PRINTER'S NO. 2508
No. 291 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY McCALL, GEORGE, EVANS, CALTAGIRONE, COY, DeWEESE,
SURRA, BEBKO-JONES, MARKOSEK, CAPPABIANCA, PESCI, LAUGHLIN,
ORIE, MELIO, HALUSKA, SCRIMENTI, HERMAN, SANTONI, BELARDI,
ROONEY, GORDNER, READSHAW, ITKIN, TIGUE, DALEY, EACHUS,
TRAVAGLIO, ARGALL, WALKO, VAN HORNE, CORPORA, RAMOS, TRELLO,
MUNDY, SHANER, CARN, CURRY, TANGRETTI, PETRARCA, BATTISTO,
C. WILLIAMS, MANDERINO, SAINATO, STABACK, KENNEY, LEVDANSKY,
ROEBUCK, JOSEPHS, BROWNE, DeLUCA, COLAFELLA, ROBINSON,
KIRKLAND, PISTELLA AND CORRIGAN, OCTOBER 28, 1997
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, OCTOBER 28, 1997
A RESOLUTION
1 Urging Governor Thomas J. Ridge to eliminate the ceiling on the
2 number of children enrolled in the Children's Health
3 Insurance Program (CHIP).
4 WHEREAS, There are 330,000 uninsured children in
5 Pennsylvania; and
6 WHEREAS, CHIP is currently funded by a dedicated 3¢ per pack
7 on cigarettes generating approximately $32 million annually; and
8 WHEREAS, Enrollment in the State-funded program is capped at
9 53,879 children; and
10 WHEREAS, Recently enacted Federal legislation provides about
11 $117.5 million in new Federal funds which will allow the
12 immediate expansion of CHIP to provide coverage for additional
13 children; and
14 WHEREAS, Pennsylvania can use existing CHIP expenditures to
15 draw down Federal funds; and
1 WHEREAS, Governor Ridge has expressed a willingness to
2 identify and commit the resources necessary to draw down every
3 Federal dollar available to the Commonwealth over the next five
4 years; therefore be it
5 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives strongly urge the
6 Governor to immediately lift the cap on the number of children
7 eligible for CHIP enrollment.
J16L82SFL/19970H0291R2508 - 2 -