Senator Roberts went on to say, "In this Congress we are facing a difficult budgetary situation known as pay-go. This means that any new spending must be offset by reductions in other spending or increases in taxes.

I could not in good conscience support any reductions in programs such as Medicare or Medicaid, on which so many Kansans rely upon to survive, in order to pay for SCHIP reauthorization. I also did not think it was responsible to add to the deficit with an increase in funding for this program. This left us with limited options.

"While I understand the concerns with a tobacco tax increase, I do hope my fellow Kansans will understand that I am doing this for one very important reason: providing health care coverage to low-income children. I know that my choice to support this bill is the right choice to make sure our children get the health care coverage they need and deserve."

The compromise achieves significant goals for reform championed by Senator Roberts at the beginning of debate on the bill. These reforms include: ensuring the program puts children first over adults, focusing SCHIP on low income children, and improving outreach to encourage enrollment of eligible children, particularly in rural areas.

This bill also addresses the importance of including the private market in the SCHIP program. The compromise gives states the ability to provide premium assistance for children to get health care coverage through the private market rather than relying on SCHIP.

"I am proud to support this important bill, which will provide health insurance coverage to approximately 4 million more children who would otherwise be uninsured. I’m glad my colleagues and I were able to put politics aside and do what is right for these children."

The program needs to be reauthorized or extended prior to its expiration September 30, 2007.

Senator Roberts is a member of the Senate Committee on Finance and the Senate Health, Education Labor and Pensions Committee.

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