Chairman Crowley Statement on Congressional Republicans Putting Americans at Risk by Allowing Expiration of Key Health Care Programs
(Washington, D.C.) – House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley (D-NY) issued the following statement on Republicans’ failure to extend critical health care programs designed to provide access to primary care and keep children healthy ahead of an October 1 deadline:
“Despite holding majorities in both the House and Senate, congressional Republicans are effectively unable to pass basic legislation. This Republican gridlock will put 9 million children at risk when the Children’s Health Insurance Program runs out of federal funding this Sunday. This is unacceptable. Ensuring that children, who would otherwise have no access to comprehensive health care, have the guarantee of coverage should be a bipartisan issue. Extending this critical program must be a top priority when Congress returns to Washington.
“There must also be immediate action on the expiration of Community Health Center funding, as this program supports 1,400 health centers across the country. In New York alone, this program supports 2.2 million. These centers bring health care to communities lacking regular access to doctors, specialists, and clinics. It is a stunning failure from congressional Republicans that this program was allowed to expire and must be reauthorized immediately.
“Republicans must commit to bringing the reauthorization legislation for these two critical programs, along with other expiring programs, including the Special Diabetes Program, the Childhood Obesity Demonstration Project, the Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital Payment Program, and the National Health Service Corps, to the House and Senate floors immediately.”
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