DUMONT – The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee and the Assembly Human Services Committee will hold a joint hearing on Monday at 9:30 a.m. to receive testimony from invited speakers concerning the impact on New Jersey if Congress fails to override President Bush’s veto to limit the expansion of SCHIP–the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.
The meeting will be held at Dumont Borough Hall at 50 Washington Avenue in Dumont.
“New Jersey has been a national leader in expanding FamilyCare to cover middle class children in families that can’t afford the skyrocketing cost of health insurance. President Bush’s veto of the SCHIP Reauthorization Act puts at risk health care coverage for New Jersey children and adults,” said Senator Joseph Vitale, Chair of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee.
“The President’s veto was a body blow that undermines New Jersey’s efforts to provide quality care for children and parents who cannot afford health insurance. We need to examine all of the implications so we can better press the case for a veto override in Congress next week,” said Assemblyman Joseph Cryan, chairman of the Assembly Human Services Committee.
Expected to testify at the joint hearing are Congressman Frank Pallone, co-sponsor of the SCHIP Reauthorization Act, Mary Coogan from the Association of Children NJ, Ray Castro from NJ Policy Perspective, Dave Knowlton from NJ Health Care Quality Institute, and Dr. Janice Prontnicki from the NJ Academy of Pediatrics.