When Barack Obama was running for President, he said, “If there’s one thing all of us should be able to agree on, no matter what our political views, it’s that our children should get the treatment they need when they need it. And when I’m president, they will.”

He was talking about the reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) -- a successful cooperative program between the federal government and the states that currently gives access to health care to nearly 7 million children.  Now that he is President, Congress needs to send him a bill to reauthorize SCHIP so it can continue covering kids -- and expand it to cover 4 million more. 

SCHIP is funded by the cigarette tax.  It's revenue neutral -- it won't cost more money in the budget to expand it.  It works.  And it protects our most precious resource:  our kids. 

The previous Congress passed this bill twice before with bipartisan support, only to have then-President Bush veto it.  It should be a no-brainer, particularly in these tough economic times.  Write to your Senator and Representative.  Tell them it's time to pass SCHIP -- NOW!

UPDATE:  1/14/08 -- SCHIP has passed in the House!  Please write to your Senators and ask them to vote on SCHIP when it comes before them.  It's time!