Rep. Bucshon Issues Statement on State Children’s Health Program

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 -- Rep. Larry Bucshon, R-Indiana, issued the following statement:

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Congressman Larry Bucshon, M.D. (IN-08) released the following statement after the House of Representatives voted to pass H.R. 195, which reauthorizes the State Children's Health Program (SCHIP) for six years, provides relief from three taxes created by the Affordable Care Act - including the medical device tax, and keeps the government funded through February 16th:

"The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) was created by Republican majorities in 1997 to improve the accessibility and quality of health care for uninsured and underinsured children in low-income households. With 104,000 Hoosier children and more than 9 million across the nation dependent on SCHIP, reauthorizing this important program is a top priority for these children. The House took action and passed a bill last fall to reauthorize SCHIP, but Washington Democrats have blocked this reauthorization from moving forward. It's unfortunate that Washington Democrats have continued to play political games with the health care of children. I strongly support H.R. 195 because it reauthorizes SCHIP for six years - the longest extension ever proposed - to ensure that low-income children can get the health coverage they need.

"Additional, H.R. 195 provides relief from three taxes imposed by Obamacare, including the medical device tax. This tax hurts innovation, advancement, and employment here in Indiana. Across the state, medical device manufacturers are a major source of good-paying American manufacturing jobs, paying $10,000 more than the average manufacturing job. Overall, the industry employs more than 20,000 Hoosiers at more than 150 companies - some of which are located in the Eighth District. Beyond the impact on jobs and wages, this punitive tax also reduces the ability of device manufacturers to invest in research and development of new devices, potentially preventing a revolutionary device that could help millions of Americans from ever seeing the light of day.

"Finally,H.R. 195 ensures that the federal government remains open in the short term while work is done to craft a funding bill for the remainder of the fiscal year. This ensures that our troops continue to be funded and other important functions carried out by the federal government, such as air traffic control, are not interrupted."

Congressman Larry Bucshon, M.D.is a physician and Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee serving his fourth term representing Indiana's 8th Congressional district. The 8th District of Indiana includes all or parts of Clay, Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Gibson, Greene, Knox, Martin, Owen, Parke, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Sullivan, Vanderburgh, Vermillion, Vigo, and Warrick counties.