Rep. Barletta Votes for Longest Extension of Children’s Health Insurance Program in History

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 -- Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pennsylvania, issued the following news release:

Today, the House of Representatives passed a short-term funding bill to extend government funding through February 16, 2018 at current levels. Congressman Lou Barletta (PA-11) supported the bill which passed by a vote of 230 to 197.

"Though I continue to support a long term solution for the budget, it has been a top priority of mine to ensure that the 180,000 Pennsylvania kids enrolled in the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) get a long term fix. Along with keeping the government open, funding our military, eliminating costly taxes on medical devices and health insurance, the legislation contained the largest extension of CHIP in history. My hope now is that the Senate will do their duty to keep the government open. Threatening a government shutdown to provide amnesty for people who are in this country illegally is not in the best interest of Americans. In fact, I think the American people will be furious."

The funding bill keeps the government open through February 16, 2018, a simple date change to the existing budget. Included in the bill is the longest extension of funding for the state CHIP in history. Under the bill, CHIP funding would be extended through Fiscal Year 2023. It includes the same CHIP policies from H.R. 3922, the CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act, which previously passed the House with Barletta's support on November 2, 2017.

Also included in the bill is tax relief from three taxes imposed by the Affordable Care Act:

* Medical Device Tax relief for two years,

* Health Insurance Tax relief for one year, and

* Relief form the excise tax on high-cost employer health coverage, known as the "Cadillac Tax," for two years.