[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 121 (Friday, September 5, 2003)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E1702] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] AMENDING TITLE XXI OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT REGARDING THE STATE CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM ______ speech of HON. W.J. (BILLY) TAUZIN of louisiana in the house of representatives Thursday, July 25, 2003 Mr. TAUZIN. Mr. Speaker, the House will unanimously pass a bi- partisan bill, H.R. 2854, which will dramatically improve uninsured children's access to health care. This bill reflects a compromise negotiated with the other Chamber, which is supported by Senators Grassley and Baucus, along with Health Subcommittee Chairman Mike Bilirakis, and Ranking Members John Dingell and Sherrod Brown. H.R. 2854 will provide states with $2.7 billion to fund their SCHIP programs. The State Child Health Insurance Program is an extremely successful program that has enabled states to provide health coverage to over 5 million previously uninsured children. Under SCHIP each states gets a specified annual allotment of Federal dollars to be used to pay for children's health care, which the state can draw on for up to three years. Due to initial delays that many states encountered in establishing their SCHIP programs, significant percentages of several states' allotments from fiscal years 1998 through 2001 have gone unused. H.R. 2854 will allow these states to retain a portion of these funds to enable them to provide additional coverage to uninsured children. Under H.R. 2954, states will be able to retain fiscal year 1998 and 1999 reallocated funds through the end of fiscal year 2004 and allows states to retain 50 percent of their unspent allotments for fiscal years 2000 and 2001. In addition, the bill also allows ten states that had been unable to spend all of their SCHIP allotments because of high Medicaid income eligibility levels to use up to 20 percent of their SCHIP allotments to pay for providing coverage for eligible children. ____________________