FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: The Reverend John M. Gregory-Davis

September 25, 2007
Member, NH Conference UCC Economic Justice Committee
National Chair, UCC Justice and Witness Ministries phone: (603) 469-3235; cell: (603) 359-1015

The Senate will vote Thursday on legislation to expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Wednesday afternoon, a delegation of state religious leaders, unions, and citizen groups will deliver an urgent moral call upon Senators Sununu and Gregg to do the right thing for America’s children. The bipartisan agreement struck by House and Senate negotiators will bring health coverage to nearly ten million children in need, preserving coverage for all 6.6 million children currently covered by SCHIP, and reaching millions more low-income, uninsured American children in the next five years. In New Hampshire, roughly 7,000 children rely upon Healthy Kids Silver, the program funded by SCHIP, which is set to expire on Sunday.

The president vows to veto this legislation. The delegation will urge Senators Sununu and Gregg to show real leadership for the people of New Hampshire, by standing with Senate colleagues like Charles Grassley, Orrin Hatch, Gordon Smith, Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, to encourage the president to reconsider the veto he has promised. The delegation will ask the senators to vote for the legislation, and, should the president veto it, to vote to override that veto.

WHO: Thomas E. Blonski, President and CEO, NH Catholic Charities

Robert K. Kay, President and CEO, Lutheran Social Services of Northern New England

Adam Solender, Executive Director, Jewish Federation of NH

David Lamarre-Vincent, Executive Director, NH Council of Churches

The Reverend John M. Gregory-Davis, NH Conference UCC Economic Justice Committee, and leaders and members of AFL-CIO NH, NH for Health Care (a project of SEIU), NH Citizens Alliance, American Friends Service Committee-NH, Unitarian Universalist Action Network, UU Church of Manchester, Working Families Win, and NH Conference UCC Economic Justice Committee.



WHAT: A MORAL CALL UPON NEW HAMPSHIRE’S SENATORS

WHERE


WHEN

Senator John E. Sununu’s office

1589 Elm Street, Suite 3, Manchester, NH 03101


Wednesday, September 26

1:30-2:00 p.m.

Senator Judd Gregg’s office

125 North Main, Concord, NH 03301


Wednesday, September 26

2:30-3:00 p.m.

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