize KidsCare.
In this economic climate, we must not fail to recognize health care as one of the most costly economic challenges confronting families and businesses.
Cick here to watch a video of the Congresswoman delivering her remarks.