S. 2086Senate110th Congress (2007-2009)In Committee

SCHIP Extension Act of 2007

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Finance Committee

September 24, 2007

View full timeline

SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

September 24, 2007

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Finance Committee

September 24, 2007

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 2086 on the floor

1 Republican

Sen. Wayne AllardR-CO · Oct 4, 2007

Mr. President, I come to the floor today to talk about a program that is important to me and to the low-income children in this country: the State Children's Health Insurance Program. I am a strong…

Mr. President, I come to the floor today to talk about a program that is important to me and to the low-income children in this country: the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

I am a strong supporter of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, and want the program to cover all uninsured, lower income children. I fully support a reauthorization of this program, but I also support the President's decision to veto the flawed SCHIP bill sent to him by Congress.

The SCHIP legislation that was vetoed by the President yesterday includes frivolous spending, expands coverage to children already covered by private insurance and neglects the original intent of the program--to provide health coverage for low-income children. While I support the reauthorization of SCHIP, I do not support legislation that expands the program and serves as an initial step towards government- run health care.

The State Children's Health Insurance Program works! It has enrolled low-income eligible children in a health coverage program to ensure that they have adequate access to coverage and services. While the program is certainly a success, there are some oversights that need to be addressed. Congress has been given the opportunity to tackle these issues with the reauthorization of the program. In Colorado we have yet to enroll all of the currently eligible children of low-income families into the SCHIP program. We should focus our attention on enrolling these children instead of fighting over an expansion of the program. Expanding eligibility requirements would only make it harder for the neediest children in Colorado, and the Nation, to receive coverage.

I am a strong supporter of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, and want the program to cover all uninsured, lower income children. I support giving Americans the opportunity to access health care, and giving them the ability to purchase affordable suitable private coverage. I support the effort by many Members of this body to spend in a fiscally responsible way, without increasing taxes or using budget gimmicks. More importantly, I support putting children first.

The State Children's Health Insurance Program was put in place to cover low-income children who would otherwise not have access to health coverage. The SCHIP agreement that passed the House and Senate not only disregards the original intent of the program, but also reauthorizes the program in a fiscally irresponsible manner that will end up costing the taxpayers $12.5 billion in the final year of the authorization. For example, the revenue source for the reauthorization is being sold as a tax increase on cigarettes which is expected to reduce the number of people smoking, but this is an unstable revenue source. I don't agree with paying for a program as important as the State Children's Health Insurance Program with an unsustainable income.

The State Children's Health Insurance Program can be reauthorized in a way that increases the number of enrolled children who are currently eligible for the program. While I oppose the expansion of the program, I do not oppose reauthorization and therefore I am cosponsoring the SCHIP Extension Act of 2007, S. 2086, which will fully fund the current program for 18 months, and give Congress more time to discuss the best way to reauthorize the program. SCHIP was scheduled to expire on September 30 and it is imperative that Congress reauthorize the current program to ensure that children of lower income families still receive health coverage. I will also be cosponsoring the Kids First Act, as an alternative proposal for the reauthorization of the SCHIP program.

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode

Raw Text PDF XML

Introduced in SenateIssued September 24, 2007

110th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 2086

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 24, 2007

Mr. Lott introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

A BILL

To amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to extend funding for 18 months for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the SCHIP Extension Act of 2007.

Extension of SCHIP

Section 2104 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397dd) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a)—

(A)

by striking and at the end of paragraph (9);

(B)

by striking the period at the end of paragraph (10) and inserting a semicolon; and

(C)

by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(11)

for fiscal year 2008, $5,000,000,000; and

(12)

for the first 6 months of fiscal year 2009, $2,500,000,000.

; and

(2)

in subsection (c)(4)(B), by striking and $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2007 and inserting $40,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 and 2008, and $20,000,000 for the first 6 months of fiscal year 2009.

Additional allotments to address SCHIP funding shortfalls for fiscal year 2008 and first 6 months of fiscal year 2009

Section 2104 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397dd) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(i)

Amounts To eliminate funding shortfalls for fiscal year 2008 and first 6 months of fiscal year 2009

(1)

In general

From the amounts appropriated under paragraph (4) for a shortfall period (as defined in paragraph (5)), the Secretary shall allot to each shortfall State described in paragraph (2) for such period such amount as the Secretary determines will eliminate the estimated shortfall described in paragraph (2) for the State for the shortfall period.

(2)

Shortfall state described

For purposes of paragraph (1), a shortfall State described in this paragraph for a shortfall period is a State with a State child health plan approved under this title for which the Secretary estimates, on the basis of the most recent data available to the Secretary as of a date (specified by the Secretary) during the shortfall period, that the projected Federal expenditures under such plan for the State for the shortfall period will exceed the sum of—

(A)

the amount of the State's allotments for the two fiscal years ending before the shortfall period that will not be expended by the end of the more recent such fiscal year;

(B)

the amount of the State's allotment for the shortfall period; and

(C)

the amounts, if any, that are to be redistributed to the State during the shortfall period in accordance with subsection (f).

(3)

Proration rule

If the amount available under paragraph (4) for a shortfall period is less than the total amount of the estimated shortfalls determined by the Secretary under paragraph (1) for such period, the amount of the estimated shortfall for each shortfall State determined under such paragraph for such period shall be reduced proportionally.

(4)

Appropriation; allotment authority

For the purpose of providing additional allotments to shortfall States under this subsection—

(A)

Fiscal year 2008

For the shortfall period specified in paragraph (5)(A), there is appropriated, out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, such sums as are necessary for such fiscal year, but not to exceed $1,500,000,000.

(B)

First 6 months of fiscal year 2009

For the shortfall period specified in paragraph (5)(B), there is appropriated, out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, such sums as are necessary for such period, but not to exceed $1,100,000,000.

(5)

Shortfall periods specified

For purposes of this subsection, each of the following is a shortfall period:

(A)

Fiscal year 2008.

(B)

The first 6 months of fiscal year 2009.

Option for qualifying States to receive the enhanced portion of the SCHIP matching rate for Medicaid coverage of certain children

Section 2105(g) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397ee(g)) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting subject to paragraph (4), after Notwithstanding any other provision of law,; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(4)

Option for allotments

(A)

Payment of enhanced portion of matching rate for certain expenditures

In the case of expenditures described in subparagraph (B), a qualifying State (as defined in paragraph (2)) may elect to be paid from the State's allotment made under section 2104 for any fiscal year (beginning with fiscal year 2008) (insofar as the allotment is available to the State under subsections (e) and (i) of such section) an amount each quarter equal to the additional amount that would have been paid to the State under title XIX with respect to such expenditures if the enhanced FMAP (as determined under subsection (b)) had been substituted for the Federal medical assistance percentage (as defined in section 1905(b)).

(B)

Expenditures described

For purposes of subparagraph (A), the expenditures described in this subparagraph are expenditures made after the date of the enactment of this paragraph and during the period in which funds are available to the qualifying State for use under subparagraph (A), for the provision of medical assistance to individuals residing in the State who are eligible for medical assistance under the State plan under title XIX or under a waiver of such plan and who have not attained age 19, and whose family income equals or exceeds 133 percent of the poverty line but does not exceed the Medicaid applicable income level.