Political Quotes

“Mr. President, remember that 212 Republicans and 180 Democrats supported H.R. 2. The decision to extend CHIP for 2 years with the current payment rate was part of the House bipartisan agreement. This amendment seeks to rewrite that amendment. This amendment is not a vote to show who really cares more about children's health because H.R. 2 extends the CHIP program for 2 years. Everyone who supports the underlying bill is supporting children's health. If my colleagues oppose this amendment, they are no less a supporter of children's health than the 392 Members of the House who supported H.R. 2, including 180 Democrats and Leader Pelosi. Are my colleagues really saying that Leader Pelosi didn't care enough about kids in forging this agreement? Mr. President, I rise in opposition to this amendment. I am a supporter of the Children's Health Insurance Program having participated in the initial creation of CHIP in 1997 and the reauthorization started in 2007. And while I am a supporter of children's health, this is not a CHIP vote in a vacuum. This vote is in the context of the underlying bill and cannot be ignored. An overwhelming majority of the House supported H.R. 2. 392 Members of the House vote for H.R. 2; 212 Republicans and 180 Democrats supported the bill. That is a sign of bipartisanship that is, on a major issue, extremely rare in the House. The decision to extend CHIP for 2 years with the current payment rate was a part of the House bipartisan agreement.…”