Bob Menendez: “I wish to talk about the reauthorization of the Children's Health Insurance Program and why those who are opposing the…”

“I wish to talk about the reauthorization of the Children's Health Insurance Program and why those who are opposing the bill are making this a nightmare for children. When I first came to the floor in support of the bill on July 31, I knew there were those who did not share my support, but I thought they would merely be a road bump to reauthorization. Now it seems we have a roadblock to children getting critical care they need. How many times can you veto or vote against children receiving health care and not raise a question as to your role as a representative of the people? How many times can you veto or vote against children receiving health care and then turn around and take pictures with babies and families back in your home State? How many times can you veto or vote against children receiving health care and then still argue that you care about the well-being of children other than your own? I don't understand how we have gotten to this point, but let me make this very simple. The bill at its core provides health care for poor children. Yet there are those in Congress and the White House who are missing that bottom line. More important, their votes are hurting our Nation's children. There are 9 million children in America who suffer in silence because they do not have health care; 6 million of them are eligible for the Children's Health Insurance Program or Medicaid, but they are not enrolled. That keeps me up at night.…”