In 1997, 1 in 7 children (or over 14 percent) were living without health insurance coverage in the United States. In response to this crisis, Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) worked together on legislation to expand health coverage to our nation's 10 million uninsured children. According to the New York Times, Senator Hatch said that "as a nation, as a society, we have the moral responsibility" to provide coverage for the most vulnerable children.