Bill Clinton: “I believe--and I don't imagine anybody in this Chamber would argue with this belief--that every child deserves a healthy…”

“I believe--and I don't imagine anybody in this Chamber would argue with this belief--that every child deserves a healthy start in life. Certainly, we try to provide that healthy start for our own children, and we give a lot of lip service to the idea that we should provide it for all children. Yet far too many children in our Nation--more than 9 million--do not have health care. I was very proud to help create the State Children's Health Insurance Program during the Clinton administration, working on this legislation during my time as First Lady. After the bill passed, I worked to get the word out to try to help more children and their parents understand what this new program could mean for them and encourage them to sign up in the first few years. In the Senate, I have continued that effort, fighting to ensure that health care for children has the priority in our budget that it deserves.”