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TODAY!! TELL YOUR SENATORS & REPRESENTATIVE:
SUPPORT CHILDREN'S HEALTH!

(Votes may take place today and in the following days - Please call as soon as you can!)

Toll-free number: 800-828-0498*

Why your Members of Congress really need to hear from you:

This week Members of Congress will decide on the fate of children's health. They are poised to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), a program providing health coverage to over 6 million low-income children.

Despite the success and broad bipartisan support for SCHIP, the program is under attack. The President has issued a veto threat and some Members plan to offer amendments that will weaken SCHIP and deny millions of children health insurance. It is crucial that you call your Senators and Representative toll-free TODAY and urge them to support SCHIP.

Without strong bipartisan votes in the House and Senate the program will expire in 62 days, leaving millions of children uninsured! But your calls can send a strong message both protecting the children currently enrolled and allowing millions more eligible children to get coverage.

CALL 800-828-0498 TODAY!

Senate Message: "I'm a constituent of Senator _____. Please tell him/her to vote YES on children's health and NO on all amendments that restrict children's eligibility for health coverage."

House Message: "I'm a constituent of Rep. ________. Please tell him/her to vote for the CHAMP Act (HR 3162) on the Floor.

More information about SCHIP Reauthorization:

• The Senate Finance Committee passed an SCHIP renewal bill on June 19 that provides $35 billion in new funding for the program over five years. The bill is on the Senate floor this week and it is expected that a number of weakening amendments will be offered.
• The House Committees with jurisdiction over SCHIP have introduced the Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act (CHAMP Act) HR 3162. In addition to renewing SCHIP, the House bill also contains improvements to Medicare and eliminates scheduled cuts to provider payments. The CHAMP Act includes $50 billion in increased funding for SCHIP over five years, expands Medicaid and CHIP to legal immigrant children and pregnant women, and includes other provision that strengthen and improve the program. The bill is scheduled to come to the House floor tomorrow.

Families USA has developed a handy side-by-side comparison of the two bills.

We expect that various attempts will be made to weaken SCHIP. It is critical that Congress hears from you and that both bills pass the House and the Senate by a wide margin. This is the only way SCHIP can withstand a Presidential veto.

Thanks for making the calls!

*This toll-free number provided courtesy of Families USA.