I commend the authors of this bipartisan bill for their work and for bringing forward a practical. fiscally responsible compromise that will allow us to reauthorize this important program and expand coverage. I am eager to see that it is signed into law. I am disappointed. however. that the bill we are considering this week fails to include the Legal Immigrant Childrens Health Improvement Act. which I introduced with Senator SNOWE. Sellator SNOWE and I have been working on this legislation for a number of years. This bipartisan bill would give States the flexibility to provide the same Medicaid and CHIP coverage to lowincome legal immigrant children and pregnant women as is provided to U.S. citizens. I underscore that. We are talking about legal immigrant children and legal pregnant women. I believe we should provide this flexibility to States because the current restrictions prevent thousands of legal immigrant children and pregnant women from receiving preventive health services and treatment for minor illnesses before they become serious. Families who are unable to access care for their children have little choice but to turn to emergency rooms. and this hurts children and pregnant women. plain and simple. I urge my colleagues to support my amendment to lift the ban on Medicaid and CHIP coverage for lowincome legal immigrant children and pregnant women. I also am disappointed that some of my colleagues have expressed concern about States. such as New York. New Jersey. and others. that have chosen to cover children above 300 percent of the poverty level.
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