Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I can't believe Congress has closed legislative business for the week without addressing a critical deadline that will impact the health of our country. On September 30, authorization for the Community Health Centers and the Children's Health Insurance Program--CHIP--will expire. Well, it is September 28, and we just closed legislative business. That means funding for this critical program will lapse and the health of millions of Americans will be in jeopardy. Our Nation's Community Health Centers have served low-income, rural, and underserved communities for more than 50 years. In that time, they have increased the number of patients they serve and the services they offer so that they are now the primary healthcare option for millions of people. CHIP is another program that Congress will allow to lapse. No matter how big the differences between Republicans and Democrats, when it comes to healthcare, we have always come together to ensure our Nation's children do not go without the care they need, yet here we are leaving D.C. and abandoning the 9 million children on CHIP and the millions more at the Community Health Centers. I ask that we come back into session and that we extend these critical programs. ____________________”