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Bush vetoes health care expansion for children

Date Posted: October 12 2007

President Bush on Oct. 3 vetoed the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) renewal bill.

Bush turned a political deaf ear to many leading Republican lawmakers who joined with nearly every Democrat in the House and Senate who voted to reauthorize the program and expand it by $35 billion.

About four million additional children would be eligible for health care coverage under the reauthorization - joining the 6.6 million already enrolled. Bush supports a $5 billion expansion of the program.

The president, the AFL-CIO said, disregarded the 81 percent of Democrats, 69 percent of independents and 61 percent of Republicans who told an ABC News-Washington Post poll they support the $35 billion increase in the bill so more children get health coverage.

"The president's decision to veto legislation that would provide health care to millions of children is nothing short of disgraceful," said AFL-CIO President John Sweeney. "The cost of health care is soaring out of control and wages for workers can't keep up. Our children need a lot more than rhetoric to grow into healthy and productive adults. If Bush really wants to show commitment to children's health, he should give them annual check-ups, vaccinations and regular contact with a pediatrician who knows and cares about them. He shouldn't just give them a press release."

Funding for the program expired Sept. 30, but Congress passed a continuing resolution to keep government agencies open that haven't had their appropriations bills approved and included money to fund SCHIP at current levels through Nov. 16.

It takes two-thirds of the Senate to override President Bush's veto, and the 67-29 vote is one "yes" vote more than necessary to approve the children's health bill. But the 265-159 House vote falls about 25 votes short of what is needed to override the veto. It was only the fourth veto of Bush's presidency, and one that some Republicans feared could carry steep risks for their party in next year's elections.

The president said the Democratic bill costs too much and that the law was originally intended to help the poor but would entice people now covered in the private sector to switch to government coverage. "The president remains someone who is committed to expanding SCHIP and wants to make sure that the neediest children are covered first," said White House press secretary Dana Perino.The AFL-CIO and affiliated unions, child welfare groups, health care providers, community, religious and civil rights groups plan to mobilize to find the needed House votes to override Bush's veto.

House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland said the president's "incomprehensible veto of this bipartisan, fiscally responsible legislation... demonstrates a stunning lack of compassion for some of the most vulnerable members of our society."