As President Trump today sends Congress a proposal to slash $7 billion from the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to patch up record deficits being inflicted by his tax breaks for big corporations, Protect Our Care Campaign Director Brad Woodhouse released the following statement:
“With President Trump now demanding a $7 billion cut to kids’ coverage, are there any bridges too far for Republicans in their relentless war on our health care? Before the Trump presidency, the CHIP program earned broad bipartisan support; now, Republicans in Congress use kids’ health as a bargaining chip and the President proposes CHIP cuts that would cause a ripple effect of harm to critical health care programs. President Trump should be ashamed, and so should any Republican in Congress who supports this heartless plan.”
BACKGROUND
“Children and states had to wait months for CHIP to be funded, and finally breathed a sigh of relief when Congress moved forward with a long-term CHIP funding extension. This proposal undermines the bipartisan CHIP agreement and removes reassurances states need that funding will be available to keep kids covered. The Administration is going back on that agreement and cutting CHIP funding in order to score political points with their base.” [Georgetown University Center for Children & Families, 5.8.18]