Sep 27, 2007 / 07:14 am
Catholic Charities USA today urged Congress and the White House to avoid partisan positioning and instead come together to pass a comprehensive children's health insurance bill.
This week, the Congress is scheduled to vote on a compromise bill to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program, (SCHIP) a highly successful program that provides health insurance coverage to poor children. The program will expire on September 30 unless legislation is passed and signed to continue it, but President Bush has threatened to veto the compromise bill.
"Taking care of children without health coverage should not be a partisan issue," said Rev. Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA. "The compromise bill is a good step forward that will strengthen this critical program, provide more money for SCHIP, and expand eligibility to several million more of the 9 million children living without health insurance in this country.
"We strongly urge Republicans and Democrats in the House of Representatives and the Senate to support SCHIP and to provide health insurance for more children in need," Father Snyder added. "Passage of this legislation is the right thing to do for America.