WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor highlighting the need to protect and grow the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
You can watch the speech here: http://www.casey.senate.gov/031507_casey.ram
An excerpt of Sen. Casey's remarks are below:
"I want to conclude this morning with a couple of basic questions for the President, for the Senate and for the House. This is what every elected official in Washington has to answer when they vote on this budget and when they vote on the question of the State Children's Health Insurance program.
"Question number one for the President and for the Congress: does the Administration and the Congress want 1.4 million children to lose their health insurance coverage, or not?
"You can't have it either way. If you vote for the President's proposal, you are voting to cut 1.4 million kids from the insurance rolls.
"Number two. Are the millionaires and billionaires who have benefited year after year to the tune of hundreds of billions, is their tax cut more important than children?
"And number three, a basic question for tomorrow, today, and many years from now. Do you want the gross domestic product to grow? Do you want the American economy to grow or not? If you answer that question 'yes' you cannot oppose the expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance program."
On Tuesday, Senator Casey participated in a rally in Washington with advocates to build support for SCHIP.
