We encourage you to call the Governor's office toll-free at 1.888.746.9714 and ask that he include CHIP on the call for the special session.

Advocating for the Texas Bishops, the Texas Catholic Conference actively monitored over 300 bills during Texas' 81^st regular legislative session. In the aftermath of the session, there are several legislative successes. However, the legislature adjourned without passing any major improvements to the children's health insurance program despite widespread bi-partisan support for expansion of CHIP.

"The failure of the Texas Legislature to address the critical need for healthcare for our uninsured children was disappointing," stated Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. "With the announcement of a special session the governor has an opportunity to provide hope to the families of the 80,000 children in Texas who would have access to health insurance through the CHIP buy-in program. This program promotes family responsibility while respecting the sanctity of human life and the dignity that belongs to all human persons, who are made in the image of God. It is our prayer that the Governor and the members of the Texas Legislature can provide hope for these working families."

The Catholic approach to healthcare is shaped by the simple, but fundamental, principle that every person has a right to adequate healthcare and that health care is more than a commodity; it is a basic human right, an essential safeguard of human life and dignity.

The Bishops of Texas support improvements of the eligibility system, including outreach and application assistance, to enroll every eligible child in CHIP & Medicaid with 12 months continuous eligibility, as well as the creation of a CHIP buy-in program for middle income families to purchase affordable health coverage.

The Texas Catholic Conference is the association of the 15 Roman Catholic dioceses of Texas. The Conference participates in public policy on behalf of the Bishops of Texas regarding institutional concerns of the Catholic Church as well as issues related to Catholic moral and social teachings. For more information on the Texas Catholic Conference, visit www.TXCatholic.org.

We encourage you to call the Governor's office toll-free at 1.888.746.9714 and ask that he include CHIP on the call for the special session.