Frank Pallone: “I am here today to once again talk about the need for Congress to pass a children's only health care bill and the…”

“I am here today to once again talk about the need for Congress to pass a children's only health care bill and the Republicans' continued refusal to let this Democratic plan move forward. Again we are here in the middle of another week, in the third month of the 105th Congress, and the Republicans basically have nothing to do. Ten million American children have no health insurance, yet day after day after day the Republican leadership schedules no real business for the House of Representatives to consider. Yesterday was a perfect example of just how little the Republicans have to do. Even though Democrats have legislative plans to provide health care to the Nation's 10 million uninsured children ready for consideration, the Republican leadership decided it was more important to debate a symbolic measure about the Ten Commandments. Let me repeat that, Mr. Speaker, because it is really kind of unbelievable when one thinks about it. Instead of allowing legislative plans to ensure that all American children have health insurance to be considered, the House Republican leadership felt it was more important to consider a symbolic measure on how Congress feels about the display of the Ten Commandments in Government offices and courthouses. The point is that children's health care, pure and simple, is something that needs to be addressed. The problem of uninsured children continues to grow as Congress watches from the sidelines.”