Joe Baca: “I rise in support of overriding the President's veto of the SCHIP bill, H.R. 3963. In the face of job loss and a…”

“I rise in support of overriding the President's veto of the SCHIP bill, H.R. 3963. In the face of job loss and a foreclosure crisis I rise again to fight for SCHIP. There are more families going hungry in my district each day, and the number of uninsured children is skyrocketing out of control. As a parent and grandparent, I understand the despair we all feel when a child falls asleep crying in your arms and all you can do is reassure them. I ask President Bush, how will you answer the pleas of help from these parents? Parents are struggling. Local newspapers in my District report a 6.2 percent unemployment rate, which is much higher than the national average of 5.0 percent. This loss of jobs translates to fewer parents covered by employment-based health insurance, which means more uninsured children. This week we celebrated the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. Let us remember him as we fight today to protect our nation's most vulnerable citizens, our children! I urge my colleagues to join me in rescuing health care for our children, and support this veto override.”