Click here to view Walden’s speech on the floor of the House of Representatives
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Continuing his efforts to provide certainty to over 122,700 children and pregnant women in Oregon who rely on the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) has led the call to action to pass a government funding measure that includes the longest extension of CHIP in history.
“We didn’t have to be here, and you sure as heck didn’t have to shut down the government. Our choice yesterday was vote to fund the government, or not. Vote to fund children’s health insurance for 9 million children and, by the way, for states like mine that also includes DACA kids,” said Walden in a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives Saturday. “So when you voted against that yesterday, you voted not to provide insurance to children and pregnant women in our states. That is wrong. We are here to govern. We are governing as Republicans. We will get this government up and running and we will take care of those children.”
On Wednesday, Walden participated in a press conference calling for full funding of CHIP. To watch Walden’s full remarks, please click here.
On Wednesday, Rep. Greg Walden participated in a press conference calling on Democrats to stop playing politics with funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The press conference fell on the eve of the House’s consideration of a Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund government operations, which includes a six-year extension for CHIP.
Detailing the Democrats’ delays throughout the legislative process and their resistance to reaching a bipartisan agreement, Walden stated, “It’s time. Enough’s enough.”
Walden also called on Oregon Governor Kate Brown to use her leadership position at the National Governor’s Association (NGA) to support passage of funding the children’s health insurance program.
“Under my leadership, Republicans in the House have repeatedly passed full funding for CHIP, and the proposal--defeated by Democrats in the Senate last night--funded CHIP for six years at the biggest funding levels, ever. Oregon kids need the Governor’s support at this critical time,” said Walden.
Senate Democrats blocked a government funding measure that provided the longest extension of CHIP in the program's history. Rep. Walden was the only member of the Oregon delegation to vote to provide a six-year extension of CHIP for the 122,700 Oregon children and pregnant women who rely on the program every day.
If you would like to share a personal story about how your family, or someone you know, relies on CHIP, please contact Rep. Walden's office at [email protected].
Background:
In November, the House passed Walden's CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act by a bipartisan vote. H.R. 3922 extends funding for CHIP, Community Health Centers, and other important public health programs.
H.R. 3922 was fully offset through responsible reforms like reducing federal subsidies for seniors earning more than $500,000 each year (or $40,000 each month) by limiting government contributions for their Part B and D premiums, and disenrolling lottery jackpot winners from Medicaid to prioritize the most vulnerable.
Last month, the House acted to provide short-term funding for states to continue their CHIP programs, including over $96 million for children and pregnant women in Oregon.
On Thursday, The House of Representatives passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the government. Included in the CR is a provision providing six-years of funding for CHIP, which is the longest and most generous funding extension of the program. In recent days, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has updated its scoring of the provision, projecting a net savings over a six-year window.
In Oregon, one-out-of-ten children and pregnant women rely on CHIP. Below are calculations for the number of children that rely on CHIP every day in each county of Oregon’s Second Congressional District:
Baker
279
Crook
575
Deschutes
4,516
Gilliam
44
Grant
88
Harney
147
Hood River
801
Jackson
5,086
Jefferson
650
Josephine
1,821
Klamath
1,120
Lake
96
Malheur
694
Morrow
325
Sherman
17
Umatilla
1,935
Union
550
Wallowa
211
Wasco
772
Wheeler
20
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Walden to Senate Democrats: Fund kids' health care
Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, spoke on the House floor Saturday, as the government shutdown took effect, and called on Democrats to put partisan politics aside and support the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
Click here to read more from News Channel 21 in Bend.
Rep. Walden pushes for 'CHIP' extension amid potential government shutdown
Amid a potential government shutdown Friday, Oregon Representative Greg Walden is pushing for the passing of a short term spending bill in order to keep funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program, or "CHIP", for short.
Click here to read more from News Channel 10 in Medford.
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