01.24.18

The Longest S-CHIP Extension In History

‘Parents Of The Almost 9 Million Children Who Receive Coverage Under The Federal Children's Health Insurance Program, Or CHIP, Can Breathe Easier’

SEN. MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): “…I’d particularly like to thank our Senate Finance Committee Chairman, Senator Hatch, for his powerful advocacy for the nine million children in low-income families who rely on the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. ... I understand the six-year S-CHIP extension the Senate passed yesterday will be the longest extension in the program’s history. Its passage offers just one more testament – as if we needed one – to Sen. Hatch’s moral conviction, political skill, and care for the most vulnerable in our society.” (Sen. McConnell, Floor Remarks, 1/23/2018)

SEN. ORRIN HATCH (R-UT): “I’m proud to call CHIP my own. ...   For more than 20 years, CHIP has served as a literal lifeline for millions of children whose families could not otherwise afford health insurance. Without exaggeration, this groundbreaking program has saved thousands of young lives—and it has long stood as a symbol of what our two parties can accomplish when we look beyond the horizon of our differences to find common ground.” (Sen. Hatch, Floor Remarks, 1/21/2018)

In ‘Deal Ending The Government Shutdown … Winner: CHIP Kids’

“A federal government shutdown that has lasted nearly three days is on track to come to an end later Monday … the beneficiaries of the Children’s Health Insurance Program, whose funding will be safe for the next six years, secured a long-term win.” (“3 Winners And 2 Losers From The Deal Ending The Government Shutdown,” Vox, 1/22/2018)

  • “Winner: CHIP kids…CHIP’s funding crisis is finally over. The bill to keep the government open for the next two-and-a-half weeks also includes a six-year extension of CHIP’s budget. (Indeed, Republicans had offered this before the shutdown, and this time it was Democrats who wouldn’t accept it.) This means that states will no longer have to worry about how long their funding will last, and that 9 million kids who get covered through the program can finally rest easy.” (“3 Winners And 2 Losers From The Deal Ending The Government Shutdown,” Vox, 1/22/2018)

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SENATE REPUBLICAN COMMUNICATIONS CENTER

Related Issues: Appropriations, Health Care