Late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel spoke out against the Republican Party's refusal to fund the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) on his show Monday night, again entering the national conversation about the damaging Trump agenda after delivering several monologues earlier this year about the GOP's efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
"Parents of children with cancer, diabetes, and heart problems, are about to get letters saying their coverage may be cut off next month," said Kimmel, who held his infant son, Billy, as he delivered his opening monologue. Billy was born with a heart condition and underwent heart surgery last week.
While Kimmel's family is able to afford medical care for their son, he explained, about nine million American children—one in eight—rely on CHIP for health coverage because their parents don't qualify for Medicaid but also don't have insurance through their jobs.
Kimmel denounced the Republican-led Congress for allowing funding for the program to expire while it works to pass the GOP's tax bill.
"This is literally a life-and-death program for American kids, it's always had bipartisan support but this year they let the money for it expire while they work on getting tax cuts for their millionaire and billionaire donors," the host said.
Kimmel ended the segment by asking viewers to call their representatives in the House and Senate to demand that they renew funding for CHIP, and promoted the hashtag #FundCHIPNow, which quickly garnered support on social media.
@PeterRoskam #fundchipnow. Children's lives are not bargaining chips to leverage passing a tax bill for the wealthy.
— Stephanie G Toreson (@SGToreson) December 12, 2017
In no life time are tax cuts more important than dying children. I believe that’s non partisan, at least I hope so. seriously, the senate and congress need to get their priorities in check and not use kids as a bargaining chip. #fundCHIPnow
— Jerusha Jacob (@jjerusha9) December 12, 2017
Come on, pro-life party, #fundchipnow. @HouseGOP @SenateGOP It's literally the least you can do for children who, of course, deserve health care in this wealthy nation. https://t.co/nM7ss8ihV4
— Stephanie McNeely (@StefMcNeely) December 12, 2017
