{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.heller.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=E59AD366-69E9-4DC0-8303-A13D88F9FDE3", "Heller, Cortez Masto Urge Senate Leaders to Take Swift Action in Funding CHIP", "2017-12-01", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NV", "Dean Heller", "H001041", "www.heller.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Dean Heller (R-NV) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) recently urged Senate leaders to swiftly advance a renewal of federal funding for the Children\u2019s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides medical coverage and care to vulnerable children in Nevada and across the country who otherwise may not get care. In a letter sent to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Heller and Cortez Masto noted the Nevada Checkup program provides health care to more than 27,000 children in Nevada. The Senators stressed their support for the program and\u00a0the critical importance of quickly moving to\u00a0ensure that children and families who rely on the program do not see a lapse in coverage. \u201cAs current reauthorization funding for CHIP expired on September 30, 2017, Nevada was projected to run out of current funding on or around December 15, 2017. While this news was concerning, we are pleased that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has announced it will provide Nevada with additional redistribution funding in December and January and remain hopeful that Congress will act swiftly to provide stability and certainty for CHIP,\u201d the Senators wrote.\u00a0 \u201cAs you continue working towards a path forward on CHIP reauthorization, we urge you to swiftly advance a renewal of federal funding for this program that will provide children and families in Nevada and across the nation with the certainty they deserve.\u201d\r\nThe letter reads in full:\r\nNovember 30, 2017\r\nThe Honorable Mitch McConnell \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0  Majority Leader\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0  United States Senate\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0   S-230 U.S. Capitol\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0   Washington, DC 20510\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Honorable Charles Schumer\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0   Democratic Leader  United States Senate   S-221 U.S. Capitol  Washington, DC 20510\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nDear Majority Leader McConnell and Democratic Leader Schumer: We write to you today concerning the vital importance of reauthorizing the Children\u2019s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).\u00a0We appreciate your support of this critical program that provides children in Nevada and across the nation with affordable, quality care. The Nevada Checkup program provides health care to more than 27,000 children in our state.\u00a0As strong supporters of this important program, we wish to reiterate our support and desire to ensure children and families who rely on this program do not see a lapse in coverage. As current reauthorization funding for CHIP expired on September 30, 2017, Nevada was projected to run out of current funding on or around December 15, 2017. While this news was concerning, we are pleased that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has announced it will provide Nevada with additional redistribution funding in December and January and remain hopeful that Congress will act swiftly to provide stability and certainty for CHIP. We are also pleased to see that the Senate Finance Committee has played a critical role in moving forward a long-term reauthorization of CHIP under the leadership of Chairman Hatch and Ranking Member Wyden.\u00a0This bipartisan legislation, the Keeping Kids\u2019 Insurance Dependable and Secure (KIDS) Act (S.1827), was approved by the Finance Committee on October 4, 2017, and would extend funding for CHIP for five years, as well as provide additional protections for low-income children and increase flexibility for states. As you continue working towards a path forward on CHIP reauthorization, we urge you to swiftly advance a renewal of federal funding for this program that will provide children and families in Nevada and across the nation with the certainty they deserve. Thank you for your attention to this important issue.\u00a0We look forward to working with you to provide needed stability for vulnerable children in Nevada and across the nation.\r\nSincerely,\r\nDean Heller\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Catherine Cortez Masto  United States Senator \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 United States Senator\r\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://www.heller.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=E59AD366-69E9-4DC0-8303-A13D88F9FDE3"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.0813168957829475, "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"}