KENNEDY: KATRINA SHOWED HOW LONG A JOURNEY WE STILL HAVE TO MAKE TO LIVE UP TO AMERICA’S PROMISE MORE OF OUR NATION’S CHILDREN NEED A HEALTHY START IN LIFE — NOT FEWER

Washington, DC: Today, on the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Senator Edward M.Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the author ofthe Children's Health Insurance Program, urged the President to support Congress’s efforts tocover more children. Yesterday the Census Report revealed that number of uninsured hasskyrocketed from 44.8 million in 2005 to 47 million in 2006. Over 600,000 more children arenow uninsured than were in 2005, with an increase from 8 million to 8.7 million in just oneyear. The poverty rate declined by .3% in 2006 and little changed in the total number ofAmericans living in poverty. Senator Kennedy issued the following statement: “The violent winds and flood of Katrina tore away the mask that has long concealed the silentslavery of poverty in so much of our society. Katrina showed how long a journey we still haveto make to live up to America's promise. Sadly, just yesterday we learned from the latestcensus statistics that more and more families are not moving forward on that journey, butstaying behind in poverty and struggling with the health care that they need but cant afford.Health care costs are skyrocketing, yet the number of Americans who can't count on having afamily doctor continues to grow. As President tours the Gulf Coast today, I hope he comes tothe right conclusion that more of our nation’s children need a healthy start in life – not fewer.The disaster of reminds us, we're all part of a family -- and we have a responsibility to helpmembers of our family in need. Government must respond in ways that are as good and ascompassionate as the American people. We know what must be done. We're a strongercountry when we're a fairer country. Inequality and injustice undermine our economy, oursecurity, our standing in the world, our future.” ###