“For the millions of unmarried women across American worrying about how to provide health care for their children, President Obama’s actions today reauthorizing and expanding SCHIP sends the message that change has come to Washington and help is on the way. Women’s Voices. Women’s Vote applauds the President for signing this critical piece of legislation that will preserve access to healthcare of low-income families.

“I commend the Senators and House Members, as well as President Obama who supported this legislation, which provides health care services critical to women who are struggling to provide for their families in these stressed economic times.

“Women on their own are the fastest growing large demographic in our country and nearly a fifth of whom are single moms, with children living at home.

“Unmarried women are 53 million strong, making them half of all women in our country. SCHIP is vital to this growing demographic, as 22 percent of these women on their own live below the poverty line. One in five unmarried women in our country does not have private health insurance and 28 percent of unmarried women rely on Medicare, compared to just 20 percent of married Americans.

“At a time when half of all children under six years old are living in a household with a single mother and are living in poverty, the signing of SCHIP into law today will strengthen American by keeping our most vulnerable mothers and children healthy.”