LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nevada elected officials have won a short reprieve as they press Congress to reauthorize money for a Children's Health Insurance Program that serves more than 40,000 children a year.
Republican U.S. Sen. Dean Heller is co-sponsoring a bipartisan measure that would allocate funds for the CHIP program through the end of 2018.
Another measure would extend funding at varying levels into 2022.
Heller says children's health care shouldn't be held hostage by political disputes.
Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval says Nevada has been promised $5.6 million in stopgap federal funding to keep the program operating statewide at least until February.
Funds would have run out on Dec. 15.
Nevada is one of many states seeking continued funding after Congress missed a Sept. 30 deadline to reauthorize funds for children's health program.
