From the Office of Utah Congressman Jim Matheson

MATHESON NEWS
Second Congressional District

For Further Information
Alyson Heyrend: (801) 455-5593 (cell)
www.house.gov/matheson

October 18, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Matheson: Children Should Come First

View Congressman Matheson's Speech in the House - Windows Media

Washington D.C.—Congressman Jim Matheson said the outcome of today’s veto override vote in the House to try to renew and extend a successful children’s health insurance program is bitterly disappointing, but it will not stop him from looking for a way forward for 10 million low-income uninsured kids.

“A bipartisan majority stood up for doing what is right today—caring for children. Even though we did not succeed, the well-being of tens of thousands of deserving Utah kids is at stake.   The reality is that many children in families with working parents still need us to come together on a plan.  They are relying on the adults in their world to make this possible and we cannot afford to let them, or their parents, down,” said Matheson.

Matheson wants to renew and extend the 10-year-old State Children’s Health Insurance Program, maintaining coverage for 6.5 million kids and offering it to an additional 4 million kids who are eligible.  The S-CHIP program is broadly seen as a successful partnership between federal and state governments, and private insurers.  In Utah, an estimated 74,000 children would benefit.  After it’s implementation in 1997, SCHIP is credited with decreasing the number of uninsured children in this country by one-third.

Matheson said he believes Congress will continue to pass legislation to maintain the existing enrollees until a way can be found to extend the program to meet the needs of children of poor working parents who are either not offered, or cannot afford to purchase health insurance for them.

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Alyson Heyrend
Communications Director
240 East Morris Ave. #235
South Salt Lake, UT 84115
(801) 486-1236 (phone)
(801) 455-5593 (cell)
(801) 486-1417 (fax)