“I want to commend Senate Majority Leader Reid, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Baucus and the U.S. Senate for taking very positive action on behalf of America’s uninsured families. As unemployment rises and more and more families lose access to affordable healthcare coverage, it is essential that the federal government take action. During this economic turmoil, it is critical that we maintain and strengthen this important lifeline to our nation’s children and that we help financially-strapped states respond to the growing need for affordable healthcare coverage.

Making SCHIP reauthorization an early priority shows that Congress understand the fact that economic recovery begins with the nation’s families. This is an encouraging first step and a hopeful sign that a new era has come to Washington. I look forward to seeing this bipartisan bill enacted into law and to Congress providing more assistance to uninsured families through fiscal relief to state Medicaid programs and ultimately enactment of health care reform.”

More information on SCHIP reauthorization available at http://ccf.georgetown.edu.

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