{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://rubengallego.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/arizona-democratic-congressional-delegation-applauds-cms-approving-plan", "Arizona Democratic Congressional Delegation Applauds CMS for Approving Plan to Re-Open CHIP Program", "2016-07-27", "2016", "2016-07", "Democrat", "House", "AZ", "Ruben Gallego", "G000574", "rubengallego.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it approved Arizona\u2019s plan to re-open enrollment for KidsCare, the state\u2019s Children\u2019s Health Insurance Program, after the program had been frozen for several years.\nThe state has estimated that 30,000 to 40,000 children will be eligible for coverage once the freeze ends on July 26.\nEarlier this year, the Arizona Democratic Congressional Delegation sent a letter urging federal authorities to provide clarity and reassurances that full federal funding would be made available after KidsCare was enacted. The letter was signed by Reps. Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01), Ra\u00fal Grijalva (AZ-03), Ruben Gallego (AZ-07) and Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-09).\nRep. Ruben Gallego said, \u201cThe reinstatement of KidsCare is a meaningful step forward that will ensure that the children of working families in Arizona \u2013 just like kids in every other state \u2013 are guaranteed access to quality health care. The fight to re-open enrollment was a hard-fought battle, and I\u2019m glad that CMS has approved the plan. A parent\u2019s income should never restrict a child\u2019s access to lifesaving health care, and I\u2019m glad the children in our state will finally get the care they need to grow up healthy and happy.\u201d\n\u201cI\u2019m thrilled to see Arizona\u2019s KidsCare reinstated,\u201d Rep. Ra\u00fal Grijalva said. \u201cWhen state politicians froze the program in 2010, more than 45,000 children gradually lost coverage; our state became 49th in the nation for its rate of uninsured children; and the rate of uninsurance among the former KidsCare income eligibility range rose to a striking 16.5 percent. So many of us were appalled at the harm this decision was causing the most vulnerable among us, and we fought hard over the past six years to make health coverage for our children a reality. Thanks to those efforts, an estimated 30,000-40,000 uninsured children living in our state have a chance at healthier lives and brighter futures, and our state has the opportunity to take back a misstep that never should have lasted as long as it did. Both are good reasons for Arizonans to be celebrating today.\u201d\n\u201cReopening KidsCare is the right thing to do for Arizona families and children,\u201d said Rep.\u00a0Kyrsten Sinema. \u201cThat\u2019s why I worked with my colleagues, with the state and with CMS to make this a reality. Hardworking Arizonans just want to keep their children healthy and provide better futures for their families, and reopening KidsCare helps families take care of their kids.\u201d\nRep. Ann Kirkpatrick said, \u201cI\u2019m thrilled the enrollment freeze is ending, which will allow thousands of kids across Arizona to become eligible for KidsCare. This is an urgently needed change, because Arizona ranks 49th in the nation for its rate of uninsured children. That ranking is unacceptable because it\u2019s more than just a number \u2013 it\u2019s a reminder that our state is failing its children. We must do better, so this announcement is welcome news.\u201d\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n###", 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://rubengallego.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/arizona-democratic-congressional-delegation-applauds-cms-approving-plan"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4838778879493475, "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"}