For Immediate Release: September 26th, 2007
Contact: NJDSC Staff 609-392-3367

The SCHIP children's health insurance plan reauthorization passed Congress on September 25 and is heading to the Senate for consideration. Not surprisingly, Republicans want to deny health insurance from the neediest Americans, and 3 of our own "moderate" New Jersey Republican Congressmen, Jim Saxton, Scott Garrett, and Rodney Frelinghuysen, felt the need to vote against providing health care to 4 million low-income American children. President Bush is threatening to use his veto when this bill passes, but Governor Corzine and the Democratic Party are leading the fight to make sure our children remain safe and healthy. Click here for more info.

The reauthorization of SCHIP, The State Children’s Health Insurance Plan, which would allow states to continue to help insure children from low-income families has passed the House on September 25, 2007 and will be considered by the Senate later this week. Under the new SCHIP plan, over 4 million American children will receive health insurance that, despite their eligibility and need for coverage, were not previously covered. The reauthorization of SCHIP is being opposed by Republicans and President Bush who will do anything to prevent these children from receiving coverage. Republicans are claiming that all 78 million children in the US, legal and illegal, will gain access to some type of coverage under the new SCHIP reauthorization. This claim is entirely false as the SCHIP reauthorization does not expand eligibility, but only targets those children in need of health insurance that did not receive coverage under the old plan. Republicans also enjoy calling the plan a step toward socialism, despite the facts that private plans and private doctors are responsible for delivering SCHIP services and the plan has been endorsed by America’s Health Insurance Plans, the largest insurance lobbying group in the nation.

Governor Corzine is taking the lead in supporting this plan and has called on President Bush to withdraw his veto threat. In his letter to President Bush on September 10, 2007, Corzine scolded the President for his unrealistic ideas for the plan which would prevent needy low-income children from receiving health insurance, including over 10,000 New Jersey children. The Governor has threatened to take legal action against Bush if his veto prevents the nation’s most vulnerable children from being covered and has pledged to "vigorously continue [New Jersey's] commitment to enrolling all children eligible for our current program." Governor Corzine's effort to push forward the reauthorization of SCHIP has been met with support from Democrats across the country and Republicans should realize that SCHIP is essential to keep America's children safe and healthy.

For Immediate Release: September 26th, 2007
Contact: Richard McGrath 609-392-3367

The U.S. House of Representatives last night passed the State Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007, H.R. 976, by a vote of 265 to 159.
All New Jersey Democratic members of Congress voted 'Aye.' Three of the Republican members of the delegation - Saxton, Garrett & Frelinghuysen - voted 'No.'

George Bush - with his 68% disapproval rating in NJ - is threatening a veto.

The legislation includes exemptions to continue strong federal support for New Jersey’s FamilyCare program.

More than 6.6 million children today have health insurance because of the creation a decade ago of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). However, these children will lose their access to health insurance if the Congress does not act to reauthorize the SCHIP program by September 30, 2007.

H.R. 976 would reauthorize SCHIP, invest an additional $35 billion over the next five years to ensure coverage for all children currently enrolled, and add four million currently uninsured children to the program. The legislation would also provide dental coverage and parity for mental health treatment to all enrolled children.

New Jersey uses its SCHIP funds to run a program called FamilyCare, which covers 125,000 children and 85,000 low income-parents.

This bill pays for this increased commitment to our nation’s children with an appropriate increase in the federal tobacco tax. According to the Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids, the 61 cent-per-pack increase in the tobacco tax will result in 1,873,000 fewer children who will become smokers. Like SCHIP itself, this will protect their health and result in long-term healthcare savings of $43.9 billion.

President Bush has said he will veto. We implore the President to put his veto pen away and join Congress in living up to our moral obligation to keep children healthy and in the process make our society stronger.

For Immediate Release: September 9th, 2007
Contact: Senator Adler

New guidelines put into place last month by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services specifies which children will be eligible for coverage under SCHIP and which children will be cut from the program - the new guidelines denies tens of thousands of New Jersey children from access to health care.

