Jimmy Kimmel, Son In Arms, Pleads For Children's Health Program

NEW YORK, NY — Late night show host Jimmy Kimmel held his infant son in his arms Monday night as he pleaded with the nation and lawmakers to secure funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program, also known as CHIP. Funding for the program expired at the end of September, and many states across the country may soon be forced to notify families that their kids' health care will no longer be covered.

"It's not controversial, it's not a partisan thing," Kimmel explained as baby Billy squirmed against his chest. "It covers around 9 million American kids whose parents make too much money to qualify for Medicaid but don't have access to affordable coverage through their jobs."

He continued: "Now CHIP has become a bargain chip. It's on the backburner while they work out their new tax plans. Which means parents of children with cancer, and diabetes, and heart problems are about to get letters that their coverage could get cut off next month. Merry Christmas, right?"

Kimmel held back tears as he made his plea.

"Daddy cries on TV, but Billy doesn't," he said to his son, who remained calm and composed on camera.

He had just returned after a week away from hosting "Jimmy Kimmel Live" while his son underwent heart surgery. Billy was born with a heart condition, an event that prompted Kimmel to enter the health care fray in May. He cited the importance of health care to his son as he championed the people who had gained coverage under Obamacare, which Republicans were then trying to repeal.

Those efforts failed. But Kimmel hasn't given up the fight to defend health care, and he asked his viewers to call their representatives and to push for CHIP funding.

Since it was enacted in the '90s, the program has dramatically reduced the rate of uninsured children from 14.9 percent to 4.8 percent. According to Joan Alker, the executive director of the research group Center for Children and Families at Georgetown university, 25 percent of kids who receive health insurance through CHIP have special needs.

The program has been caught up in a larger battle over a looming government shutdown, which has been forestalled until Dec. 22. It also comes at a time when the GOP is working to pass a tax cut bill that analysts believe could add more than $1 trillion to the budget deficit over ten years.

"They let the money expire for [CHIP] expire while they work on getting tax cuts for their millionaire and billionaire donors," Kimmel said. "I don't know what could be more disgusting than putting a tax cut, that mostly goes to rich people, ahead of the lives of children."

Watch the full monologue below:

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for AFI