Why Doesn't Congress Care About the Health of 400,000 Texas Kids?

It's hair-on-fire time in Congress. Lawmakers responsible for looking out for folks back home are in a mad dash to get a mountain of past-due work completed by year's end.Buried under the headline-grabbing controversies is one of life and death: 400,000 Texas kids could be dropped from the Children's Health Insurance Program if Congress doesn't act immediately.What started as a nagging concern when Congress failed to meet a Sept. 30 funding deadline has turned into a frightening crisis.In the eight weeks since lawmakers stalled out on CHIP, they have repeatedly assured their worried constituents and state governments that "we've got this."Now it seems that nothing could be further from the truth.Texas is one of at least five states that say they have no choice but to alert families and begin winding down programs that provide crucial care for low-income children. Letters could go out as early as this week noting that service will be disrupted if not outright ended.Nationally, nearly 9 million youngsters receive care through CHIP. Since September, it has limped along thanks to fast-diminishing funds from previous years.  Continue reading...