Vote Explanation

Floor Speech

VOTE EXPLANATION -- (Senate - July 30, 2007)

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Mr. REED. Madam President, due to the delay of my flight, I was unavoidably absent for vote No. 285, the vote to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 976.

Had I been present, I would have voted yes on the motion to proceed. This is one of the most important pieces of legislation that the Senate will consider this year. It is the first reauthorization of the highly successful Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP. I am proud to have been a part of the original bipartisan effort to create this initiative back in 1997. While some on the other side of the aisle will criticize the Finance Committee agreement pending before this Chamber, no one can deny CHIP has played a crucial role in helping to reduce the rate of uninsured low-income children over the past 10 years. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the number of uninsured children fell from 22.5 percent in 1996 to 16.9 percent in 2005 due in large part to CHIP.

I look forward to a vigorous and spirited debate on this bill, and I am dedicated to working very closely with my colleagues to ensure the Senate will advance a reauthorization bill that reaffirms our commitment to health insurance coverage for children in Rhode Island and around the country.

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