Frank Pallone: “Last month Democrats urged Republican leaders to move forward on legislation to help provide health care coverage for…”

“Last month Democrats urged Republican leaders to move forward on legislation to help provide health care coverage for America's uninsured children by Mother's Day. Instead of developing a plan for the more than 10 million uninsured children, Republican leaders have been outspoken in denying milk, formula, and other basic nutrition needs for approximately 180,000 children in the Women, Infants and Children, or WIC Program, that my colleague from Alabama just previously spoke about. Since the Republicans have failed in developing a plan to assist the Nation's uninsured children, Democrats have taken the initiative and have put together a children's health care proposal which we unveiled last week. The proposal is called the Families First Health Care Coverage for Children, and it seeks to help those working families who do not currently qualify for Medicaid, because they are above the Federal poverty level, but are nevertheless without health insurance for a number of reasons. I would like to discuss, Mr. Speaker, this plan right now. It is basically a three-pronged approach.”