| |
Palo Duro Presbytery
Texas
In 2007, Covenant Presbyterian Church focused its attention on the issue of children without health insurance. A shocking 20 percent of Texas children have no coverage, compared to 11 percent nationally. Nonetheless, in 2003 the Texas Legislature changed the rules for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which caused a steep drop in CHIP enrollment. (CHIP provides coverage for children of families who make too much money to qualify them for Medicaid but not enough to enable them to buy health insurance.) Covenant and the other members of the West Texas Organizing Strategy (WTOS), a community-building organization, united to advocate vigorously for restoration of CHIP funds in the Legislature.
In the 2007 session, the Texas House of Representatives passed a bill that would restore over 120,000 children to the CHIP rolls, but the Senate held up the bill for weeks. The session wound down without movement on the issue, and tensions rose. Key to the passage of the bill was the lieutenant governor, who had withheld support. WTOS and other statewide organizations held
a press conference urging passage. This public statement and other contacts led to conversations between the lieutenant governor and Texas Impact, the interfaith coalition of which WTOS is a part.
In May, members of the interfaith coalition held a second press conference, chaired by Covenant Pastor Davis Price, who asserted that it would be “an unconscionable dereliction of duty of legislators” and “a moral travesty not to move this bill forward and do the work of insuring our children.” Finally, the lieutenant governor promised that the Senate would take up the bill and that he would see that all qualified Texas children would receive coverage. The bill has become law; CHIP enrollment has risen. WTOS is now assisting families who wish to enroll. Covenant Presbyterian was able to leverage its determination to do something about children’s health coverage by contributing to the power of Texas Impact.
Palo Duro Presbytery is home to 9,262 members in 54 congregations.
Presbytery Staff
Richard Schempp, executive presbyter
Janne Brumbelow, associate executive presbyter/stated clerk
Kathy Dane, administrative assistant
Sarahlee Morris, resource center director
PC(USA) General Assembly Staff
Elder Mel Young, FDN
Rev. Richard Young, BOP
Great God, you call us to be responsible citizens in our nation and in the world. Your good news empowers us to reach out in love to all around us. Help us to truly see you in the needy, the powerless, the poor, the neglected, the shunned, the fearful. And give us the courage to speak your word of hope to a world that often denies your love. Amen.
Ps. 2, 145 Ps. 110, 111
Isa. 49:13–23
Isa. 54:1–13; Matt. 18:1–14
|
|
