Max Baucus: “the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., wrote: ``The time is always ripe to do right.'' This week, the time is ripe to do…”

“the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., wrote: ``The time is always ripe to do right.'' This week, the time is ripe to do right by America's children. Last Friday, my colleagues and I unveiled a strong, bicameral agreement to renew and improve the Children's Health Insurance Program. CHIP covers kids whose parents don't qualify for Medicaid, but who cannot afford costly private insurance. CHIP works to get health coverage to uninsured kids in America's working families. The agreement we reached to renew CHIP will make sure that more than 6 rac{1}{2} million children with health coverage today will keep that coverage. The agreement we reached will make sure that millions more low-income, uninsured American children get a healthy start. It is a good agreement. It is fiscally responsible. It has broad support across the Congress. And most importantly, it puts children first. In August, 68 Senators voted for nearly the exact same $35 billion agreement to renew and improve the Children's Health Insurance Program. They voted to reach millions more uninsured children in low-income, working families. This week, Senators can stand up for kids again. I know that there is pressure from the White House. The White House is asking Senators to turn away this time. But the President is endangering children when he distorts what this bill does. The President is endangering children when he repeats his veto threats.”