"We are at the point where health insurance is so expensive many middle class families can't even afford coverage for their children. New Jersey has looked to address this by expanding our FamilyCare program, but the new federal guidelines will end those efforts," added Senator Adler.

Senator Adler will be introducing a resolution into the Senate urging the federal government to reverse this decision and instead look for ways to expand the program to cover even more children nationwide. He pointed to the success seen in the expansion of FamilyCare as a strong argument for increased coverage nationally.

"We are the wealthiest country in the world yet we allow millions of American children go without health insurance," continued Adler. "New Jersey has taken a step in the right direction by fighting to expand SCHIP and initiating the FamilyCare program. We need the federal government to do their part to ensure that all children have access to affordable and quality healthcare."

According to a letter released by Dennis Smith, director for the Center for Medicaid and State Operations in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the new guidelines require that states must demonstrate that they've enrolled at least 95% of children living in families making less than 200% of the federal poverty level ($41,300) who are eligible for Medicaid or SCHIP before they can expand SCHIP eligibility to children in families with incomes greater than 250% ($51,625) of the federal poverty level.

Senator Adler said the new guidelines will hamper the State's efforts to provide health care under the FamilyCare program by requiring New Jersey to meet enrollment numbers that will be close to impossible to reach.

Currently, a New Jersey family of four earning less than $72,275, or 350% of the federal poverty level, can qualify for certain benefits under the FamilyCare program.

"All children deserve access to affordable and quality healthcare. There should be no exceptions or qualifications, only confidence that when our children get sick they can see a doctor." said Adler

Senator Adler said he plans to formally introduce the resolution before the Senate when it reconvenes in November.

For Immediate Release: June 21st, 2007
Contact: Senator Adler

The Senator's bill, S-1089, would amend the New Jersey Smoke-Free Air Act to remove the exemption for casinos and casino simulcasting facilities from the Statewide smoking ban affecting restaurants, bars and other workplaces in the Garden State. Under the revised indoor smoking ban, the only exceptions to the ban would be:

• Cigar bars or lounges which were in existence prior to the adoption of the Smoke-Free Air Act which meet certain predetermined sales criteria;
• Tobacco retail establishments in which at least 51 percent of business is the sale of tobacco;
• Tobacco businesses where the testing or a cigar or pipe tobacco by burning or smoking is a necessary part of the manufacturing; and
• private homes and residences.

Senator Adler noted that during negotiations for the Smoke-Free Air Act during the 2004-05 Legislative Session, the decision was made not to include casinos in the ban, due to considerable pressure from the casino lobby that threatened to stall the ban in restaurants and bars.

"We passed the original smoking ban knowing we had important work left to do," said Senator Adler, the author of the original bill. "Today's vote fulfills our promise to put public health first."

The bill now heads to the Assembly for consideration.

For Immediate Release: March 5th, 2007
Contact: Senator Adler

TRENTON - Senator John H. Adler, the prime sponsor of S-1498, a bill which would ban the sale of .50 caliber weapons in New Jersey, issued the following statement regarding a NJ CeaseFire press conference calling for approval of the ban:

"Fifty caliber guns are used as sniper rifles in our nation's military. They're long-range weapons with ammo which can pierce a fuel tank over a thousand yards away, and even take down a small air craft.

"In Washington, D.C., we saw the damage a well-armed sniper can do. The Beltway Snipers, John Allen Mohammad and Lee Boyd Malvo, killed 10 people over the course of 23 days with a smaller caliber weapon.

"I see no reason why New Jersey's sportsmen need such powerful weapons for hunting in the Garden State.

"In New Jersey, we have many prime targets for terrorist activity, and the highest population density in the country. We cannot allow anyone to purchase a weapon which can fire deadly rounds from long distances. Turning a blind eye on the dangers posed by .50 caliber rifles seems like a recipe for disaster."