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A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Ed Shelleby (202) 210-3823

Children's Defense Fund Lauds President Obama's Plan to Reverse Bush Administration Policy for Children's Health Coverage

New Policies Will Help States Increase Health Coverage for Children

WASHINGTON

Today the Children's Defense Fund released the following statement
regarding President Obama's plan to reverse Bush Administration
policies that have impeded state efforts to provide health coverage to
children:

"We applaud President Obama for pledging to remove the
onerous policies put in place by former President Bush's Administration
that prohibited countless children from receiving critical health
coverage,"
said CDF General Counsel Susan Gates. "By
signing this measure, President Obama has indicated his commitment to
making it easier for many children to obtain health coverage without
having to meet some of the cumbersome and unnecessary rules set in
place by the Bush Administration. Helping children get health coverage
will ease the burden on working families and is key to helping get our
economy back on track. We now look forward to working with President
Obama to make health coverage for every child in America-and all
Americans-a reality in 2009."

The Bush Administration policies included eight regulations and a
policy directive that could have severely limited states' ability to
provide health coverage to children.

To find out more about the regulations and the policy directive, visit www.childrensdefense.org/healthy_child_medicaid_update.

The Children's Defense Fund (CDF) is a non-profit child advocacy organization that has worked relentlessly for 35 years to ensure a level playing field for all children. We champion policies and programs that lift children out of poverty; protect them from abuse and neglect; and ensure their access to health care, quality education, and a moral and spiritual foundation.