For immediate release
Contact: Gordon Whitman (734) 255-4029
November 1, 2007

Oakland, CA - Fr. John Baumann, Executive Director, PICO National Network issued the following statement in response to today's Senate passage of bipartisan SCHIP legislation.

"Shame on President Bush and those in Congress who are standing between children and the health care they need. Today, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked efforts by a bipartisan group of Senators and House members to reach a new compromise on children's health legislation to cover 10 million uninsured children. By prematurely forcing a vote on the legislation before negotiators could finish their work, Senator McConnell delayed efforts to craft legislation that could win a veto-proof majority in the House and Senate.

PICO National Network and other faith organizations are watching the SCHIP debate closely because it represents a core moral issue for people of faith across America. People of faith will not tolerate politicians from either party playing the children's health issue for political gain. The legislation passed today to cover 10 million children is good for America's children, but it needs to win the support of two-thirds of the members of both chambers. We objected to last week's decision by House leaders to move legislation forward without sufficient opportunity to build support. We object to today's decision by Senator McConnell to force an unnecessary vote on SCHIP and delay real progress for children.

People of faith will not accept legislation that puts unnecessary obstacles in the way of uninsured children or compromises state efforts to enroll four million children who would be uninsured without $35 billion in additional funding. Neither failure nor delay is an option for America's children. Another short-term SCHIP extension at current levels would leave 21 states without the resources to continue their programs through the end of the year. States have already begun making plans to cut children off health coverage and create waiting lists. For example, California is planning to cut off 64,000 children each month beginning in January if Congress does not pass strong legislation.

We are encouraged by statements from Senators Baucus and Grassley that despite today's Senate vote and President Bush's hard-hearted opposition to adequately funding SCHIP, negotiations are proceeding on legislation that can win support from two-thirds of members in both chambers without compromising the needs of America's uninsured children. With the health of our children at-stake as never before, the faith community will not cease praying and pressuring Congress until it enacts strong children's health legislation that will protect coverage for 6 million children who depend on SCHIP and extend coverage to 4 million children who would otherwise be uninsured."

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PICO National Network is a non-partisan network of 53 faith-based federations and 1,000 religious congregations working to revitalize neighborhoods and strengthen families in 150 cities and 17 states.

For more information visit www.piconetwork.org