More than 60,000 kids in my State count on CHIP and need certainty. This funding bill reauthorizes CHIP for 6 years, the longest extension
in the program's history. Now Democrats are threatening to hold this up
again for a DACA deal. Now, to be clear, I want a DACA deal, too, and I am disappointed that
we don't have one yet, but that is no reason to punish children across
the country. Today we are voting to prioritize our Nation's children,
and it is time for the Democrats to join us. I also want to take this opportunity to stress the importance of
reauthorizing the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education
Program, which expired in September.