John Kerry: Kerry Says He'll Fight for Broader S-CHIP Package

07/10/2007 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Senator John Kerry issued the following statement today, after members of the Senate Finance Committee tentatively agreed to increase funds for S-CHIP by $35 billion over five years. The increase would be paid for with increased taxes on tobacco products. Kerry had argued for a broader increase in the plan, which provides health insurance for more than six million poor children nationwide.

“The S-CHIP deal proposed today by Senators Baucus and Grassley is a good start at addressing the moral and economic injustice of nine million uninsured children in America,” Kerry said. “But I strongly believe Congress can and should do more to improve the health care for our country’s poorest children. I intend to work hard to see if we can achieve a larger increase so that no eligible child is left out of the program. Moreover, today the White House once again showed its true colors by encouraging a veto against legislation that enjoys bipartisan support and is aimed at helping our most vulnerable.”

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Kerry is a member of the Senate Finance Committee, which is scheduled to vote on the proposal later this week. Legislation introduced by Kerry helped lay the groundwork for the original creation of S-CHIP in 1997. Since 2005, Kerry has advocated for his “Kids First’ proposal, which would guarantee health coverage for every child in America under age 21.

Source: Senator John Kerry