To express the sense of the Senate concerning the provision of health care for children before providing tax cuts for the wealthy.

SA 2596. Mr. DURBIN proposed an amendment to the bill S. 2020,to
provide for reconciliation pursuant to section 202(b) of the concurrent
resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006; which was ordered to lie
on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. __. SENSE OF THE SENATE CONCERNING HEALTH CARE FOR
CHILDREN BEFORE TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHY.

(a) Findings.--The Senate makes the following findings:
(1) There are more than 9,000,000 children in the United
States with no health insurance coverage.
(2) Sixty-seven percent of uninsured children live in
families with at least one full-time worker.
(3) According to the Center for Studying Health System
Change, uninsured children, when compared to privately
insured children, are--
(A) 3.5 times more likely to have gone without needed
medical, dental, or other health care;
(B) 4 times more likely to have delayed seeking medical
care;
(C) 5 times more likely to go without needed prescription
drugs; and
(D) 6.5 times less likely to have a usual source of care.
(4) More than half of these children are eligible for
coverage under either the State Children's Health Insurance
Program (SCHIP) or Medicaid, but are not enrolled in those
safety net programs.
(5) Most States, struggling with budget deficits, have
curtailed outreach efforts.
(6) A focus on simple and convenient enrollment and renewal
systems, as well as proactive outreach and educational
efforts, could help reach these children and reduce the
number of uninsured American children.
(7) Some States, seeing that the Federal Government is not
providing assistance to middle class families who can't
afford health insurance, are trying to extend coverage to
some or all children.
(8) State efforts to cover all children will not be
successful without financial assistance from the Federal
Government.
(b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate
that--
(1) the Senate should not vote to extend the capital gains
and dividend tax cuts, a majority of the benefits of which go
to households with incomes over $1,000,000, until Congress
has taken steps to ensure that all children in America have
access to affordable, quality health insurance;
(2) the Senate should vote instead to use the funds
generated by the expiration of the capital gains and dividend
tax cuts to further the goal of ensuring that children have
access to health insurance coverage by--
(A) awarding grants to States, faith-based organizations,
safety net providers, schools, and other community and non-
profit organizations to facilitate the enrollment of the
6,800,000 children who are currently eligible for enrollment
in the State Children's Health Insurance Program but who are
not enrolled;
(B) paying to each State with an approved State Children's
Health Insurance Program or Medicaid plan, an amount equal to
90 percent of the sums expended for the design, development,
implementation, and evaluation of enrollment systems
determined likely to provide more efficient and effective
administration of the plan's enrollment and retention of
eligible children; and
(C) establishing a grant program under which a State may
apply under section 1115 of the Social Security Act to
provide medical assistance under the State Children's Health
Insurance Program to all children in their State.
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