Bill Clinton: “today I am introducing the Legal Immigrant Children's Health Improvement Act, legislation that would again allow States…”

“today I am introducing the Legal Immigrant Children's Health Improvement Act, legislation that would again allow States to use Federal funds to provide critical healthcare services to pregnant women and children. I want to thank Senator Snowe for partnering with me on this bipartisan effort. All across New York and America, legal immigrants work hard, pay taxes, and exercise their civic responsibilities. I see examples of this every day in New York. They fight for our country in the military. They contribute to our Nation's competitiveness and economic growth. They help revitalize neighborhoods and small towns across the country. And most are fiercely proud to call themselves Americans. Yet, in 1996, Congress denied safety net services to legal immigrants who had been in the country for less than five years. Today, Senator Snowe and I are introducing legislation that would take a first step towards correcting that injustice. The Legal Immigrant Children's Health Improvement Act will allow States to use Federal funds to make the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and Medicaid available to legal immigrant pregnant women and children who are within the five year ban. There is tremendous need for this legislation.”