DREAM Act Portal Forum - Kids health insurance bill: A step towards immigration reform?

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Kids health insurance bill: A step towards immigration reform?

Quote:

2:35 PM Wed, Feb 04, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Laura Isensee E-mail News tips

President Barack Obama got a win today on health care, as the House decided to extend health insurance to 4 million uninsured children. (In Texas, that will be almost half a million children.)

The bill, which Obama is expected to sign into law today, is considered a first step towards Obama's promise of health care reform. (Maybe it helps ease the blow after Tom Daschle stepped out of the running for Secretary of Health and Human Services, too.)

But is this bill also a step towards immigration reform, as some immigration advocacy groups see it?

Under the bill, states have the option to cover legal immigrant children and pregnant women who have been in the country less than five years. (That's a provision from Texas' own Gene Green, D-Houston.)

In a release, the Immigration Policy Center called the bill a "breath of fresh air" and that "the next stop is common sense immigration reform."

Do these two issues really go so hand-in-hand?

http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.c...-bill-a-s.html

This is a good sign, first because they are moving on swiftly with their agenda, second the implication here is that more immigrant friendly measures are being looked at.

Re: Kids health insurance bill: A step towards immigration reform?

I have a gap in in following this one, S-CHIP covers legal immigrant children, how does the legislation define legal immigrant children? Is it the children of undocumented parents?

Re: Kids health insurance bill: A step towards immigration reform?

Hey look at what President Obama said on the SCHIP Expansion signing today:

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"We fulfill one of the highest responsibilities that we have, to ensure the health and well-being of our nation's children," the president said before a cheering audience of families, lawmakers and interest groups. "Providing coverage to 11 million children is a downpayment on my commitment to cover every single American."

Guess what else is a downpayment on another issue? No money down, Mr. President. We just want Dream Act as a downpayment on immigration reform.

Re: Kids health insurance bill: A step towards immigration reform?

I think it makes some sense cause doing a barrage of "down payments" to his many promises may distract some of Obama's Harsh Critics.

Re: Kids health insurance bill: A step towards immigration reform?

Big step or a little step, is still a step towards immigration.