Congress presses for children’s health insurance

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) commented on Congressional efforts to pass the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), describing it as a symbol of President Elect Barack Obama’s promise to bring change to America.

According to data released by the Majority Leader’s office, SCHIP will provide health insurance for over 11 million children, give parents greater access to preventative care, and allow states to enroll documented immigrant children in the country in health programs without waiting the five year waiting period.

Hoyer addressed concerns raised by conservatives that SCHIP will provide federal funds for children in the U.S. illegally, dismissing the complaint as a red herring and promising that nobody in the country illegally will receives SCHIPS’s benefits.

Despite having support from a number of Republicans, SCHIP was vetoed twice in 2007 by President Bush. Following the initial vetoes, Hoyer stated that Democrats in Congress pledged that if they were reelected under a Democratic President they would pursue SCHIP again.

The Majority Leader also discussed upcoming legislation that would reform the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP). The legislation seeks to enforce the original intentions of the bill, such as requiring a substantial amount of the remaining $350 billion to be used for lending, and will also be subjected to additional oversight.