Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-21) issued the following statement after voting against the Republican reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), a successful 20-year old program that provides health insurance to low-income children.

“Republicans are playing deadly politics with a program that keeps nine million low-income children and pregnant women healthy. Democrats demand a better deal. Congress should work in a bipartisan way to immediately reauthorize the Children's Health Insurance Program and Community Health Centers without poisonous offsets.”

The Republican bill raids Medicare, hospital safety net funds, and disease prevention money and shortens the grace period for paying premiums on Affordable Care Act plans from 90 to 30 days, likely resulting in nearly 700,000 people losing their insurance. 

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