Daines Statement on Government Shutdown

Statement

U.S. Senator Steve Daines today made the following statement after the government funding bill failed to pass the Senate before the Friday midnight deadline.

"While I voted to fund the government, 44 Democrats chose to shut it down, failing 24,000 Montana children, compromising our national security, and letting down our veterans and active service members." said Daines.

The funding bill would have kept the government open for four weeks and would have included a six-year reauthorization of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which gives 24,000 Montana children access to critical health care.

Background:

On January 19, Daines called on his colleagues to protect Montana children.

On January 18, Daines spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate, urging his colleagues to support long-term CHIP reauthorization.

On April 14, 2015, Daines supported reauthorization of CHIP.

CHIP provides vital health services for over eight million children and 370,000 pregnant women across the United States each year.

Since CHIP's creation, the number of uninsured children has fallen by one-third. Today, the number of uninsured children is the lowest on record.

Montana counties with the highest number of children enrolled in CHIP:
Yellowstone -- 3,288 children
Flathead -- 2,950 children
Gallatin -- 2,765 children
Missoula -- 2,284 children
Cascade -- 1,325 children

Source