U.S. Moms Cheer Expansion of State Child Health Insurance Program

NEWS RELEASE
February 4, 2009
CONTACT: Gretchen Wright, 202/371-1999

U.S. Moms Cheer Expansion of
State Child Health Insurance Program

MomsRising.org, the online and on-the-ground grassroots organization for moms and everyone who has a mom, today applauded President Barack Obama’s signing of the expanded State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The expanded program will cover an additional four million children in the U.S. for the next four and a half years.

“Our children’s health is something we hold near and dear,” said MomsRising.org President Joan Blades. “No child should ever be denied health care and the reauthorized State Children’s Health Insurance Program will help ensure that more children receive the care that they need. With more parents losing their jobs nearly every day, this legislation could not be more important to our nation’s health. By pressing for this measure, MomsRising.org members once again flexed their political muscle to help improve the lives and health of their families and families across the country.”

MomsRising.org members across the country mobilized in support of the expanded SCHIP legislation, sending more than 135,000 letters to their U.S. Senators and Representatives urging them to vote for the measure.

“Today we thank the members of the House and Senate for passing this important bill and we thank President Obama for wasting no time in signing it into law,” said MomsRising.org Executive Director Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner. “Healthcare for all kids has been a part of the MomsRising.org agenda since day one. Today, our nation took a giant step closer to that goal.”

MomsRising.org is an online grassroots organization that is working for paid family leave, flexible work options, excellent childcare and health care for all children, and to stop the wage and hiring biases that penalize so many mothers today. MomsRising.org has more than 150,000 members across the United States.