Deseret News (Utah)

Utah’s federal bonus (“Utah gets federal bonus money for CHIP programs,” Dec. 19) is a welcome reminder that when individuals across the political spectrum work together, government can make real progress.

While thousands of families have lost employer-sponsored health insurance, the uninsured rate among Utah children has increased less than 1 percent, thanks to CHIP and Medicaid. That success happened because Republicans and Democrats in Salt Lake City put children’s health ahead of politics.

We know America needs that spirit of cooperation in Washington. The federal CHIP law will expire in 2015, unless Congress acts to extend and enhance it first.

Bruce Lesley, President, First Focus Campaign for Children

Washington, D.C.