Jimmy Kimmel returned to his eponymous talk show on Monday night and during his opening monologue - while holding his son Billy - pleaded with Congress to restore a "life and death program" known as the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
Mr Kimmel recently took time off after Billy underwent heart surgery and returned to his show to deliver an emotional plea on behalf of parents in the US.
The father implored Congress to restart funding CHIP which has helped fund child care for more than nine million families in the US who don't qualify for Medicaid and who do not receive health benefits through their employer.
"It almost certainly covers children you know," Mr Kimmel said.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
"About one in eight children are covered only by CHIP."
According to Mr Kimmel, the bill has historically been a nonpartisan issue, but Congress members have begun using it as a bargaining chip to attempt to pass their tax plan.
"Parents of children with cancer, diabetes, and heart problems, are about to get letters saying their coverage may be cut off next month. Merry Christmas, right?" he continued.
"Imagine getting that letter, literally not knowing how you'll be able to afford to save your child's life. This is not a hypothetical - about two million CHIP kids have serious chronic conditions.
"I don't know about you, I've had enough of this. 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."
Mr Kimmel asked his viewers to call their Congressional representatives to ask them to take a break from tax negotiations to renew CHIP, and #FundCHIPNow appeared at the bottom of the screen.
He ended by again assuring everyone that Billy was fine, joking that his doctors say "he's probably on track to win at least a bronze medal in the Olympics in 2036."
