Mrs. Clinton is among the champions of CHIP during the first term in office of former President Bill Clinton. As First Lady, she pushed hard for the program.
The late Senator Edward Kennedy together with Senator Orrin Hatch introduced a legislation to create CHIP. Mrs. Clinton supported the legislation, which passed the Congress and signed into law by Pres. Clinton in August 1997.
In an interview with the Associated Press in 2007, Sen. Kennedy said, “The children’s health program wouldn’t be in existence today if we didn’t have Hillary pushing for it from the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue.”
Mrs. Clinton praised bipartisan bill to re-authorize CHIP
On Monday, Mrs. Clinton also praised expressed gratitude to the Senate Finance Committee for “passing a strong and much needed bipartisan” legislation last week to re-authorize CHIP. She said, “Now, let’s get this done.”
Last week, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch said the Keeping Kid’s Insurance Dependable and Secure (KIDS Act) passed by voice votes. The bipartisan bill will extend fund for CHIP for five years. Over time, it will transition the program to its traditional federal-state partnership.
