Our legislation will help working families across the United States. After all, these are the people who face the world everyday, meeting the challenges of life, working hard, pursuing a better life, and playing by the rules. As some of you may know, my general approach to solving problems is to rely as much as possible on the private marketplace to correct the problem and to rely less on government intervention. The legislation we are proposing today utilizes components of the private marketplace. And together with federal assistance to the states we will facilitate the expansion of health insurance coverage for children.
Children are our nation's most precious resource.
Believe me, I know this. My wife Elaine and I could not be richer in the happiness and love we share with our children and grandchildren. As parents, we have been blessed. But, unfortunately, too many parents and single parents in our country go to sleep at night worrying about their child's health and what would happen if their child became terribly sick. The lack of health insurance for children is a nightmare for parents.