{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://mceachin.house.gov/media/press-releases/virginia-congressmen-urge-congressional-leadership-fund-chip", "Virginia Congressmen Urge Congressional Leadership to Fund CHIP", "2017-12-13", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "A. McEachin", "M001200", "mceachin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2013 Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) joined Congressmen Don Beyer (VA-08), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), and Bobby Scott (VA-03) on a letter to congressional leadership on the immediate need for the Children\u2019s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funding following Governor McAuliffe's letter sent earlier this to families informing them of the lack of funding.\n\u201cVirginia children are at risk because Congress continues to fail to fund CHIP,\u201d said Congressman Donald McEachin. \u201cI join my colleagues to call on congressional leaders in the House and the Senate to bring forward a bill that would fund the CHIP program for five years because children need health care. These families deserve better than what is happening because of the Republicans' inaction.\u201d\nIn the Commonwealth of Virginia, 66,000 children and 1,100 pregnant women rely on the CHIP. This program has historically received bipartisan support.\n\u201cCHIP\u2019s authorization expired on September 30th, and now Virginia will run out of funds in January 2018 if CHIP is not reauthorized,\u201d wrote the Members of Congress. \u201cGovernor Terry McAuliffe has been forced to notify families this week that Congress has yet to reauthorize CHIP and to prepare other options \u2013 which for some children and their families simply may not exist. Linda Nablo, chief deputy director at Virginia\u2019s Department of Medical Assistance Services has said \u201cmost families, their children will go without insurance.\u201d\nFull letter text is available here and below.\n###\n\u00a0\nDear Majority Leader McConnell, Minority Leader Schumer, Speaker Ryan and Leader Pelosi:\nIn the Commonwealth of Virginia 66,000 children and 1,100 pregnant women rely on the Children\u2019s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). In Fiscal Years 2016-2017 in Virginia, CHIP covered 218,190 immunizations, 221,309 well-child checkups, 21,430 glasses and contact lenses, and 326,567 dental visits. CHIP is an indispensable partner to Virginia in securing a healthy future for our children.\nAs you are aware, CHIP\u2019s authorization expired on September 30th, and now Virginia will run out of funds in January 2018 if CHIP is not reauthorized. Governor Terry McAuliffe has been forced to notify families this week that Congress has yet to reauthorize CHIP and to prepare other options \u2013 which for some children and their families simply may not exist. Linda Nablo, chief deputy director at Virginia\u2019s Department of Medical Assistance Services has said \u201cmost families, their children will go without insurance.\u201d\nFurther inaction is immoral and needless. CHIP has always received overwhelming bipartisan support. In fact, Senators Orrin Hatch and Ron Wyden reached a bipartisan deal to reauthorize CHIP for five years in September, and the Senate Finance Committee has already acted on this bill. We implore you to take up this bill, or a similar bipartisan reauthorization immediately.\nSincerely,\n\u00a0\nContact: Jamitress Bowden  \n\t(202) 225-6365", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://mceachin.house.gov/media/press-releases/virginia-congressmen-urge-congressional-leadership-fund-chip"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9314750786870718, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}